MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The Carleton College women's swimming & diving team won five events—including a pair of individual victories for Julia Luljak (Jr./Baltimore, Md./Park School)—as the Knights finished 1st of 4 teams at the season-opening Augsburg Invitational. This was the first collegiate competition for any Carleton women's team member since Kapani Kirkland (Sr./Mendota Heights, Minn./Convent of the Visitation) took part in the NCAA Diving Regionals on Feb. 29, 2020—a span of 603 days.
 
Carleton totaled 494 points to finish ahead of No. 22-ranked St. Olaf College (457 points), Carthage College (450 points), and Augsburg University (68 points).
 
"This meet was exactly what we needed to kick off this season," said Carleton head coach Andy Clark. "With half our team being new to collegiate competition and the other half having finished their last season at the 2020 MIAC Championships, it was truly fitting to have our first meet of this season back at the Jean Freeman Aquatic Center. We had quite a few expectations going into this meet, and both teams delivered. We are still early in the season, but the coaches are excited about what we saw today with team energy and the efforts put out by each team member, both in the pool and on the boards."
 
Luljak and Elizabeth Chatard (Fy./San Anselmo, Calif./Archie Williams) finished 1-2 in both the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke events. At the shorter distance, Luljak touched the wall at 1:11.41 with Chatard finishing only 0.08 second later. During the longer race, Luljak finished in 2:34.07, while Chatard close behind at 2:34.83. Ashley Rosenberg (Fy./Chicago, Ill./Latin School of Chicago) completed the podium sweep for Carleton in the 200 breaststroke with her time of 2:37.02.
 
Lydia Boyum (Sr./Bethesda, Md./Walter Johnson) turned in the other swimming triumph, posting the winning time of 1:01.72 in the 100-yard backstroke, with Maddie Damberg-Ott (Jr./London, Great Britain/Channing School) earning second place at 1:02.19.
 
The Knights added victories in both diving competitions. Kirkland totaled 205.55 points to prevail on the 3-meter board. Brenna Russell (So./Andover, Minn./Andover) was the runner-up (190.05) at that height but captured first place on the 1-meter board with 202.65 points.
 
Other second-place results for Carleton included:
• Victoria Bradjan (Fy./Gilbert, Ariz/Gilbert) in the 1000-yard freestyle with a time of 11:30.43.
• Serena Lee (Sr./Muscat, Oman/The American International School of Muscat) clocked 57.71 in the 100-yard freestyle.
• Damberg-Ott finished the 200-yard backstroke in 2:15.38.
 
Next Up for the Knights
Carleton along with St. Olaf will host the Cows, Colleges & Contentment Classic on Saturday, Oct. 30. Swimming events will be held at the Northfield Middle School with diving slated to be held at Carleton's Thorpe Pool.