2/13/2026
Middletown , CT


Coming off their best performance in history last year at the NESCAC Swimming and Diving Championships, the Colby Mules have started off strong again. After the first two days of competition the team is currently in 3rd place with 533 points. They have won 2 individual events, set 9 school records, had NCAA B qualifying times in all their relays and have had 1 conference and pool record set by senior Kellen Mottl.

On Thursday the meet started off with the 800 freestyle relay. The Colby A relay of Zoe Buzzelli, Lucy Mackey, Savannah Lombardi and Aria Kapoor finished 5th in the race with a new school record of 7:35.73. Buzzelli's lead off of 1:53.03 is the 4th fastest in school history. The B relay of Anna Coleman, Abby Bauman, Abby Bartolacci and Iris Freeman placed 19th with the 14th fastest swim in school history.

Saturday started out with another school record with the team of Caitlin Lacey, Eliza Marco, Lacey and Buzzelli swimming to a 3rd place finish of 1:33.71 in the 200 Freestyle Relay. Lacey's leadoff of 23.89 is 5th pace all time in school history. The B relay (Alexis Coates, Anna Coleman, Tahlia Crowley, Bartolacci) swam the 13th fastest time in school history as they placed 13th with Coates leadoff of 24.02 being the 6th fastest swim in school history.

In the first individual event, the 50 breaststroke, Mottl won the event and in her time from prelims (28.40) was not only a school record but also a pool record and the fastest time ever swum by a NESCAC swimmer in the event. Rhiannon Myher also placed 13th with the 5th fastest swim in Colby history.

Caitlin Lacey's time in the 50 Butterfly (24.99) broke the Colby record and she finished 7th. Kapoor swam the 5th fastest time in history where she finished 18th in the event.

The 500 freestyle saw the oldest record in school history be broken by Lombardi with a 4:59.75 placing 4th overall. It was a record by Sally White, one of Colby's all time best swimmers in history and had been in place since 1991. 

Coates reset her own school record in the 50 backstroke winning the overall event with a time of 25.59. She was joined in the event by Zoe Fencil who finished 8th over all and had the 6th fastest swim in school history with her prelim time of 26.65. Crowley also won the consolation heat and placed 9th overall.

In the 200 IM Lacey broke her second individual school record as she swam a 2:06.96 in prelims and placed 7th overall.

The 50 freestyle saw Eliza Marco swim to a 5th pace finish and Lucy Mackey getting 17th with the 4th fastest time in school history (23.85). Buzzelli also finished 19th (24.07 - 8th fastest in school history) and Coleman getting 23rd (14th fastest in school history 24.38).

The divers also had some great performances. On the 1m boards Avery Rappaport finished 5th, Kira Johnson finished 10th and Clara Ursu finished 16th.

The final event of the day, the 400 Medley Relay the team of Coates, Mottl, Kapoor and Marco swam to a second place finish with another school record of 3:44.51. Coates leadoff time in the 100 backstroke (54.33) was also another school record. the B relay (Crowley, Myhre, Zoe Antonio, Buzzelli) recorder the 5th fastest time in school history with a 14th place finish.

The Mules will look to continue their strong performances as the meet continues over the next two days.