Eagles Cap Off Final Day at Gamecock Invitational
A surge of PBs and program records highlights a successful week for the Eagles at the Gamecock Invitational.
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Carson-Newman swimming closed out the fourth and final day of the Gamecock Invitational with a surge of personal bests and new program records, giving the Eagles strong momentum heading into their midseason break.
"It was a good end cap on a fantastic meet and a ton of momentum entering today's events," said head coach Ben Young. "Yesterday was a little bit up and down and a little bit of over-swimming happened to the people trying too hard, which sounds crazy. However, day four was like a complete reset, and the message to the team was bridging the gap between the highs and the lows and ensuring that we're approaching every race with a fresh mindset and sticking to the game plan for that race."
Young noted that this year's roster has shown a unique identity and cohesion throughout the week. "The one thing that we learned from this week was just how different the team we've put together this year is from previous seasons," he said. "The amount of encouragement that came from this weekend is a true testament to this team and the amount of work that they've put in over the last twelve weeks."
Among numerous standout performances, Young pointed to a breakout swim in the women's relay. "There were way too many PBs to even highlight, but a swim that really stood out was Kate Nawyn's performance in the relay," he said. "She stepped up and went 52, which was absolutely incredible for a freshman to get up in that environment, racing these teams, and still throwing down an incredible time."
He added that the team's upperclassmen continued to lead the way. "Megan Corcoran had a solid meet, but really the entirety of the upper group of women had an incredible meet altogether," Young stated.
On the men's side, Carson-Newman's relay squads delivered strong results as well, highlighted by two standout individuals. "The men's relay got up and was able to throw down very impressive performances, but the highlights came from Will Humphreys and Gabriel Morales," Young said. "Gabriel Morales now holds the team record in the 200 fly, which was incredible to watch him get that against all the other swimmers."
Young emphasized how meaningful the meet was for the program's development. "The weekend was fantastic—an incredible way for us to grow as a team," he said. "The growth over the last twelve weeks is a reflection of how this program has changed over the last three and a half years."
The Eagles now take a brief break before preparing to face nationally ranked Wingate in Wingate, N.C., on Friday, Nov. 12 at 6 p.m. and again Saturday at 11 a.m.
For updates throughout the week, follow @CN_Eagles on X and Instagram, or Carson-Newman Athletics on Facebook. Full coverage is available at cneagles.com.
