Eagles Start Strong In First Meet Of The Season
Carson-Newman posts multiple personal bests and a school record as the 2025-26 campaign gets underway in Indianapolis.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Carson-Newman swimming officially opened the 2025-26 regular season on Saturday at the Ruth Lilly Fitness Center, competing against a nationally ranked field that included UIndy, Kenyon, and Nova Southeastern.
The meet marked the Eagles' first competition of the season following the 10th annual Blue v. Orange World Championship and the postponement of the Milligan meet to January.
"It felt fantastic," said head coach Ben Young. "There was a lot of anticipation going into today with it being our first meet and racing against these teams. We knew this meet was going to be fast, and people were ready to swim. Being in live competition made the wait well worth it."
Facing off against some of the top programs in NCAA Division II, Carson-Newman showcased early-season promise and depth across multiple events.
Last season, UIndy finished ranked No. 1 and Nova Southeastern No. 4 in the CSCAA Division II women's poll. On the men's side, UIndy placed No. 3 while Nova Southeastern came in at No. 10. Carson-Newman ended the 2024-25 campaign receiving votes on the men's side, ranked No. 27 nationally.
On the women's side, freshman swimmer Kate Nawyn posted a personal-best swim in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:05.05. Martina Ivanova earned a fourth-place finish in the 200-yard butterfly with a final time of 2:09.85. Last year's SAC Freshman Swimmer of the Year, Megan Corcoran, continued her streak of dominance in the 200-yard backstroke, securing second place with a time of 2:03.49.
"Kate Nawyn in the 100 breast got up and ran a PB — that was incredible," said Young. "Megan Corcoran picked up where she left off, and watching her continue to improve was great. She really rose to the occasion."
The men's squad had its fair share of standout performances as well. Gabriel Morales broke the C-N record in the 200-yard butterfly and earned a first-place finish with a time of 1:47.95. Jackson Hebert set two personal bests, including a 500-yard freestyle time of 4:42.05.
"Gabriel Morales set a team record in the 200 fly — fantastic swims in both back and fly," Young said. "He posted top-10 times and our best 50-back split in the relay, plus a personal best leading off the free relay — just incredible. Jack Hebert had two PBs in both the 200 and 500, and for him, it was about executing the race plan we've been working on. He nailed it today, which was great to see."
The Eagles turn right around to compete against SAC competition when they travel to Harrell Pool in Mars Hill, N.C., on Friday, Oct. 10, beginning at 5:00 p.m. EST.
"This meet showed me that we are in a really good place," Young stated. "The team morale is incredibly high, and we're continuing to find ways to get faster each and every day. I'm very excited. We have plenty to work on, but we also have so many opportunities to improve. Seeing everyone get up, race, and attack some really high-level competition was awesome."
To stay up to date with Carson-Newman swimming, follow @CN_Eagles on X and Instagram, or Carson-Newman Athletics on Facebook. Full coverage is also available at cneagles.com.
