The 2018-19 season marked another storybook ending for the Emory University women's swimming and diving program as the Eagles captured their 10th consecutive and 12th overall NCAA Division III National Championship.
The Eagles used five event national championships, 19 All-America honors and 17 All-America Honorable Mention certificates to edge out the Ladies of Kenyon College by nine points, the narrowest margin of victory in the 37-year history the NCAA Division III women's championships.
Senior Fiona Muir capped off her historic Eagle career with three individual national titles, winning the 50 Freestyle, 100 Freestyle and 200 Freestyle and assisting on both of the team's two relay titles to help Emory to the national championship. Muir earned gold with classmate Ashley Daniels, junior Caroline Olson and sophomore Lucy Daro in the 400 Medley Relay and teamed with fellow seniors Meg Taylor, Hannah Lally and freshman Zoe Walker to win the 200 Freestyle Relay crown.
For her efforts, Muir was named the Honda Award finalist for Women's Athlete of the Year, one of 11 recipients at the Division III level for the award and the sole swimming and diving nominee. Muir closed out her remarkable Emory career as the program's all-time leader with 17 event national championships (six individual, 11 relay) and second with 25 All-America certificates.
Earlier in the season, the Eagles extended their University Athletic Association title run to 21 straight as the team won its 27th overall conference championship. Emory claimed the UAA hardware by more than 450 points over host Chicago and collected 15 event championships, 30 All-UAA finishes and saw two UAA records set over the course of the meet.
Muir was tabbed as the UAA Swimmer of the Year, making it 10 straight meets that an Emory swimmer has won the award. Muir became the first woman in UAA history to win the 100 Freestyle four straight years, doing so with a UAA record time of 50.12. She posted another UAA Record in the 200 Freestyle with a winning time of 1:48.70 and was second in the 50 Freestyle. In addition to the individual finishes, Muir was a member of four relay titles: 400 Medley (3:44.97), 200 Freestyle (1:33.04), 800 Freestyle (7:27.54) and 400 Freestyle (3:23.27).
Head Coach Jon Howell and his staff of Cindy Fontana, John Petroff and Bob Hackett added special award recognition at the meet as the coaching staff was named the Women's Coaching Staff of the Year for the sixth straight year and 11th time overall.
Prior to the NCAA and UAA Championships, the Eagles took part in several other championship style meets over the course of the season, finishing first at the Emory Invitational, third at both the Denison and SCAD Invitationals and fifth at the Midwest Invitational.
Senior Julia Durmer highlighted several Eagles with academic recognition as she was named the program's 26th recipient of the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. In addition, she and Meg Taylor were honored by CoSIDA earning selections to the Academic At-Large All-America Teams.
Durmer and Taylor also led 16 swimmers who were named CSCAA Scholar All-Americans, which is bestowed to student-athletes with a 3.50 grade-point average and participated at the NCAA Championships.
The Eagles earned the following honors during the 2018-19 season:
Honda Award Finalist for Division III Women's Athlete of the Year |
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Great Falls, VA (Langley) |
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NCAA Division III National Champion |
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Chesterfield, MO (Marquette HS) |
400 Medley Relay |
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Mill Valley, CA (San Francisco University HS) |
400 Medley Relay |
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Atlanta, GA (Providence Christian Academy) |
200 Freestyle Relay |
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Great Falls, VA (Langley) |
50 Freestyle, 100 Freestyle, 200 Freestyle, 200 Freestyle Relay, 400 Medley Relay |
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Atlanta, GA (Druid Hills) |
400 Medley Relay |
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Greenville, IN (Floyd Central) |
200 Freestyle Relay |
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Lilburn, GA (Parkview) |
200 Freestyle Relay |
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All-America (Top-Eight Finisher at NCAA Division III Championships) |
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Chesterfield, MO (Marquette HS) |
400 Medley Relay (1st), 200 Medley Relay (3rd), 200 Breaststroke (4th), 100 Breaststroke (5th) |
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Mill Valley, CA (San Francisco University HS) |
400 Medley Relay (1st), 400 Freestyle Relay (2nd), 200 Medley Relay (3rd), 800 Freestyle Relay (3rd), 100 Freestyle (7th) |
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Decatur, GA (St. Pius Catholic) |
1,650 Freestyle (2nd), 400 IM (5th) |
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Chappaqua, NY (Horace Greeley) |
200 Backstroke (8th) |
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Evanston, IL (Evanston Township) |
800 Freestyle Relay (3rd), 400 IM (3rd) |
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Atlanta, GA (Providence Christian Academy) |
200 Freestyle Relay (1st) |
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Great Falls, VA (Langley) |
50 Freestyle (1st), 100 Freestyle (1st), 200 Freestyle (1st), 200 Freestyle Relay (1st), 400 Medley Relay (1st), 400 Freestyle Relay (2nd), 800 Freestyle Relay (3rd) |
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Atlanta, GA (Druid Hills) |
400 Medley Relay (1st), 100 Backstroke (8th) |
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Baton Rouge, LA (Saint Joseph's Academy) |
200 Medley Relay (3rd) |
