The No. 14-ranked University of West Florida women’s swimming and diving team defeated the defending conference champion and No. 12-ranked Delta State 139-104 on the road Friday night for the first time in program history. The Argonauts also defeated conference opponent Henderson State 195-47.
“We are thrilled with our performances today," head coach Andrew Hancock said. "Delta State is an excellent program and one that we measure ourselves against. To come into their house and compete as well as we did is incredibly encouraging as we head down the stretch of our season.”
UWF junior Peggy de Villiers (Somerset West, South Africa) earned victories in the 50-yard freestyle (24.32) and the 100-yard freestyle (53.25). de Villiers, along with senior Anna-Marie Macht (Markkleeberg, Germany), freshman Nicole Machado (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) and sophomore Mariana de Paula (Santos, Brazil) earned a victory in the 400-yard medley relay (3:56.97).
Macht also earned a victory in the 200-yard IM (2:09.02) and finished fourth in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:25.55).
UWF junior diver Josie McKee (Canton, Ohio) earned a victory in the 1-meter diving event (252.60) while sophomore Meghan Zets (Grovetown, Ga./Grovetown HS) finished second (243.15). Mckee would go on to win the 3-meter diving event as well with a personal best score (274.50) while Zets finished second with a personal-best score of 242.85.
“Our divers contributed immensely to our win tonight,” Hancock said. “Our diving coach Barbara Parker did a great job of getting our divers ready to compete in a pivotal meet tonight.”
West Florida freshman Sophia Oliva (Plantation, Fla.) was barely out-touched in the 200-yard freestyle behind DSU All-American senior Dani Meerholz, finishing second with a time of 1:58.14.
Fellow UWF freshman Madeline Pitt (Trussville, Ala.) finished second in the 1,000-yard freestyle with a NCAA B-cut time of 10:30.14. Pitt also finished second in the 200-yard butterfly (2:10.02) and third in the 500-yard freestyle (5:12.27).
West Florida will travel to Birmingham, Ala. tomorrow for another double-dual meet against Birmingham-Southern and Sewanee at 1 p.m. CT.
