In their final home meet of their TCU careers, senior members on the women’s swimming and diving team finished with a win.
The women’s swimming and diving team ended the last home meet with a winning score of 168-130 on Friday evening in the TCU natatorium against North Texas.
The meet opened up with a 200-yard medley relay where swimmers Ashley Alspaugh, Devin Newton, Emily Gibson and Julia Sanders placed first with a time of 1:45.72.
Senior Ali Bleasdell won the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 2:04.57.
And in the 1000-yard freestyle, junior Carley Stevens took first with a time of 10:23.24.
Also to receive some individual wins, sophomore Julia Sanders in the 50-yard freestyle and freshmen Emily Gibson in the 100-yard butterfly.
As a team, TCU placed first in nine events, eight in swimming and one in diving.
Head coach Richard Sybesma was very supportive as he high-fived every TCU member exiting the pool.
“I tell you, the girls really rose to the occasion tonight,” Sybesma said. “Our girls just really stepped up, everybody did a really great job. I am so proud of them.”
As for the seniors, Sybesma said they shined, “It was their last home meet after four years of swimming at TCU and it was a really great moment to remember, for them and for me.
Junior Kristen Connolly took first in the three-meter diving with nine points. Senior Courtney Cheek took second in the one meter diving with four points.
“The more fun we have at a meet the better we perform and it’s just an overall better experience,” Cheek said. “So we went into it just wanting to have fun and enjoy this last home meet that we had with our teammates that we have all grown so close to.”
The seniors don’t have to say goodbye to their home pool just yet, the team still have scheduled practices. It may have been the last home meet but the season is not over.
The team has one more meet before the Big 12 Championship Conference in Austin Feb. 25-28.
“As a senior, I am kind of looking back at all this and what a blessing it was to grow with this team,” senior Kyra Lindholm said. “So going into conference my goal is, obviously, to race as hard as I can and leave everything I have in the pool because it is my last time, but also to just be there for my team and see what we can accomplish together.”
Next up, the Frogs will take on the Longhorns on Feb. 6 in Austin at 4 p.m.
