Swim & Dive Edges Buffalo, 149.5-148.5

BUFFALO, N.Y. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University swim & dive team earned its second consecutive win to start the 2024-25 season as it edged the Buffalo Bulls, 149.5-148.5 at the Dorsi Raynolds Pool Saturday, Oct. 26.

The win marked the second 2-0 start in the Head Coach Derek Perkins era. His Eagles also started 2-0 in the 2019-20 season, a campaign that saw Eastern finish 4-1 in dual meets and third at the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Championships. Additionally, Perkins-led EMU teams are now 5-1 in MAC openers.

How it Happened
Eastern controlled the 1,000y freestyle with Azra Umut (Istanbul, Turkey/Fenerbahce School) placing first in a personal-best 10:36.37, Morgan Hofmeister (Powell, Ohio/Olentangy Liberty) taking fourth (10:55.55), and Ashley George (Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha) placing fifth (11:13.26). The Eagles collected 12 points in the event to the Bull's seven.

Eastern went on to take the top-three spots in the 200y freestyle. Ali Kudo (Guelph, Ontario/John F. Ross Collegiate Vocational) led the way in first in 1:54.11, followed by Nehir Oz (Istanbul, Turkey/Cevre) (second - 1:54.44), and Emma Littrell (Taylor Mill, Ky./St. Henry District) (third - 1:56.38). Eastern came away with 16 points in the event compared to Buffalo's three.

The green and white came away victorious in the 100y breaststroke, notching 12 points to UB's seven. Eastern was led by Abby Szadorski (Oswego, Ill./Oswego East), who grabbed her first first-place finish of the day in 1:04.12. Also scoring in the event was Tristen Mina (Santa Clara, Calif./The King's Academy) (fourth - 1:06.92), and Riess Estep (Smyrna, Ga./Whitefield Academy) (fifth - 1:08.24).

Littrell continued her strong meet, winning the 100y freestyle in 52.23 in an event that was controlled by the Eagles. She was trailed by Lucy Noble (Flagler Beach, Fla./Flagler Palm Coast) (third - 54.23) as the Eagles hauled in 12 points in the event.

Szadorski earned her second first-place finish of the day in the 200y breaststroke, beating the second-place finisher by over three seconds, finishing in 2:20.13.

Kudo spearheaded the Eagles in the 500y freestyle as she won her second event of the contest in 5:04.39. She was followed by Oz in second place in 5:05.72. Hofmeister tacked on four points with a fourth-place outing in 5:18.90.

Mina would secure an event-win in the 100y butterfly. She touched the wall first in 56.68. Olivia Clarino (Toronto, Ontario/Lawrence Park Collegiate) added three points with a third-place finish in 58.11, while Katarina Pastar (Vienna, Austria/Gymnasium am Augarten) supplemented two points in a fourth-place finish in 58.61.

Eastern secured the win with a pivotal performance in the 200y IM, as Eagles took spots 2-4 to equal the nine points Buffalo scored in the event.

Despite scoring just four points in the meet's finale, the 400y freestyle relay, the Eagles held on for the 149.5-148.5 win.

Up Next
The Eagles are set to open the home portion of their 2024-25 season against Indiana State, Nov. 9, 1 p.m.

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EMU Individual Results | Full Results
*Denotes Personal-Best

200y Medley Relay
2. EMU A (Sang, Szadorski, Mina, Noble) – 1:45.55
4. EMU B (Russell, Estep, Clarino, Christie) – 1:48.60

1,000y Freestyle
1. Azra Umut – 10:36.37*
4. Morgan Hofmeister - 10:55.55
5. Ashley George – 11:13.26

200y Freestyle
1. Ali Kudo – 1:54.11
2. Nehir Oz – 1:54.44*
3. Emma Littrell – 1:56.38
7. Hannah Ward – x2:01.92

100y Backstroke
2. Kiersten Russell – 57.55
3. Siporah Sang – 58.24
4. Azra Umut – 58.87

100y Breaststroke
1. Abby Szadorski – 1:04.12
4. Tristen Mina – 1:06.92
5. Estep Riess – 1:08.24
6. Madelyn Sursi – x1:09.46

200y Butterfly
2. Sydney Ulmer – 2:09.70
3. Katarina Pastar – 2:10.08
5. Olivia Clarino – 2:11.06
6. Maren Romine – x2:12.06

50y Freestyle
2. Marlee Christie – 24.46
3. Lucy Noble – 24.75
5. Sophie Gatrall – 25.21
7. Nehir Guven – x25.44

3m Dive
6. Rebekah Knapp – 241.50
7. Aisling Gutierrez – 228.30*
9. Malia Maire – 218.03
10. Adley Zamore – x215.18*
11. Taityn Speier – x206.85
12. Anya Ferner – x155.78

100y Freestyle
1. Emma Littrell – 52.23
3. Lucy Noble – 54.23
6. Sophie Gatrall – 54.55
8. Marlee Christie – x55.11
--- Nehir Guven – x55.11*
--- Hannah Ward – x56.13

200y Backstroke
2. Azra Umut – 2:07.58
3. Siporah Sang – 2:09.58
4. Kiersten Russell – 2:09.60

200y Breaststroke
1. Abby Szadorski – 2:20.13
4. Riess Estep – 2:29.83
5. Madelyn Sursi – 2:37.03

500y Freestyle
1. Ali Kudo – 5:04.39
2. Nehir Oz – 5:05.72*
4. Morgan Hofmeister – 5:18.90
5. Ashley George – x5:28.26

100y Butterfly
1. Tristen Mina – 56.68
3. Olivia Clarino – 58.11
4. Katarina Pastar – 58.61
6. Sydney Ulmer – x59.49
--- Maren Romine – x1:00.93
--- Nehir Guven – x1:00.98

1m Dive
5. Rebekah Knapp – 240.30
6. Malia Maire – 238.35
7. Aisling Gutierrez – 230.48*
8. Taityn Speier – x225.00
11. Adley Zamore – x189.98
12. Anya Ferner – x169.58

200y IM
2. Tristen Mina – 2:06.10
3. Nehir Oz – 2:09.98*
4. Abby Szadorski – 2:10.05
7. Sydney Ulmer – x2:19.47

400y Freestyle Relay
2. EMU A (Littrell, Kudo, Noble, Russell) – 3:29.78
4. EMU B (Gatrall, Christie, Guven, Umut) – 3:37.67
5. EMU C (Sang, Ward, Pastar, Oz) – x3:41.70
6. EMU D (Hofmeister, Romine, Clarino, George) – x3:50.76

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Marlee Christie

Olivia Clarino

Riess Estep

Anya Ferner

Sophie Gatrall

Ashley George

Aisling Gutierrez

Nehir Guven

Morgan Hofmeister

Rebekah Knapp

Ali Kudo

Emma Littrell

Malia Maire

Tristen Mina

Lucy Noble

Nehir Oz

Katarina Pastar

Maren Romine

Kiersten Russell

Siporah Sang

Taityn Speier

Madelyn Sursi

Abby Szadorski

Sydney Ulmer

Azra Umut

Hannah Ward

Adley Zamore

Eastern Michigan Athletics