Swimming & Diving Opens Season With 150-87 Victory Over Vanderbilt

Friday, September 27

New Orleans, LA

12 p.m.

Tulane University

150

Vanderbilt University

Swimming & Diving Opens Season With 150-87 Victory Over Vanderbilt

Sep 27, 2024 | Women's Swimming and Diving

Complete Results

NEW ORLEANS – The Tulane swimming and diving team earned their first victory over Vanderbilt since 2015 in a resounding 150-87 fashion on Friday at the Reily Center Natatorium to open the season. On the day, the team recorded nine event victories in 13 events and had 24 top three finishes.

"I am really proud of the energy the team fueled into the meet this afternoon as it was contagious", head coach Amanda Caldwell exclaimed. "Coming together for the first time at the pool with both swim & dive was great to see each other compete and defend our home. Each race they created a new wave into the next and I loved to see it! I am grateful for the support of all our families, friends, peers in the athletic department and especially the baseball team for showing up and making the environment loud and fun. I am looking forward to some earned rest and recovery while getting ready to ride this wave next to Liberty."

The Green Wave won each of the top three spots in both the 1-meter and 3-meter diving competition.

Senior Rachel Casebolt started the day with 231.08 points to earn the victory in the 3-meter dive. Graduate student Paige McKenzie placed second in the event with 218.93 points, while sophomore Taylor Cekay earned third with 211.38 points.

The same three Tulane divers also earned places in 1-meter dive to end the competition for the Green Wave as Casebolt earned the victory with 247.43, Cekay took second with a 243.00 and McKenzie placed third with a 241.43. The point totals for Casebolt and Cekay were also career bests.

In the head-to-head swim portion in the pool against the Commodores, Tulane totaled seven event victories and 18 top three placings and outscored Vanderbilt 118-87.

Graduate transfer Catherine Russo earned individual victories in both the 50 freestyle (23.25) and the 100 butterfly (55.21). Her time in the 50 free ranked her No. 5 all-time at Tulane in the event.

Fellow graduate transfer Maya Wilson also had a pair of first place finishes for Tulane in the 200 freestyle (1:52.51) and the 100 freestyle (51.34).

The 200 freestyle relay team of freshman Rafaela Sumida, junior Grace Dale, Wilson and Russo earned the victory with a 1:34.01 in the event.

Junior Andrea Zeebe won the 200 IM (2:04.95) and finished second in the 100 backstroke (55.75).

Freshman Lise Coetzee won the 500 freestyle (5:02.90) and was the runner-up in the 200 freestyle (1:54.30).

Sumida was the runner-up in the 1000 freestyle (10:21.35).

Sophomore Gwen Shahboz took second in both the 200 IM (2:05.18) and the 100 breast (1:05.78). Her time in the 100 breast was also a collegiate best.

Dale had an individual runner-up finish in the 50 freestyle (23.95).

The 200 medley relay squad of Zeebe, junior Emma Brady, junior Olcaytu Hatipoglu and Coetzee finished as the runner-up in their event with a 1:46.58.

Freshman Layla Allen earned third in the 1000 freestyle (10:47.35).

Freshman Phoebe Johnson placed third in the 500 freestyle (5:09.94).

Sophomore Paula Gaya Bisquerra earned third in the 100 breast (1:04.25).

Freshman Varvara Gkiouzepa Petropoulou took third in the 100 fly (57.40).

Freshman Charley Floyd swam a lifetime best in the 50 back (27.21) in the lead-off backstroke of the 200 medley relay to help the squad along with Gaya Bisquerra, Johnson and Shahboz earn fourth (1:47.95).

Tulane Top Three Finishes vs. Vanderbilt

1-mtr Diving
1. Rachel Casebolt – 231.08 pts.
2. Paige McKenzie – 218.93 pts.
3. Taylor Cekay – 211.28 pts.

200 Medley Relay
2. Tulane – 1:46.58
Andrea Zeebe, Emma Brady, Olcaytu Hatipoglu, Lise Coetzee

1000 Free
2. Rafaela Sumida – 10:21.35
3. Layla Allen – 10:47.35

200 Free
1. Maya Wilson – 1:52.51
2. Lise Coetzee – 1:54.30

50 Free
1. Catherine Russo – 23.25
2. Grace Dale – 23.95

200 IM
1. Andrea Zeebe – 2:04.95
2. Gwen Shahboz – 2:05.18

100 Butterfly
1. Catherine Russo -55.21
3. Varvara Gkiouzepa Petropoulou – 52.40

100 Free
1. Maya Wilson – 51.34

100 Back
2. Andrea Zeebe – 55.75

500 Free
1. Lise Coetzee – 5:02.90
3. Phoebe Johnson – 5:09.94

100 Breast
2. Gwen Shahboz – 1:05.78
3. Paula Gaya Bisquerra – 1:06.70

200 Free
1. Tulane – 1:34.01
Rafaela Sumida, Grace Dale, Maya Wilson, Catherine Russo

1-mtr diving
1. Rachel Casebolt – 247.43 pts.
2. Taylor Cekay – 243.00 pts.
3. Paige McKenzie – 241.43 pts.

Next Tulane gets on the road for the first time and will have a pair of dual meets against Liberty on Oct. 18-19 in Lynchburg, Virginia. The Friday meet against LU starts at 5 p.m., while the Saturday contest against the Flames begins at 10 a.m.

Tulane's swimming program had an outstanding 2023-24 season that resulted in 64 lifetime bests, 31 all-time top-10 school marks, four school records, an AAC individual title, an AAC Freshman of the Year Award, 11 National Invite Championship Qualifiers, a Zone Diver Qualifier and an NCAA qualifier. The program is returning 13 swimmer and divers from last season and added a newcomer class of 11 for Coach Caldwell's third season in charge of the program. Tulane placed sixth at the 2024 AAC Championships with 379 points and were ranked fourth in the conference's 2024-25 Preseason Coaches Poll.

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