The Middlebury women's swimming and diving team concluded its 2024 slate at the Bomber Invitational hosted by Ithaca. The Panthers competed in the preliminaries and finals on Friday and Saturday, while bowing out after the morning session on Sunday. At that time, the team was in second place with 854.5 points before finishing in fourth in the final standings.
 
RELAY HIGHLIGHTS

• The 800-yard freestyle relay quartet of Chloe Katz, Hannah Baumgartner, Grace Nadecki, and Anna McGrew won the event by nearly six seconds with a time of 7:39.39. The time was just eight seconds off the school record. 
• On Saturday, the 200 free relay (Baumgartner, Chloe Bautista, McGrew and Avery Maxwell) combined for a winning time of 1:36.59, just two seconds behind the program mark.
• The 400 medley relay comprised of Maddy Reid, Emma Hall, Bautista and McGrew claimed the crown with a clocking of 3:51.77. 

INDIVIDUAL HIGHLIGHTS

• Katz continued her strong start to the season by securing gold in the 1650 freestyle, clocking a 17:14.10. That time also bested the NCAA B-Cut time by just under seven seconds. The Panther also claimed the crown in the 400 individual medley (IM) at 4:34.00.
• Winning the 200 free was Lauren Jolley with a time of 1:53.76, while Baumgartner was right behind in second (1:53.81).
• McGrew grabbed goldin the 50 free, touching the wall in 23.51. The time was just one-tenth of a second off the school record. 
• Other runner-up finishes came from Bautista in the 200 fly (2:08.20), Hall in the 100 breaststroke (1:05.67) and Reid in the 100 back (57.86). 

SUNDAY PRELIM HIGHLIGHTS

• Katz (5:01.52) and Reese Paison (5:15.88) swam the first and second-fastest times, respectively, in the 500 freestyle.
• In the 200 back, Isabel Pentony led the way at 2:05.41, while Reid was third in 2:08.08.
• Pacing the group for Middlebury in the 100 fly was Bautista in second (57.69) and Jolley in fourth (58.31). 
• Hall earned runner-up in the 200 breaststroke with a clocking of 2:22.56. 
• McGrew tallied the top time in the 100 free with a blistering 52.66, while Bautista tied for third (53.26).
• Panthers Olivia Schwarz (2:11.13) and Nadecki (2:11.93) finished second and third in the 200 IM. 

Middlebury is idle until January 11 when it travels to Colby for a 1:00 p.m. start.