The Rhodes women's swimming and diving team finished the SAA Championship in third place with a total of 674.5 points. The Lynx placed behind the Centre Colonels in second and the Trinity Tigers, who claimed the championship title. Several swimmers qualified for the NCAA Championship in individual events and will represent Rhodes on the national stage.
In the 1650-yard freestyle, first-year
Kendall Mitzel finished fourth with a time of 18:08.33, followed closely by Taylor McNerney at 18:11.60. In the 200-yard backstroke,
Gracie Shapard claimed the conference title with a time of 2:03.63.
Rhodes secured multiple podium finishes in the 200-yard breaststroke across both finals. In the A final,
Paxton Smythe placed second in 2:22.88, while
Autumn Bruns finished third in 2:23.82. In the 200-yard butterfly A final, first-year
Charlotte Hill captured the championship with a time of 2:07.61. In the B final,
Sydney Kalange earned second place with a time of 2:21.31.
The championship concluded with the 400-yard freestyle relay, where Rhodes placed third in both the A and B finals. In the A final,
Paxton Smythe,
Gracie Shapard,
Madolyn Holmes, and Taylor McNerney posted a time of 3:33.58. In the B final,
Abby Carter,
Annie Murer,
Makenna Mitzel, and
Kate Pierros finished in 3:39.47.
Team statistics:
-Rhodes College (third): 674.5
Women's Rookie of the Year:
-
Charlotte Hill
All-Sportsmanship Team:
-
Paxton Smythe
Looking ahead:
Several Rhodes athletes have qualified for the NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships and will compete at the national level March 18–21. Fans are encouraged to support the Lynx as they represent Rhodes on the national stage.