Northeastern Swim & Dive Secures Second Place at Terrier Invitational, Showcasing Rising Talent
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Northeastern University’s swim and dive team delivered a strong mid-season performance at the Terrier Invitational, held November 21-23 at Boston University’s fitness and recreation center, finishing second overall with a score of 1,043. The Huskies competed against eight New England teams, ultimately falling just short of Boston University’s winning score of 1,150.
The three-day meet provided a valuable opportunity for the team to gauge its progress heading into the championship season. Northeastern faced stiff competition from Bryant University (936.5), University of Massachusetts (761), Fairfield University (726.50), Boston College (716), West Point (66), and Colgate University (29).
Fast Starts and Freshman Impact on Day One
The competition kicked off quickly on Friday, with seven athletes across all teams breaking the five-minute mark in the 500-yard freestyle. Northeastern’s Abigail Gowern, a freshman, led the Huskies with a sixth-place finish in 4:58.69, a significant drop of nearly five seconds from her previous best time, securing her a spot in the A-final. Fellow freshman Siena Griffiths also impressed, finishing fifth in 5:01.45 and also qualifying for the A-final.
In the 200-yard IM, freshman Alex Campion finished 14th (2:06.83) and Sophie Bromley took 18th (2:07.54), both earning places in the B-final. The Huskies also showcased their sprinting prowess in the 50-yard freestyle, with junior May Bradburn posting the top seed time (23.10), followed closely by junior Mary Nordmann (23.29) and senior Kotoko Blair (23.50), all qualifying for the A-final. Senior Anelise Kim led the diving team, finishing 16th in the 1-meter event (214.40).
Friday’s finals saw Northeastern start strong with a victory in the 200-yard freestyle relay. The team of Nordmann, freshman Alex Fuller, Blair, and Bradburn touched the wall in 1:31.99, narrowly edging out Boston University by just 0.11 seconds. Gowern continued her impressive performance in the 500-yard freestyle, taking second place with a time of 4:55.24, while Griffiths finished fifth (4:57.90). Though no Huskies reached the A-final in the 200-yard IM, Campion (2:05.38) and Bromley (2:06.71) both improved their times to finish 12th and 17th respectively in the B-final. Bradburn secured second in the 50-yard freestyle (23.00), with Fuller (23.19) and Nordmann (23.21) finishing closely behind in third and fourth. The Huskies concluded the night with a second-place finish in the 400-yard medley relay (3:43.08), featuring Bromley, graduate student Elisabeth Bendall, Fuller, and Bradburn.
Saturday Showings: Backstroke Brilliance and Relay Success
Saturday’s prelims saw Gowern qualify for the A-final in the 400-yard individual medley with a ninth-place finish. Fuller continued to shine in the 100-yard freestyle, securing the second seed (51.90), followed by Nordmann (54.76) and Bradburn (51.77). Griffiths maintained her strong performance in the distance events, qualifying for the A-final in the 200-yard freestyle (1:52.73). Bendall qualified for the A-final in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:04.75), while Northeastern secured four A-final qualifiers in the 100-yard backstroke: senior Anna Verlander (55.39), sophomore Delaney Alonso (55.55), Fuller (56.01), and Bromley (56.41). Kim qualified for the finals in the 3-meter diving, finishing sixth (245.55).
Saturday’s finals were highlighted by a close race in the 200-yard medley relay, where Northeastern (1:41.45) finished second to Boston University by a mere 0.40 seconds. Gowern placed sixth in the 400-yard individual medley (4:26.43), leading a strong showing from the Huskies in the event. Fuller, Nordmann, and Bradburn took third, fourth, and fifth respectively in the 100-yard butterfly. Griffiths finished fourth in the 200-yard freestyle (1:51.25). Bendall was the highest-scoring Husky in the 100-yard breaststroke, and Verlander delivered the team’s only individual win of the meet, taking first in the 100-yard backstroke (54.93) by just 0.10 seconds. The Huskies again secured second place in the 800-yard freestyle relay (7:28.42), narrowly out-touching Boston College. Kim maintained her sixth-place position in the 3-meter diving (236.75).
Sunday’s Strong Finishes and Promising Outlook
Sunday’s prelims saw strong showings in the 200-yard backstroke, with Alonso, Verlander, and senior Teagan Osga all qualifying for the A-final. Fuller, Nordmann, and Bradburn all qualified for the A-final in the 100-yard freestyle. Li qualified for the A-final in the 200-yard breaststroke, while Auerbach, Bendall, and Campion qualified for the B-final. Kerber and Gowern qualified for the A and B finals respectively in the 200-yard fly.
In Sunday’s finals, Gowern secured a second-place finish in the 1,650-yard freestyle (16:46.77). Alonso took third in the 200-yard backstroke (2:00.90), with Verlander finishing sixth. Fuller secured another second-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle (50.62), followed by Nordmann in fourth. Kerber maintained her fifth-place finish in the 200-yard butterfly (2:04.84). The Huskies concluded the meet with a third-place finish in the 400-yard freestyle relay (3:24.34).
Northeastern delivered a strong mid-season performance, highlighted by a victory in the 200-yard freestyle relay and an individual win in the 100-yard backstroke at the Terrier Invitational. The team’s freshmen and sprinters posted standout swims throughout the meet, demonstrating Northeastern’s rising freshman talent and relay strength heading into championship season.