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Greenville, IN (Floyd Central) |
200 Freestyle Relay (1st), 400 Freestyle Relay (2nd), 50 Freestyle (3rd), 200 Medley Relay (3rd), 800 Freestyle Relay (3rd), 100 Freestyle (4th) |
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Hickory, NC (Saint Stephens) |
200 Butterfly (8th) |
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Lilburn, GA (Parkview) |
200 Freestyle Relay (1st), 400 Freestyle Relay (2nd) |
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All-America Honorable Mention (Finished 9th – 16th at NCAA Division III Championships) |
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Jacksonville, FL (The Bolles School) |
100 Breaststroke (9th), 200 Breaststroke (9th) |
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Chesterfield, MO (Marquette HS) |
200 IM (14th) |
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Mill Valley, CA (San Francisco University HS) |
100 Butterfly (13th) |
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Delanson, NY (Schalamont) |
200 Butterfly (9th) |
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Decatur, GA (St. Pius Catholic) |
200 IM (10th) |
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Phoenix, AZ (Phoenix Country Day) |
200 Breaststroke (13th) |
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Evanston, IL (Evanston Township) |
200 IM (9th), 200 Butterfly (12th) |
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Baton Rouge, LA (Saint Joseph's Academy) |
100 Butterfly (16th) |
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Greenville, IN (Floyd Central) |
200 Freestyle (10th) |
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Hickory, NC (Saint Stephens) |
500 Freestyle (9th), 400 IM (15th) |
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Broken Arrow, OK (Lincoln) |
400 IM (9th), 200 IM (13th) |
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Lilburn, GA (Parkview) |
100 Breaststroke (11th), 50 Freestyle (16th) |
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University Athletic Association Swimmer of the Year |
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Great Falls, VA (Langley) |
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UAA Coaching Staff of the Year |
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Jon Howell |
Head Coach |
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Cindy Fontana, John Petroff & Bobby Hackett |
Assistant Coaches |
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UAA Champion |
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Jacksonville, FL (The Bolles School) |
400 Medley Relay |
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Chesterfield, MO (Marquette HS) |
100 Breaststroke, 200 Breaststroke, 200 Medley Relay |
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Mill Valley, CA (San Francisco University HS) |
400 Medley Relay, 400 Freestyle Relay |
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Decatur, GA (St. Pius Catholic) |
400 IM, 1,650 Freestyle, 800 Freestyle Relay |
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Chappaqua, NY (Horace Greeley) |
200 Backstroke |
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Gurnee, IL (Loyola Academy) |
200 Medley Relay |
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Atlanta, GA (Providence Christian Academy) |
200 Freestyle Relay |
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Great Falls, VA (Langley) |
100 Freestyle, 200 Freestyle, 200 Freestyle Relay, 400 Medley Relay, 800 Freestyle Relay, 400 Freestyle Relay |
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Atlanta, GA (Druid Hills) |
400 Medley Relay, 400 Freestyle Relay |
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Baton Rouge, LA (Saint Joseph's Academy) |
100 Backstroke, 200 Medley Relay |
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Greenville, IN (Floyd Central) |
50 Freestyle, 200 Freestyle Relay, 800 Freestyle Relay, 400 Freestyle Relay |
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Hickory, NC (Saint Stephens) |
500 Freestyle, 800 Freestyle Relay |
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Lilburn, GA (Parkview) |
200 Freestyle Relay, 200 Medley Relay |
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All-UAA (Top-Three Finisher at UAA Championships) |
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Jacksonville, FL (The Bolles School) |
400 Medley Relay (1st), 200 Breaststroke (2nd), 100 Breaststroke (3rd) |
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Chesterfield, MO (Marquette HS) |
100 Breaststroke (1st), 200 Medley Relay (1st), 200 Breaststroke (1st) |
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Mill Valley, CA (San Francisco University HS) |
400 Medley Relay (1st), 400 Freestyle Relay (1st), 100 Butterfly (2nd) |
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Decatur, GA (St. Pius Catholic) |
400 IM (1st), 1,650 Freestyle (1st), 800 Freestyle Relay (1st), 200 IM (2nd) |
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Chappaqua, NY (Horace Greeley) |
200 Backstroke (1st) |
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Phoenix, AZ (Phoenix Country Day) |
200 Breaststroke (3rd) |
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Evanston, IL (Evanston Township) |
400 IM (2nd), 200 IM (3rd) |
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Gurnee, IL (Loyola Academy) |
200 Medley Relay (1st), 100 Butterfly (3rd) |
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Atlanta, GA (Providence Christian Academy) |
200 Freestyle Relay (1st) |
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Great Falls, VA (Langley) |
100 Freestyle (1st), 200 Freestyle (1st), 200 Freestyle Relay (1st), 400 Medley Relay (1st), 800 Freestyle Relay (1st), 400 Freestyle Relay (1st), 50 Freestyle (2nd) |
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Atlanta, GA (Druid Hills) |
