VILLANOVA, Pa. - Villanova Women's Swimming and Diving opened the 2024-25 season with a 172-128 victory over UConn at the Villanova Swim Complex. The Wildcats ended the day with 26 top three finishes.

The Wildcats started the day placing first in the 200 medley relay with freshman Alana Leen, junior Winnie Jalet, junior Arabella Lee and senior Lainey Quinones clocking in at 1:45.42. The 'Cats also ended the day with a first-place finish in the 400 freestyle relay. This quartet included sophomore Riley Kudlac, graduate Lexi Elkovitch, sophomore Alyssa McHale and sophomore Marlene Blanke with a final time of 3:31.15. Villanova was also able to take second place in that close race with a 3:32.46 finish for sophomore Martina Lonati, sophomore Carlota Colomer, senior Lainey Quinones and freshman Amylia Higgins.

The Wildcats secured the top three finishes in the 1000 freestyle. Sophomore Peri Gaguzis led the group with a time of 10:23.43. Blanke was next to follow with a time of 10:30.57 and freshman Riley Hull was next in line at 10:32.96. In her first collegiate meet, Hull was also able to grab first in the 500 freestyle with a time of 5:07.39. Gaguzis swam closely behind her teammate at 5:07.95, giving her a second-place finish.
 
Kudlac swam a time of 1:53.14 in the 200 freestyle, putting her in first and securing her first event win as a Wildcat. Alongside her was Higgins clocking in second at 1:53.49 with Lonati claiming third in 1:53.57. Freshman Alana Leen claimed third in the 100 backstroke, swimming a time of 57:37. She also earned her first event win when she swam 2:02.21 in the 200 backstroke. In the 100 breaststroke, Colomer came out winning the event in 1:04.16 with Jalet touching third in 1:05.29. Jalet followed up with another third place finish in the 200 breaststroke at 2:23.69 with freshman Annie Honkamp just head of her in second place with a 2:21.01 showing. Honkamp continued her top three finishes with a second-place 200 IM time of 2:07.93. Sophomore Anna Farley won the 200 IM in 2:07.60.
 
Junior Katie White took the top spot in 200 fly (2:03.34) and Farley followed in third (2:03.69). The 100 fly was another successful event with two 'Cats finishing in the top three. Lonati won the event in 56.53 with McHale taking third in 57.50. Lonati was also able to pull off third in the 100 freestyle (52.90). Representing the Wildcats in the 50 freestyle with a time of 24.3 was Quinones coming in second place.

The 'Cats earned a second place finish from sophomore Michelle Kasulka in 3 Meter diving with a total score of 241.35.

Head Coach Rick Simpson was very pleased with how the day went for the Wildcats.

"Our women really showed grit and determination today," he said. "They are in the midst of a fall break training camp and they are heavily fatigued, but they understood that to swim fast in that situation, you need to inconvenience yourself and be uncomfortable throughout the race".