Women's Swimming & Diving Finishes NESCAC's in 2nd Place With 10 Event Victories

WATERVILLE, ME (February 16, 2025) - After a remarkably close contest over the last four days, the Tufts University women's swimming & diving team placed second at the 2025 New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Championships which finished up on Sunday night at Colby College.

The Jumbos won two more events on Sunday, with senior Jillian Cudney taking the 100 freestyle and the 400 freestyle relay (junior Isa Chambers, junior Quinci Wheeler, sophomore Sydney Stasz and Cudney) winning the final event of the meet. That gave Tufts a total of 10 individual and relay titles at the meet, matching the 2023 squad for the most in Jumbo history.

After Cudney won the 100 free tonight in 50.66 seconds, leading four Jumbos who scored in the top 11 for the event, Tufts was ahead of Williams by 31.5 points. However, the Ephs were able to finish strong in the last three events for a final score of 1831 points to Tufts' 1801.5 final total. Amherst College was third at 1117 points.

In an overall great performance by the team, Cudney stood out at her final NESCAC meet. She won two individual titles (50 and 100 frees) and helped power Tufts to three relay victories in the anchor leg of the 200 free relay, 200 medley relay and 400 free relay.

The Jumbo 400 free relay capped the meet with not only a 3:23.78 victory in the championship final. Tufts also won the consolation final, where first-year Sweeney Su, junior Katharine Skelly, senior Emma Claus and first-year Noa Chambers had a 3:28.11 mark.

The night had started with three Jumbos scoring in the top 11 for the 1650 freestyle. Junior Madeleine Dunn placed third with a 16:57.17 finish, first-year Lila Strober swam ninth with a 17:37.57 touch and senior Cierra McCarty scored 11th in 17:41.93.

The Jumbos narrowed their margin behind Williams to just half a point after the 200 backstroke, where they had four among the top eight. Noa Chambers was All-Conference (top three) in third place with a 2:01.35 finish. Junior Madison Hagberg had a fifth-place swim of 2:01.55 and first-year Olivia Pettit was sixth (2:02.94). Senior Gaurika Singh added eighth-place points with a 2:04.65 finish.

When Tufts surged into the lead with the 100 free, Wheeler was third behind Cudney in 51.05 seconds. Isa Chambers was seventh (52.13) and Su took 11th (52.27).

In the 200 breaststroke, the Jumbos had three score in the consolation final. Claus led that group in 11th (2:24.30), senior Abby Miller timed 2:24.40 for 12th place and sophomore Mia Solomon finished 13th (2:24.70).

Senior Lara Wujciak concluded her fine NESCAC career with a fourth in the 200 butterfly final (2:04.24). Sophomore Elena Harrison, after she had been 16th in the morning preliminaries, dominated the consolation final to win in 2:03.48 for a ninth-place score. Strober (2:08.54) and first-year Angelina Sagaow (2:07.48) were 16th and 17th, respectively.

Tufts will be well represented at the upcoming NCAA Championships with the number of qualifying marks they swam at the conference meet. Today, Pettit, Hagberg and Noa Chambers in the 200 back, Cudney and Wheeler in the 100 free, Wujciak and Harrison for the 200 fly, Dunn in the 1650 free and the two 400 freestyle relays all recorded NCAA B cuts.

Those looking to improve their season-best marks will have a chance to do so next Sunday at the NESCAC Women's Invitational held at Middlebury College.