400 Medley Relay (1st), 400 Freestyle Relay (1st), 100 Backstroke (2nd) |
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Baton Rouge, LA (Saint Joseph's Academy) |
100 Backstroke (1st), 200 Medley Relay (1st) |
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Greenville, IN (Floyd Central) |
50 Freestyle (1st), 200 Freestyle Relay (1st), 800 Freestyle Relay (1st), 400 Freestyle Relay (1st), 200 Freestyle (2nd), 100 Freestyle (2nd) |
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Hickory, NC (Saint Stephens) |
500 Freestyle (1st), 800 Freestyle Relay (1st), 200 Butterfly (2nd) |
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Lilburn, GA (Parkview) |
200 Freestyle Relay (1st), 200 Medley Relay (1st), 100 Breaststroke (2nd), 50 Freestyle (3rd) |
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NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship |
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Decatur, GA (St. Pius Catholic) |
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CoSIDA Academic All-America Team |
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Decatur, GA (St. Pius Catholic) |
Second Team |
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Greenville, IN (Floyd Central) |
Third Team |
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CoSIDA Academic All-District Team |
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Decatur, GA (St. Pius Catholic) |
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Greenville, IN (Floyd Central) |
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CSCAA Scholar All-America |
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Rochester, MN (Mayo Senior HS) |
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Jacksonville, FL (The Bolles School) |
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Mill Valley, CA (San Francisco University HS) |
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Delanson, NY (Schalamont) |
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Decatur, GA (St. Pius Catholic) |
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Chappaqua, NY (Horace Greeley) |
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Phoenix, AZ (Phoenix Country Day) |
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Evanston, IL (Evanston Township) |
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Gurnee, IL (Loyola Academy) |
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Atlanta, GA (Providence Christian Academy) |
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Atlanta, GA (Druid Hills) |
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Baton Rouge, LA (Saint Joseph's Academy) |
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Greenville, IN (Floyd Central) |
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Hickory, NC (Saint Stephens) |
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Broken Arrow, OK (Lincoln) |
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Lilburn, GA (Parkview) |
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CSCAA Scholar All-America Honorable Mention |
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Columbus, OH (Columbus Academy) |
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UAA Athletes of the Week |
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Rochester, MN (Mayo Senior HS) |
Feb. 11th |
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Mill Valley, CA (San Francisco University HS) |
Oct. 22nd, Jan. 14th |
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Decatur, GA (St. Pius Catholic) |
Jan. 29th |
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Evanston, IL (Evanston Township) |
Feb. 4th |
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Columbus, OH (Columbus Academy) |
Feb. 25th |
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Great Falls, VA (Langley) |
Nov. 5th, Dec. 3rd, Feb. 18th, March 25th |
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Valencia, CA (Valencia) |
Oct. 15th |
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The following were the top marks by Emory swimmers and divers during the 2018-19 season:
50 Free |
22.75 |
NCAA Championships |
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100 Free |
49.37 |
NCAA Championships |
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200 Free |
1:47.70 |
NCAA Championships |
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500 Free |
4:54.98 |
NCAA Championships |
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1000 Free |
10:25.62 |
Vs. Centre |
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1650 Free |
16:44.55 |
NCAA Championships |
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100 Back |
55.07 |
NCAA Championships |
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200 Back |
2:00.06 |
Denison Invitational |
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100 Breast |
1:02.14 |
NCAA Championships |
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200 Breast |
2:14.10 * |
NCAA Championships |
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100 Fly |
55.28 |
Denison Invitational |
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200 Fly |
2:02.22 |
Denison Invitational |
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200 IM |
2:02.10 |
UAA Championships |
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400 IM |
4:17.06 |
Denison Invitational |
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200 Free Relay |
1:31.73 |
NCAA Championships |
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200 Medley Relay |
1:42.03 |
NCAA Championships |
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400 Free Relay |
3:21.18 |
NCAA Championships |
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400 Medley Relay |
3:40.66 |
NCAA Championships |
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800 Free Relay |
7:20.90 |
NCAA Championships |
* - Indicates Emory Record