MINNEAPOLIS – Brenna Russell (Jr./Andover, Minn./Andover) earned All-MIAC recognition with a third-place finish in 3-meter diving to highlight the best performances for the Carleton College women's swimming & diving team on Day 2 of the MIAC Championships. Raine Bernhard (Sr./Champaign, Ill./University) added a fourth-place result in the 50-yard freestyle, earning All-MIAC Honorable Mention.
 
"Overall, it was a big day for both squads," said head coach Andy Clark. "We needed big efforts this morning to get into scoring positions, and every team member played a role in helping to achieve this with outstanding energy levels. Lots of gutsy performances tonight in both the consolations and finals. The momentum generated today will be the fuel for tomorrow that the teams will need especially with all team members fully competing in the meet."
 
The Knights climbed two spots into sixth place out of the nine programs competing at the conference meet.
 
Thursday's competition began with the 500-yard freestyle with Caroline Crampton (So./Plymouth, Mass./Sturgis) and Jenna Drummond (So./East Greenbush, N.Y./Emma Willard) contributing to the team score as they finished 12th (5:22.81) and 14th (5:27.37), respectively.
 
The 50-yard freestyle saw Bernhard clock a time of 24.29 during the prelims and 24.23 in the finals. That latter performance tied her for ninth in team history.
 
Eleanor Hebard (Fy./Bremerton, Wash./Central Kitsap) and Zoe Morton (Fy./Chicago, Ill./Univ. of Chicago Laboratory School) qualified for the consolation final where they placed 14th and 15th at 24.89 and 25.12, respectively.
 
The focus of the meet shifted to diving where Russell shined once again. She was fourth during the preliminary round with a score of 349.20 but improved during the finals and posted an 11-dive score of 388.60, good for third place in the field of 20 divers.
 
Thursday's action concluded with the 400-yard medley relay, and Carleton placed fifth. Maddie Damberg-Ott (Sr./London, Great Britain/Channing School), Elizabeth Chatard (So./San Anselmo, Calif./Sir Francis Drake), Isabelle Riley (So./Singapore/Singapore American School), and Bernhard combined on a time of 4:00.02, more than 9.5 seconds better than their seed time
 
Up Next for the Knights
Friday's events include the 400 IM, 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke as well as the 200 freestyle relay.
 

All-MIAC performances for Carleton (1st-3rd place individual, 1st-3rd place relay…through Day 2)

3-meter diving
3. Brenna Russell — 388.60 points
 

All-MIAC Honorable Mention performances for Carleton (4th-6th place individual, 4th place relay…through Day 2)

200-yard medley relay
4. Carleton (Maddie Damberg-Ott, Elizabeth Chatard, Isabelle Riley, Zoe Morton) — 1:49.01.
 
50-yard freestyle
4. Raine Bernhard — 24.23