For the first time since September, Kinney Natatorium was silent at 6 a.m. while the women’s swimming and diving team rested up for the Patriot League Championships. Starting on Feb. 17, the Bison headed down to Annapolis, Md., where they placed fourth overall with 419 points. It was the fourth time in program history that the team placed fourth in the meet.

Emma Levendoski ’16 continued to make a dent on the record board as she finished her swimming career with a perfect eight-for-eight record in backstroke events. Levendoski has captured the gold in the 100- and 200-yard backstroke for the past four years. Last year, she became the program’s first Division I NCAA qualifier. With her eight career conference titles, Levendoski ranks third in program history, behind Margaret Grunow (12) and Jennifer Myers (9).

Levendoski was among many Bison to score in the 200-yard backstroke. Julie Byrne ’19 and Stephanie Boyd ’19 finished fifth and 11th, while Caroline Orem ’17 placed 16th. Byrne and Boyd recorded the third- and tenth-fastest times in program history in their prelim races, clocking in at 1:59.59 and 2:02.30, respectively.

Led by Julianna Foss ’18, the Orange and the Blue recorded many top 20 times in the 200-yard butterfly. Foss lowered her own school record from last year to 2:00.26 and is already a six-time Patriot League scorer. Emily Andrews ’18 and Lindsay Smalec ’19 placed 13th and 14th, both entering the program’s top-10 times in the 200 fly.

“It’s nice to go best times and break my records, but it’s also a great feeling to watch my fellow teammates succeed and make rare feats. We have worked really hard this past year and fought through the ups and downs. To see the people who have been able to make it to the final stretch, like the seniors, with such great accomplishments is inspiring,” Foss said.

Other school records included the 100-yard freestyle and the 400-yard freestyle relay. Abigail Rosenberg ’19, a member of both events, recorded a time of 50.84 and led the 400-yard freestyle relay to fifth place with a final time of 3:25.78.

In the distance events, Paige Daniel ’17 and Leanne Archer ’16 finished 10th and 15th n the 1650-yard freestyle, both scoring points for the Bison. Daniel’s time of 17:16.23 ranks 10th in program history.

Leah Bloodgood ’18 and Mary Weinstein ’19 also contributed points for the Bison in the breaststroke events as they finished sixth and 15th in the 200-yard breaststroke. Bloodgood’s time ranks ninth on the program record list.

On the diving boards, Tally Ford ’18 and Lara Curtis ’16 scored points for the Bison, as they finished 12th and 15th, respectively, on the three-meter board.  

The Orange and the Blue’s season is not over, as they travel to Navy on Feb. 26-28 for the ECAC Championships.