The New York University eighth-ranked women's swimming & diving team moved into fourth place at the NCAA National Championships on Friday in Greensboro, NC.

Thanks to the addition of a National Runner-Up, a third-place finish, two additional First Team All-American performances, and a consolation final victory. Their performance puts them in position to attempt to best the team's previous highest Nationals placing of fifth in 2019.

Third-ranked Denison University leads the women's current standings, followed by #2 Emory University in second.

Swimming: 

Caitlin Marshall and Nicole Ranile kicked the night off with a 2-3 finish in the 200 butterfly. Gearing up to defend her 2022 Champion title in the event, Marshall battled sixth-ranked University of Chicago's Alesha Kelly in a close race. She hit the wall in 1:59.98, just one-tenth of a second behind Kelly, to collect a National Runner-Up title. 

Ranile went a career-best 2:00.34 in the lane next to Marshall to finish third at her first collegiate Nationals.

In the 100 backstroke, Jessica Flynn powered to fourth place in 55.00 to add another First Team finish to the Violets' Nationals resumé.

In the backstroke consolation final, Emily Ma blasted past her previous personal best by over a second, clocking 55.38 to win the heat and finish ninth overall. Racing from lane one, Ma broke the surface at 15 yards on every lap, rousing wild cheers from her teammates on the deck.

"Emily's race was unbelievable," Head Coach Trevor Miele said. "Her underwaters were phenomenal. That's incredibly hard to do. She just killed every part of her race."

Emery Muller, Marshall, Ranile, and Kaley McIntyre competed in the 800 freestyle relay to finish off the night, recording 7:25.83. McIntyre split a blistering 1:47.74 to pull the relay from the back end of the field into fourth place. 

Diving:

Issara Schmidt represented the Violets in the one-meter dive on Friday night, placing eighth with a total score of 384.80 to wrap up her championships as a First Team All-American.

"I think Issara was pressing a little bit tonight because she knew she had some making up to do after missing a few dives in her voluntary rounds," Head Diving Coach Todd Kolean said. "But regardless, Issara has had an amazing year and I couldn't be more proud of her accomplishment at this very tough meet."

Seniors:

Earlier in the night, seniors Katherine Nardone, Flynn and Isabella Brosvik were honored in a walking ceremony with every competing school's graduating athletes. 

"The seniors have been the glue of this team," junior Jolie Le Fauve said. "Since the chaotic year of COVID-19, they've been the foundation of the post-COVID team. They've helped keep the traditions and culture of this team alive even though they faced many, many challenges along the way. They will be severely missed next year."

"The seniors really keep everything structured and organized," sophomore Isabel Oldham added. "They've combined all the different practice groups into one big team."

The Violets will take to the pool at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, March 18, for the final day of competition in Greensboro, NC.