CMS Sends 11 Athena Swimmers to NCAA Division III Championships

NCAA Division III Psych Sheets

CLAREMONT, Calif. - A total of 11 swimmers from the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's swimming and diving team earned invitations to the NCAA Division III Championships next month in Indianapolis, the NCAA announced this week.

The list of Athenas earning invitations in individual events includes Augusta Lewis, who is the top seed in the country in the 400 IM after swimming the fastest time this year at the SCIAC Championships last weekend. Lewis also qualified in the 200 IM and the 200 breast, where she will be joined by fellow qualfier Kelly Prawira. Ella Blake earned three qualifications as well in the 200 free, 500 free (along with Leila El Masri) and 1650 (along with Gracey Hiebert). Ava Sealander earned two in the 50 free and the 100 fly, while Katelyn Dang qualified in both butterfly events and Jameson Mitchum earned her way into the field in both backstroke events.  

CMS will also compete in four of the relay events, with Natalia Orbach-Mandel returning to the NCAAs as part of the 400 medley and 800 free relays. Lexi Lee joins Blake, Dang and El Masri in the 400 free relay, while Rachel Wander will be a part of the 200 medley relay with Dang, Mitchum and Sealander.

Lewis swam a 4:18.66 in the 400 IM at the SCIAC Championships this weekend, which is over three seconds faster than the rest of the field in Indianapolis, as Clio Hancock of Emory ranks second in a 4:21.99. Lewis is also seeded No. 5 in the 200 breast in 2;16.16, and No. 7 in the 200 IM in 2:02.39, giving her three strong chances at earning All-America honors, while Prawira is the No. 23 seed in the 200 breast (2:19.65).

Blake won two closes races in the distance events over her own teammates at the SCIAC Championships, and the seeding reflects that at the NCAA Championships. Blake is ranked No. 18 in the 1650 in 17:12.46, while Hiebert is No. 19 in 17:12.98. In the 500, Blake is seeded No. 22 in 4:59.22, while El Masri is close behind as the No. 25 seed in 4:59.78, as the Athena duo became the second and third swimmers to break five minutes in program history at the SCIAC Championships. Blake is also No. 17 in the 200 in 1:51.06, which set a new program record. 

Dang (No. 7) and Sealander (No. 10) are both seeded in the top 10 at the NCAAs in the 100 fly with times of 54.76 and 55.18, respectively. Sealander ranks No. 13 in Division III in the 50 free heading into the NCAA Championships with a time of 23.31, just .02 off the CMS record, while Dang is the No. 25 seed in the 200 fly in 2:03.96. In the backstroke, Mitchum is ranked No. 14 in the 200 back in 2:01.28, and No. 26 in the 100 back in 56.66. 

For the relays, the best seed for CMS is No. 11 in the 800 free relay (7:29.08) after winning the SCIAC title, and in the 200 medley relay (1:43.26). The Athenas are also No. 12 in the 400 medley relay (3:46.89), and No. 20 in the 400 free relay (3:28.68). 

CMS will try to add to its nationals traveling party this weekend when the NCAA Regional diving championships are held at Trinity University in San Antonio on Friday and Saturday. Emma Ng Pack, Makenna Parkinson and Izzy Doud will represent the Athenas as they try to earn their way to Indianapolis with strong performances.