Pirates Wrap Up Successful Swimming & Diving Campaign

March 01, 2024 | Women's Swimming and Diving

GREENVILLE, N.C. – The East Carolina women's swimming and diving team wrapped up another successful season in the pool and diving wells after posting a 10-1 dual meet record and finishing fourth in the 2024 American Athletic Conference Championships. In all, the Pirates set six new school records, three freshman records and posted 19 new all-time Top 10 times/scores during the 2023-24 season.

"This season was a good step forward for our team," ECU Head Coach Matt Jabs said. "Not where we want to be just yet, but we are definitely headed in the right direction. The team did a great job last week at the AAC Championship, the energy on deck was strong, and it certainly helped motivate those in the water at the time.

"Early in the meet we faced some adversity, but we battled back and saw a lot of fast swimming, and outstanding diving from the ladies. Without a doubt we are a better team than we were in August. Overall, it's been a positive year, and we are looking forward to continuing to build upon the success of this season."

Following the 2024 AAC Championships, Frida Zuniga Guzman earned Diver of the Meet honors after winning the 3-meter dive with a conference and school record score of 352.80 becoming the program's first women's diving champion since 1988 when the Pirates were in the CAA. She also took second in the platform event with a score of 256.35 establishing another school record. During prelims of the platform dive, she tallied a score of 256.35 – another school record.

The Pirates 200-yard freestyle relay team of Carlie Clements, Mikayla Durkin, Laura Kellberg and Heidi Bruining earned gold at the championships with a time of 1:30.81, which was a new school record time.

ECU had eight all-conference performances during the championships lead by Guzman in the 3-meter and platform diving. Others on the week were Bruining (200 freestyle relay), Clements (200 freestyle relay), Durkin (200 freestyle relay), Emilee Hamblin (200 freestyle), Kaylee Hamblin (100 breaststroke) and Kellberg (200 freestyle relay).

During the AAC Championships, the Pirates had a combined 47 total finalists (31 A Finalists, 16 B Finalists) with Guzman, Emilee Hamblin and Kaylee Hamblin leading the team with four A Finalist appearances. Others among the group of A Finalists were Bruining (three), Kellberg (three), Wolfe (three), Clements (two), Sadie Covington (two), Durkin (two), Caitlin Irvine-Smith (one), Sara Kalawska (one), Jecza Lopez (one) and Olivia Templeton (one).

Among B Finalist performances were Bruining (three), Clements (two), Kalawska (two), Lopez (two), Templeton (two), Meghan Armstrong (one), Alayna Carlson (one), Elena Dinehart (one), Irvine-Smith (one), Lizzy Linartas (one), Danielle McCarthy (one), Averi McQuitty (one) and Flanary Patterson (one).

Including Guzman (3-meter and platform dive) and the 200-yard freestyle team of Clements, Durkin, Kellberg and Bruining, ECU had four additional school records on the year. Kaylee Hamblin swam the 100 breaststroke in a time of 1:00.06 at the WVU Invitational, while the 400-medley relay team of Brynna Wolfe, Kaylee Hamblin, Kalawska and Bruining set the new program standard with a time of 3:40.99 at the AAC Championships.

Clements set a pair of freshman records in the 50 freestyle (23.22/WVU Invitational) and 100 freestyle (50.60/WVU Invitational), while Durkin topped Clements' time in the 100 freestyle (50.57) at the conference championships.

ECU All-Time Top 10 Performances From 2023-24 Season
Meghan Armstrong (Jr.): 100 Backstroke (eighth/55.49)
Kendall Bensen (So.): 200 Backstroke (sixth/2:00.23)
Heidi Bruining (So.): 200 IM (fourth/2:01.32); 200 Freestyle (fifth/1:48.74); 200 Breaststroke (eighth/2:15.15)
Alayna Carlson (Jr.): 100 Backstroke (seventh/55.48)
Carlie Clements (Fr.): 50 Freestyle (eighth/23.22); 100 Freestyle (10th/50.60)
Sadie Covington (So.): 500 Freestyle (ninth/4:51.80)
Mikayla Durkin (Fr.): 100 Freestyle (ninth/50.57)
Frida Zuniga Guzman (So.): 3-Meter Dive (first/352.80); Platform (first/256.65)
Emilee Hamblin (So.): 500 Freestyle (third/4:49.48); 200 Freestyle (fourth/1:48.40); 200 Butterfly (10th/2:01.47)
Kaylee Hamblin (Jr.): 100 Breaststroke (first/1:00.06); 200 Breaststroke (second/2:12.23)
Ava Iannetta (Jr.): 100 Butterfly (10th/55.02)
Jecza Lopez (Fr.) Platform (third/205.40); 3-Meter Dive (ninth/285.60)

In the diving well, four of ECU's divers (Guzman, Lopez, Patterson and Templeton) have qualified for the NCAA Zones which will be held March 10-13 in Athens, Ga. Swimmer Kaylee Hamblin is a NCAA qualifier in the 100 and 200 breaststrokes waiting to see if she is granted an invitation to the meet, while nine Pirates (Bruining, Clements, Covington, Durkin, Emilee Hamblin, Kaylee Hamblin, Kalawska, Kellberg, and Wolfe) will participate in the CSCAA National Invitational Championship in Ocala, Fla. (March 12-17).