Marshall University Athletics
Saturday, February 17
Orlando, Fla.
10 AM
Marshall University
vs
Sun Belt Conference Championships - Day 4 (Prelims)
Photo by: Cody Linn
Herd S&D Closes Out SBC Championships with Four Gold Medals on Final Day
2/18/2024 12:50:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving
Banton, Laban, Hart, Laster all take home Sun Belt Conference gold
Results (PDF) | Individual High Points (PDF) | Championship Fund
ORLANDO, Fla. – The Marshall University Swimming and Diving team closed out the Sun Belt Conference Championships on Saturday with four gold-medal performances in Orlando, Florida. Paige Banton won the 200 Breaststroke, Eszter Laban the 1650 Freestyle, Madeline Hart the 200 Butterfly and Alaina Laster the platform.
Marshall finished in second place at the Championships with 779.5 points.
"The staff is incredibly proud of this team," Herd Swimming and Diving head coach Ian Walsh. "We had 34 all-time top-10 performances, six conference champions, three NCAA Provisional Standards, two school records, two NCAA Zone Cut, and one conference record. The final session proved to be our best, winning four of the seven events tonight. Eszter, Madeline, Paige and Alaina all walked away a conference champion. It was a special night for the program. We've laid a great foundation to build upon in years to come."
After a record-breaking day on Friday 100 Breaststroke, Banton returned on Saturday for the 200 in the same discipline. The senior didn't disappoint as she finished in 2:13.62 for first and closing out the week with 56 points, tied for third among all swimmers at the Championships. Teammate Audrey West captured the bronze with a time of 2:15.65, third fastest in program history.
Herd Diving had a program day in the Platform Dive. MU swept the podium with Laster taking home gold (207.65) in the final event of the senior's career, Larissa Munksgard winning silver (201.55) and Gabrielle Grace winning bronze (178.85). The performances rank second, third and sixth in program history. Grace Kelsheimer finished fourth with a score of 175.20, eighth best in program history.
Laban kicked off the final session in the 1650 Freestyle. The native of Hungary finished the mile in 16:41.68, shaving nearly five seconds off her previous best time and ranking third in program history. The senior also finished with the second most points of all swimmers at the event with 57.
The Herd had a one-two punch in the 200 Butterfly with Hart and Molly Warner. The pair took home the gold and silver, respectively, with Hart finishing the race with the third fastest time in program history at 2:00.64 and Warner at 2:01.42, the fifth fastest time in program history.
In her final individual event of her collegiate career, Klava Katayama took home the bronze in the 100 Freestyle touching the wall in 50.35 seconds, moving her into fifth all-time in program history.
The final event of the competition was the 400 Freestyle Relay. Katayama, Hart, Parker Lynch and Audrey West finished the final race in 3:21.93, tied for the second fastest time in the event in program history.
RESULTS
1650 Freestyle
A Final
1st – Eszter Laban (16:41.68)
5th – Charlotte Thompson (17:20.04)
200 Backstroke
A Final
5th – Mia McBride (2:01.78)
C Final
Mackenzie Rider (2:10.24)
100 Freestyle
A Final
3rd – Klava Katayama (50.35)
8th – Parker Lynch (51.85)
B Final
11th – Nina Nugent (52.29)
16th – Grace Cox (53.45)
C Final
Claire Kenney (53.02)
200 Breaststroke
A Final
1st – Paige Banton (2:13.62)
3rd – Audrey West (2:15.65)
5th – Jenna Bopp (2:21.10)
B Final
9th – Katie Fisher (2:21.26)
T10th – Jessica Humby (2:21.91)
15th – Grace Valenza (2:25.69)
200 Butterfly
A Final
1st – Madeline Hart (2:00.64)
2nd – Molly Warner (2:01.42)
B Final
10th – Allison Dodd (2:06.86)
15th – Tatum Robinson (2:11.54)
Platform Diving
Finals
1st – Alaina Laster (207.65)
2nd – Larissa Munksgard (201.55)
3rd – Gabrielle Grace (178.85)
4th – Grace Kelsheimer (175.20)
400 Freestyle Relay
2nd – Klava Katayama, Madeline Hart, Parker Lynch, Audrey West (3:21.93)
UP NEXT
Banton (100 and 200 Breaststroke), Laban (400 Individual Medley) and Warner (400 Individual Medley) prepare for NCAA Preliminaries as Kelsheimer (1m and 3m Diving) prepares for NCAA Diving Zones.
To donate to the Championship Fund for Marshall swimming & diving, please click HERE. All proceeds go directly to the Marshall swimming & diving.
