The Emory University women's swimming & diving team fought valiantly but ultimately finished as the national team runner-up at the 2022 NCAA Division III National Championships in Indianapolis, IN.

In the closest national championship meet in NCAA Division III women's history, it came down to the final event with the 400 Freestyle Relay. The Eagles turned in an outstanding performance by Taylor Leone, Cailen Chinn, Zoe Walker and Caroline Maki, winning the national championship with a time of 3:20.86.

Unfortunately, the 40 points from the relay win were not enough to make up the deficit Emory faced coming into the race as the Eagles finished second in the team standings for the first time since 2009. Kenyon, which finished third in the 400 Freestyle Relay, secured enough points to hold on for the team national championship, snapping the Eagles streak of 10 consecutive national titles.

The Ladies finished the four day meet with 446 points compared to Emory's 439 team total, eclipsing the 2019 meet which was decided by nine points for the closest margin between first and second place in the history of the meet.

Entering the final day of competition, Emory was locked in a three-way battle with Kenyon and Denison as the three programs were separated by just 4.5 points.

The Eagles path to a title was aided by a strong preliminary session that saw a total of 10 student-athletes qualify for the championship and consolation finals as well as turned in the third-fastest prelim time in the 400 Freestyle Relay.

The Big Red jumped out to a big early advantage following the first event of the evening session, the 1,650 Freestyle, where Denison had three of the top-five finishes. Sloane Donovan and Jada Chatoor placed eighth and ninth for the Eagles with times of 17:03.22 and 17:05.47, respectively.

Emory made a charge in the next event as Leone and Maki posted top-five efforts in the 100 Freestyle with Leone earning bronze at 50.25 and Maki finishing fifth in a time of 50.45. Chinn added an All-America Honorable Mention effort, taking 16^th at 51.20. With the three scores, Emory sat 10.5 points back with four events still to take place.

Kenyon made its push though in the 200 Backstroke and 200 Breaststroke, outscoring the Eagles 60-38 in those two events. Edie Bates was a fifth place finisher in the 200 Breast at 2:15.77 which followed a sixth-place finish by Megan Jungers in the 200 Back (1:59.99). Savannah Sowards was 11^th in the 200 Back at 2:00.86 and Fiona Arwood added a 12^th place finish in the 200 Breast with her time of 2:17.00.

With no Kenyon divers among the top-16 in the 3-meter event, Emory was able to cut into the 18-point deficit as Tess Klugherz was an All-America Honorable Mention, placing 14^th with her consolation round mark of 420.55.

That made the score 414-399 with only the 400 Freestyle Relay remaining. Emory did all it could with its national championship winning swim but the Ladies clinched the team title, touching third with their time of 3:22.73.

Across the four days in Indianapolis, the Emory women compiled national championships in two events, finished as national runners-up in four more, broke four school records and totaled 19 All-America and 13 All-America Honorable Mention honors.