The Middlebury women's swimming and diving team concluded a notable week at the NCAA Championships in Indianapolis, highlighted by Anna McGrew's record-breaking performances. McGrew, a sophomore, made history by becoming the first woman in Middlebury history to swim the 100-yard freestyle in under 50 seconds, clocking in at 49.84 during the consolation final. This achievement earned her a ninth-place finish and All-American honors. Earlier in the week, McGrew also secured a fourth-place finish in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 22.98 seconds, reinforcing her status as an All-American and marking her second consecutive year receiving such recognition in this event.
The Panthers' relay teams also made their mark at the championships. The quartet of Hannah Baumgartner, Anna McGrew, Isla Johnston, and Lauren Jolley competed in the 800-yard freestyle relay, finishing 15th overall and earning All-American second-team honors with a time of 7:35.03. Meanwhile, in the 200-yard freestyle relay, the same team placed 23rd with a time of 1:35.34, narrowly missing the program record.
Individually, Isla Johnston competed in multiple events, including the 1,650-yard freestyle where she finished 17th, and the 200-yard freestyle, placing 42nd. Johnston also participated in the 500-yard freestyle, finishing 28th in the preliminaries. Her efforts contributed to Middlebury's overall strong showing at the national level.
As the season wraps up, the Panthers can reflect on a successful championship meet, with McGrew's performances standing out as a highlight of the competition.