Bison Women Close Meet with Win in 400 Free Relay, Move up to Second-Place Finish at Bucknell Invitational

Sunday, November 24

Lewisburg, Pa.

10 a.m./5 p.m.

Bucknell University

Bucknell Invite

Photo by: Lianne Garrahan

Bison Women Close Meet with Win in 400 Free Relay, Move up to Second-Place Finish at Bucknell Invitational

11/24/2024 9:23:00 PM | Women's Swimming and Diving

SUNDAY RESULTS | FULL MEET RESULTS

LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell women's swimming and diving team closed out its home invitational in style by winning the 400-yard freestyle relay, and a big final day helped the Bison surge past Delaware into a second-place finish on Sunday at Kinney Natatorium. Freshman Clara Renner logged her third runner-up finish of the weekend in the mile, senior Skye Sunderhauf hit a big PR in a third-place finish in the 200 butterfly, and Bucknell's depth shined on the final day of the meet.

Bucknell entered Sunday evening's finals 12.5 points behind Delaware for second place in the seven-team field, and the Bison outscored the Blue Hens 468-406.5 to move up to the No. 2 spot. Connecticut won the team title with 1,428.5 points, followed by Bucknell (1,231), Delaware (1,182), Davidson (932.5), Fordham (858.5), Seton Hall (650), and UMBC (567.5).

Virginia Hastings, Sara Ketron, Jennifer Bolden, and Kyla Kelly teamed up for a time of 3:23.14 to win the meet-ending 400 free relay by seven-tenths of a second over UConn. The Bison passed the Huskies on Ketron's leg and led the rest of the way out of lane 1. That was the third-fastest time in Bucknell history and the fastest ever in a non-league championship meet.

Renner, who was second in the 500 free and 400 individual medley earlier in the meet, was runner-up again to Seton Hall's Allie Waggoner in the 1,650 on Sunday. Renner posted a time of 16:33.07, which was third-fastest in school history and is already within three seconds of Kelly Pontecorvo's 11-year-old school record. Renner's opening 1,000 of 10:00.62 also puts her No. 3 all-time. Only two Bison have ever broken 10 minutes. Only Waggoner, who doubled as Big East champion in the 500/1650 on the way to Big East Swimmer of the Meet honors last season, prevented Renner from sweeping both distance free events and the 400 IM this weekend.

Prior to her big swim in the 400 free relay, Ketron led three Bucknell finalists in the 100 free with a fourth-place finish. Her personal-best time of 50.89 makes her the seventh-fastest performer in team history. Kelly finished one spot behind in fifth, and Bolden placed eighth. Kelly's 50.98 in the morning prelims was a PR, and she is now No. 9 on Bucknell's all-time list.

Kelly Byrne posted two sixth-place finishes on Sunday, one in the mile and another later in the evening in the 200 breaststroke.

Sunderhauf and Sydney Dettmann helped cement Bucknell's second-place team finish with a 3-4 showing in the 200 butterfly. Sunderhauf's 2:01.95 was a PR by nearly a full second and makes her the fifth-fastest performer in team history. Dettmann, who already ranks No. 4 in the 200 fly, finished in 2:03.64.

Meghan Catherwood led the Bison with a seventh-place finish in the 3-meter diving event.

Next up for the Bison is the U.S. Open meet in Greensboro, N.C., Dec. 4-7.

Bucknell Women New Top-10 Times at Bucknell Invitational
200 Freestyle Relay: Jennifer Bolden, Sara Ketron, Kyla Kelly, Ashley Piacentino -- 1:33.58 (8th)
500 Freestyle: Clara Renner – 4:48.55 (3rd)
200 IM: Kyla Kelly -- 2:03.04 (9th)
400 IM: Clara Renner – 4:18.84 (2nd)
100 Butterfly: Sam Benzija – 55.64 (6th)
100 Breaststroke: Sydney Jee – 1:03.50 (8th)
800 Freestyle Relay: Clara Renner, Virginia Hastings, Sydney Dettmann, Rylie Giles -- 7:19.28 (4th)
200 Freestyle: Clara Renner – 1:49.11 (4th) *first 200 of 800 free relay*
100 Freestyle: Sara Ketron – 50.89 (7th); Kyla Kelly – 50.98 (9th)
1650 Freestyle: Clara Renner – 16:33.07 (3rd)
1000 Freestyle: Clara Renner – 10:00.62 (3rd) *first 1000 of 1650*
200 Butterfly: Skye Sunderhauf – 2:01.95 (5th)
400 Freestyle Relay: Virginia Hastings, Sara Ketron, Jennifer Bolden, Kyla Kelly (3rd)