The Emory University women's swimming and diving team was back in the pool on Thursday as the University Athletic Association Championships continued in Chicago.
Through two days of competition, the Eagles find themselves in a two-horse race for the UAA championship with New York University leading the field at 708.5 points and Emory in second at 678.5 points. The host UC Maroons are the next closest team as they stand third with 486 points. The Violets have headlined the meet with five event titles so far but the Eagles' depth has helped them keep pace with two days remaining.
Sophomore Allison Greeneway was Emory's leading performer on Thursday as she captured the team's first event title of the 2026 UAA Championships. Greeneway claimed her first-ever conference championship with a winning time of 2:01.01 in the 200 IM as she and graduate student Sammi Thiele (2:03.78) earned gold and silver in the event. The duo were two of six All-UAA finishes for the Eagles on Thursday.
Graduate student Ariana Khan had a standout effort as Emory's women's divers took to the boards for the first time in Chicago. Khan led a group of three Eagles in the A final of the 1-meter event with her taking silver with a score of 465.15. The championship final was tightly contested with the top six performers finishing within 33 points of each other. Senior Ren Watt took sixth with a score 452.70 and sophomore Maya Kriz was seventh at 390.35.
As action shifted to the swimming lanes, the Eagles' group of Thiele, senior Ava Kennedy, sophomore Caitlin Crysel and senior Penny Celtnieks notched a second place finish in the 200 Freestyle Relay 1:32.40 after the group of Greeneway, junior Natalie Boorjian and seniors Avery Sammons and Jane Sanderson won the consolation final at 1:33.82.
In the 500 Freestyle, junior Emma Lunn highlighted four Eagles inside the top nine as she recorded her first-ever All-UAA finish by taking bronze position at 4:55.06. Junior Katherine Swan touched right behind her in fourth at 4:57.29 and senior Morgan Main was eighth with a mark of 5:01.93. Sophomore Elodie Mitchell added another consolation win for the Eagles as she won the B final with a time of 4:56.47.
Kennedy alongside Celtnieks and Crysel were the Eagles' top finishers in the final individual event of the night with Kennedy leading the Gold caps in the 50 Free with a finals mark of 23.53 to take fifth while Celtnieks and Crysel tied for 10th at 23.76.
Celtnieks, Greeneway, Thiele and junior Katie Cohen closed out the second night of events with the Eagles' second third place finish of the session as they registered a time of 3:43.37 to win bronze in the 400 Medley Relay. Emory added another consolation win as well in the event with Crysel, Boorjian, freshman Holly Brundage and sophomore Maddy Lu going for 3:44.64 in the B final.
The UAA Championships continue Friday with prelims getting started at 10:00 AM CT/11:00 AM ET followed by finals at 5:30 PM CT/6:30 PM ET.
