Eagles Wrap Up Strong Showing at Emory Invitational
Carson-Newman swimming caps off two-day meet with impressive times and depth across both men’s and women’s squads.
ATLANTA, Ga. – Carson-Newman swimming wrapped up competition at the Emory Invitational after a strong two-day showing at the Madeleine Jude Brown Aquatic Center in Atlanta, Ga., on Friday, Nov. 7, and Saturday, Nov. 8.
The Eagles made their fifth consecutive appearance at the Emory Invitational, a meet where both the men's and women's teams have consistently performed well. Building off a dominant outing at Mars Hill in October, Carson-Newman carried that momentum into Atlanta and displayed impressive midseason form.
Assistant coach Aaron Bauer praised the team's resilience and discipline following a busy opening day of competition. He emphasized the athletes' ability to recover quickly and maintain focus heading into the final session.
"I think we did a good job of coming back the morning after our performance last night," said Bauer. "We took care of our bodies and took care of any issues from the night before. We warmed up well and got ready to get back in the pool after a short turnaround."
Several standout swims highlighted the day, with both veterans and newcomers delivering key performances. Bauer noted individual breakthroughs that set the tone for the rest of the meet.
"Emma Bowling's relay split to start the meet for the women's squad marking her first time under 23 seconds," Bauer stated. "Gabriel Catapano's 200-freestyle going under 37 seconds and getting the win today for the men's side."
The meet concluded with a strong team effort in the 400-freestyle relay, where the Eagles showcased their growing depth and competitive edge. Bauer said the expanded lineup and overall execution were signs of continued progress.
"As a team overall, we performed very well in the 400-freestyle relay to close the meet," said Bauer. "Having four relays on both sides, getting up sixteen swimmers and having more depth than we have had in the past."
Reflecting on the weekend, Bauer said the team continues to make strides as it prepares for the upcoming midseason meet. He noted that the swimmers are in a much better position compared to this time last year.
"Realizing that we did a lot of things well this week and that speed will continue to come as we rest going into the Gamecock Invitational," said Bauer. "Reminding the team that this week was preparation and the midseason meet is the focus of the fall semester. Looking back at where we were this time last year, we have more people performing better and we're in an overall faster spot this season."
Carson-Newman now turns its focus toward midsason competition, with the team set to compete next at the Gamecock Invitational beginning on Wednesday, Nov. 19th - 21st in Columbia, S.C. at the Carolina Natatorium.
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