For the latest information on Marshall swimming & diving, follow on X @HerdSwimDive and Instagram at @HerdWSwimDive and online at HerdZone.com.
To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules, and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS or Android!
ORLANDO, Fla. – The Marshall University Swimming and Diving team closed out the Sun Belt Conference Championships on Saturday with four gold-medal performances in Orlando, Florida. Paige Banton won the 200 Breaststroke, Eszter Laban the 1650 Freestyle, Madeline Hart the 200 Butterfly and Alaina Laster the platform.
Marshall finished in second place at the Championships with 779.5 points.
"The staff is incredibly proud of this team," Herd Swimming and Diving head coach Ian Walsh. "We had 34 all-time top-10 performances, six conference champions, three NCAA Provisional Standards, two school records, two NCAA Zone Cut, and one conference record. The final session proved to be our best, winning four of the seven events tonight. Eszter, Madeline, Paige and Alaina all walked away a conference champion. It was a special night for the program. We've laid a great foundation to build upon in years to come."
After a record-breaking day on Friday 100 Breaststroke, Banton returned on Saturday for the 200 in the same discipline. The senior didn't disappoint as she finished in 2:13.62 for first and closing out the week with 56 points, tied for third among all swimmers at the Championships. Teammate Audrey West captured the bronze with a time of 2:15.65, third fastest in program history.
Herd Diving had a program day in the Platform Dive. MU swept the podium with Laster taking home gold (207.65) in the final event of the senior's career, Larissa Munksgard winning silver (201.55) and Gabrielle Grace winning bronze (178.85). The performances rank second, third and sixth in program history. Grace Kelsheimer finished fourth with a score of 175.20, eighth best in program history.
Laban kicked off the final session in the 1650 Freestyle. The native of Hungary finished the mile in 16:41.68, shaving nearly five seconds off her previous best time and ranking third in program history. The senior also finished with the second most points of all swimmers at the event with 57.
The Herd had a one-two punch in the 200 Butterfly with Hart and Molly Warner. The pair took home the gold and silver, respectively, with Hart finishing the race with the third fastest time in program history at 2:00.64 and Warner at 2:01.42, the fifth fastest time in program history.
In her final individual event of her collegiate career, Klava Katayama took home the bronze in the 100 Freestyle touching the wall in 50.35 seconds, moving her into fifth all-time in program history.
The final event of the competition was the 400 Freestyle Relay. Katayama, Hart, Parker Lynch and Audrey West finished the final race in 3:21.93, tied for the second fastest time in the event in program history.
RESULTS
1650 Freestyle
A Final
1st – Eszter Laban (16:41.68)
5th – Charlotte Thompson (17:20.04)
200 Backstroke
A Final
5th – Mia McBride (2:01.78)
C Final
Mackenzie Rider (2:10.24)
100 Freestyle
A Final
3rd – Klava Katayama (50.35)
8th – Parker Lynch (51.85)
B Final
11th – Nina Nugent (52.29)
16th – Grace Cox (53.45)
C Final
Claire Kenney (53.02)
200 Breaststroke
A Final
1st – Paige Banton (2:13.62)
3rd – Audrey West (2:15.65)
5th – Jenna Bopp (2:21.10)
B Final
9th – Katie Fisher (2:21.26)
T10th – Jessica Humby (2:21.91)
15th – Grace Valenza (2:25.69)
200 Butterfly
A Final
1st – Madeline Hart (2:00.64)
2nd – Molly Warner (2:01.42)
B Final
10th – Allison Dodd (2:06.86)
15th – Tatum Robinson (2:11.54)
Platform Diving
Finals
1st – Alaina Laster (207.65)
2nd – Larissa Munksgard (201.55)
3rd – Gabrielle Grace (178.85)
4th – Grace Kelsheimer (175.20)
400 Freestyle Relay
2nd – Klava Katayama, Madeline Hart, Parker Lynch, Audrey West (3:21.93)
UP NEXT
Banton (100 and 200 Breaststroke), Laban (400 Individual Medley) and Warner (400 Individual Medley) prepare for NCAA Preliminaries as Kelsheimer (1m and 3m Diving) prepares for NCAA Diving Zones.
To donate to the Championship Fund for Marshall swimming & diving, please click HERE. All proceeds go directly to the Marshall swimming & diving.
For the latest information on Marshall swimming & diving, follow on X @HerdSwimDive and Instagram at @HerdWSwimDive and online at HerdZone.com.
To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules, and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS or Android!
---HerdZone.com---
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
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