Hardy Earns Gold in 400 IM, Breaks School Record
2/23/2024 10:21:00 PM | Women's Swimming and Diving
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - One year after taking silver in the 400-yard IM, Sarah Hardy turned silver into gold, as she finished first with a school record time of 4:15.78. Hardy's gold medal led the way for the Mountain Hawks on day three of the Patriot League Championships Friday at Lejeune Hall. Hardy's time was also good enough for an NCAA B-Cut.
Hardy is Lehigh's first Patriot League Champion since 2022, when Ann Foley last took gold. Hardy is first to win the 400 IM since Courtney Patterson won it in 2014. Patterson also held the previous school record (4:16.73).
Hardy's medal was one of two medals on the day for the Mountain Hawks as Willa Werwaiss finished third in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:48.48. Werwaiss now holds a team-best of three medals after the third day of Patriots. Werwaiss took third and teammate Mairin Ludwig finished two two spots behind her, coming in fifth with a time of 1:49.53.
Caitlin Deitch and Dagny Donaldson also picked up points for Lehigh in the 200-yard free. Deitch came in 11th (1:51.33) and Donaldson came in 22nd (1:53.22). Deitch continued to rack up points for Lehigh, bringing home 22.50 points after tying teammate Julia Stevens for a seventh-place finish (55.37) in the 100-yard fly.
Caitlin Hofmann was the only other Mountain Hawk besides Hardy to qualify for the 400 IM finals. Hofmann came in 15th (4:29.37).
First-year Eliza Meth tallied an 11th-place mark in the 100-yard breastroke (1:05.03), while seniors Danielle Prekop and Kelsey Thompson also tied for 19th with a time of 1:05.84.
Senior Noel Fresa recorded an 18th place finish in the 100-yard backstroke (59.24), and Anushree Ghate made the first C-Finals of her career, tallying a 21st place mark (58.15).
Junior diver Sarah Gill picked up 11 points for Lehigh with a 16th-place mark in the one-meter dive (225.80).
Just like the previous two days, the day ended with a relay, and the 200-yard freestyle relay team of Deitch, Ludwig, Stevens and Fresa came in eighth (1:33.88).
Heading into the final day of the Patriot League Championships, Lehigh sits in fifth place with 566.5 points.
Saturday's action will start at 10 a.m. with preliminaries, while finals begin at 6 p.m. Live coverage of the 2024 Patriot League Championships will be broadcast on ESPN+.
Hardy is Lehigh's first Patriot League Champion since 2022, when Ann Foley last took gold. Hardy is first to win the 400 IM since Courtney Patterson won it in 2014. Patterson also held the previous school record (4:16.73).
Hardy's medal was one of two medals on the day for the Mountain Hawks as Willa Werwaiss finished third in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:48.48. Werwaiss now holds a team-best of three medals after the third day of Patriots. Werwaiss took third and teammate Mairin Ludwig finished two two spots behind her, coming in fifth with a time of 1:49.53.
Caitlin Deitch and Dagny Donaldson also picked up points for Lehigh in the 200-yard free. Deitch came in 11th (1:51.33) and Donaldson came in 22nd (1:53.22). Deitch continued to rack up points for Lehigh, bringing home 22.50 points after tying teammate Julia Stevens for a seventh-place finish (55.37) in the 100-yard fly.
Caitlin Hofmann was the only other Mountain Hawk besides Hardy to qualify for the 400 IM finals. Hofmann came in 15th (4:29.37).
First-year Eliza Meth tallied an 11th-place mark in the 100-yard breastroke (1:05.03), while seniors Danielle Prekop and Kelsey Thompson also tied for 19th with a time of 1:05.84.
Senior Noel Fresa recorded an 18th place finish in the 100-yard backstroke (59.24), and Anushree Ghate made the first C-Finals of her career, tallying a 21st place mark (58.15).
Junior diver Sarah Gill picked up 11 points for Lehigh with a 16th-place mark in the one-meter dive (225.80).
Just like the previous two days, the day ended with a relay, and the 200-yard freestyle relay team of Deitch, Ludwig, Stevens and Fresa came in eighth (1:33.88).
Heading into the final day of the Patriot League Championships, Lehigh sits in fifth place with 566.5 points.
Saturday's action will start at 10 a.m. with preliminaries, while finals begin at 6 p.m. Live coverage of the 2024 Patriot League Championships will be broadcast on ESPN+.
Players Mentioned
Sprint Free/Fly
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Sprint/Mid Free
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Free
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Back
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Diver
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Fly
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Breast/IM
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Dist/Mid/IM
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
IM/Breast
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free/Fly
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Breast/IM
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Breast/IM
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