SWIMMING HAS SUCCESSFUL WEEKEND AT NAIA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MEET
Columbus, Ga.-The Sterling College Warriors Swim Team had a great weekend in Columbus, Georgia March 3rd-5th. The Warriors sent two relay teams and three individuals to nationals who competed in six total races. Sydney Schmidt found her way to the top of the podium in the 100 Yard Butterfly as she captured the first ever national championship in Sterling College Swimming history and the second ever in school history.
Schmidt was the first one in the pool over the weekend for the Warriors in the Women's 50 Yard Freestyle. Her time of 23.94 in the prelims was good enough to make it back to the A-Final later that evening. Schmidt's finals time of 23.86 was able to get her on the podium for the first time over the weekend as she placed 6th overall.
Nissrine Bourbouh, Nicole Ashford, Schmidt, and Erica Frescott rounded out the weekend for SC in the 400 Yard Medley Relay. The Warriors swam a time of 4:05.81 which placed them 15th.
Schmidt then made some serious noise in the 100 Yard Butterfly. In prelims, the junior swam a 55.64 which was the fastest time in the event. She followed up that performance with an even better finish in the finals. Schmidt swam a 55.00 time and blew the competition away. The next closest time in the finals was 56.29. The first-place finish meant Schmidt had won the first ever swimming national championship for the Warriors.
Bourbouh swam a 1:02.41 in the 100 Yard Backstrone but despite the solid effort, the time was not enough to make it back for the finals.
Bourbouh, Ashford, Schmidtt, and Katie Stucky then rewrote the school record books in the 200 Yard Medley Relay. The Warriors swam a 1:49.89 which set a Sterling College Swimming record as well as earning a 10th place finish.
The final day of the meet meant Schmidt was in the pool again for the 100 Yard Freestyle and Ashford in the 100 Yard Breaststroke. Ashford's 1:10.13 in the prelims was not enough to make it back for finals but Schmidt found herself another race with a 52.85. Schmidt clocked in 52.96 in the finals and wrapped up a fantastic weekend in the pool for SC.
This was the first time Sterling College Swimming has ever competed in the National Championship meet. After setting a school record, winning a national championship, and returning all of the members of the team that went to nationals, the Warriors put to bed the 2021-2022 season with high hopes for what is to come in the future for this young and talented program.
Be sure to check for news and updates on Sterling Warrior Athletics on Facebook (/SCWarriors), Twitter (@SterlingCSports), and Instagram (sterlingcsports), as well as the hashtag #SwordsUp. Watch all of the Warriors' live home events on the Sterling College Sports Network.
