Lady Flames' Day 3 Victories Add to CCSA Lead

Liberty won four out of five events contested on day three at the CCSA Championships, widening their lead on Friday at Liberty Natatorium.

The three-time defending conference champion Lady Flames appear to be on their way to a fourth title, leading second-place FGCU by 315.5 points (1,479.5-1,164) heading into the final day of competition. Meanwhile, UNC Asheville is 100 points behind FGCU, in third with 1,064.5 points.

Team Standings

1. Liberty – 1,479.5

2. FGCU – 1,164

3. UNC Asheville – 1,064.5

4. Incarnate Word – 745

5. Campbell – 653.5

6. Georgia Southern - 616

7. Gardner-Webb – 448.5

8. North Florida – 409.5

9. Bellarmine – 315.5

Liberty A Finalists

• 800 free relay – 1st place in 7:22.16 (Hannah Huenefeld (1:52.34), Eva Suggs (1:48.61), Emma Hazel (1:50.52), Abby Strohmeier (1:50.69))

• So. Maddie Freece – One-Meter Diving (6) (1st place in 320.75)

• Sr. Lauren Chennault – One-Meter Diving (6) (2nd place in 318.60)

• Sr. Olivia Robinson – One-Meter Diving (6) (5th place in 262.00)

• Sr. Abigail Egolf-Jensen – One-Meter Diving (6) (8th place in 253.00)1

• So. Abbie Shaw – 100 backstroke (1st place in 53.93)

• Sr. Eva Suggs – 100 backstroke (5th place in 54.89)

• So. Sydney Houtz – 100 backstroke (5th place in 55.49)

• Jr. Jessica Schellenboom – 100 breaststroke (4th place in 1:01.45)

• So. Genna Joyce – 100 breaststroke (6th place in 1:02.84)

• Sr. Chloe Rippey – 100 breaststroke (7th place in 1:03.11)

• So. Chloe Harris – 200 butterfly (1st place in 2:01.51)

Notable

• Liberty posted 12 top-nine finishes on Friday night, including four event victories, five podium finishes, two NCAA Zone Qualifying scores and two NCAA B cuts. For the meet, Liberty has earned 38 A Finals, 20 podiums, seven event victories and two NCAA Zone Qualifying scores.

• Maddie Freece and Lauren Chennault went 1-2 in the CCSA one-meter diving A Final for the second year in a row. In the closest finish in CCSA one-meter diving history, Freece came from behind to win with a program-record NCAA Zone Qualifying score of 320.75, just ahead of Lauren Chennault’s Zone Qualifying score, 318.60.

• Liberty extended lengthy winning streaks in three events tonight, beginning with the 800 free relay. The Lady Flames won that relay for the fifth year in a row, with Hannah Huenefeld, Eva Suggs, Emma Hazel and Abby Strohmeier authoring the winning time.

• Sophomore Abbie Shaw captured her first career CCSA gold medal and first career podium finish, pushing Liberty’s winning streak in the 100 backstroke to six years with her NCAA B cut time of 53.93.

• Similarly, sophomore Chloe Harris earned her first career CCSA individual event title, winning the 200 fly in 2:01.51. The Lady Flames have now won the 200 fly six years in a row, and Liberty has posted more CCSA 200 fly titles, eight, than the team has in any event.

• Schellenboom swam an NCAA B cut 1:01.45 in the 100 breaststroke, earning fourth place. Her time would have earned her a podium finish in any other year of meet history.

Historically Speaking

• Chennault finishes her CCSA career a perfect 8-for-8 in podium finishes. She and FGCU's Karmin McNamara (2008-11) are the only two divers all-time to earn eight top-three finishes at CCSA Championships.

• Harris finished up her individual event program with three podium finishes this week, giving her five conference medals. This year, she won the 200 fly, while getting second in the 400 IM and third in the 200 IM.

• Eva Suggs became the eighth Lady Flame all-time to break 55 seconds in the 100 backstroke, ranking seventh in program history with her 54.89 from tonight. Sydney Houtz broke into Liberty’s all-time top 10, now ranking 10th with her 55.49.

• Schellenboom’s time from tonight now ranks third in program history, at 1:01.45. Genna Joyce moved into sixth with her 1:02.84, while Chloe Rippey (1:03.11) now ranks 10th.

• Harris improved to sixth all-time at Liberty in the 200 fly, 2:01.51. Emmy Gallion now ranks seventh (2:04.61) and Grace Isaacs (2:05.17), 10th.

• The Lady Flames’ 800 freestyle relay time of 7:22.16 ranks eighth on the program’s all-time top 10 performers list in the event.

Up Next

Tomorrow will be the final day of the 2022 CCSA Championships. The morning prelims begin at 10 a.m. with the 100 freestyle, followed by 200 backstroke, 200 breaststroke, 400 freestyle relay, women’s platform diving and the 1,650 freestyle.

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