OMAHA, Neb. – The Omaha swimming & diving team took victories in its first nine events Saturday afternoon at HPER Pool, pacing the Mavericks to a 134-64 win over in-state foe Nebraska-Kearney.
On Senior Day, it was in fact a trio of veterans who led Omaha in the pool. In consecutive events, seniors Hannah Johnson, Natalie Renshaw and Miranda Knipfer registered individual victories. Johnson took the top spot in the 50 free, clocking in at 25.60. Renshaw triumphed in the 100 IM, touching the wall at 1:00.28 with Chloe Kuehner and Breanna Brown finishing just behind her – one of four events on the afternoon where Omaha swept the top three spots. Knipfer closed out her home career on top, penciling in a season-best score in the 1-meter dive (257.47).
Omaha's sophomore class had an outstanding performance on the afternoon, as four classmates -- Logan Back, Olivia McLain, Kendra Lair and Cassie Jahn -- notched individual victories. Back finished just ahead of teammate Jordan Summers for the victory in the 200 free (2:00.06). McLain was victorious in the 50 fly (27.52), while Lair powered through the 50 back (29.76). Jahn crushed the competition in the 500 free (5:15.37), finishing more than 11 seconds before the second-place competitor.
Freshman Kylene Abraham also grabbed a 100 free victory with a time of 55.44.
Omaha will hit the road for the remainder of the season, returning to action Jan. 22-23 at the Grinnell Invite in Grinnell, Iowa.