HOUSTON – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros swimming & diving program finished in third place at the Rice Fall Splash Saturday at the Rice Competition Pool.
 
The Vaqueros finished in third with a team score of 492, behind the Rice and Little Rock who scored 897 and 621, respectively, and ahead of Loyola (138) and St. Thomas (77).
 
Sophomore Manou Meulebeek earned the highest finish for the Vaqueros taking second in the 1-meter springboard with a season-best 296.70; meanwhile, freshman Samantha Hill (228.53) and senior Delaney Murphy (217.58) finished fifth and sixth, respectively.
 
The team of freshmen Giovanna Pierami and Ellinor Plant and sophomores Kayla Noe and Madiana Lofgren captured fifth in the 400 freestyle relay to kick off the meet, swimming the event in 3:53.76.
 
Freshman Jaydy Jay secured ninth in the 200 breaststroke after swimming 2:31.09; meanwhile, one event later, freshman Sarah Bull nabbed 10^th in the 100 butterfly with a time of 59.94.
 
In the 200 individual medley, a pair of Vaqueros claimed 10^th and 11^th as sophomore Annaleagh Stahl finished in 2:17.39 and Jay finished in 2:18.59.
 
Freshman Dia Henderson was the highest placing Vaquero in the 50 freestyle, swimming 25.21 to take ninth.
 
In the 100 backstroke, three Vaqueros finished within 1.17 seconds of each other as Bull (1:00.92), Stahl (1:01.38), and freshman Sasapin Sarawas (1:02.09) finished in 11^th, 12^th, and 13^th, respectively.
 
The Vaqueros had three top 10 finishes in the 1000 freestyle as junior Olivia Votava (11:15.37), freshman Ellinor Plant (11:29.18), and junior Chloe Siegrist (11:40.65) finished eighth, ninth, and 10^th, respectively.
 
UTRGV wrapped up the meet with the 200 medley relay as the team of Stahl, Jay, Bull, and Henderson earned seventh with a time of 1:52.41 while Sarawas, freshman Ava Light, Noe, and Pierami took ninth with a time of 1:55.13.
 
UTRGV will hit the road for a tri meet with the hosts, West Florida, and Montevallo at 12 p.m.

Team Scores:

1. Rice, 897
2. Little Rock, 621
3. UTRGV, 492
4. Loyola, 138
5. St. Thomas, 77

 
Complete UTRGV Results:
400 freestyle relay
5. Giovanna Pierami, Ellinor Plant, Kayla Noe, Madiana Lofgren, 3:53.76
 
200 breaststroke
9. Jaydy Jay, 2:31.09
12. Marina Johnson, 2:46.39
14. Lauren Uribe, 3:07.57
15. Caitlyn Brown, 3:30.83
 
100 butterfly
10. Sarah Bull, 59.94
12. Olivia Votava, 1:01.13
14. Ida Rudelius, 1:01.59

200 freestyle
17. Dia Henderson, 2:03.56
18. Madiana Lofgren, 2:04.46
19. Kayla Noe, 2:05.67
22. Ellinor Plant, 2:09.51
23. AJ Rogers, 2:11.14
24. Giovanna Pierami, 2:14.37
 
200 individual medley
10. Annaleagh Stahl, 2:17.39
11. Jaydy Jay, 2:18.59
14. Marina Johnson, 2:24.21
16. Chloe Siegrist, 2:30.83
 
50 freestyle
9. Dia Henderson, 25.21
11. Ida Rudelius, 25.69
14. Ava Light, 26.66
15. Kayla Noe, 26.70
16. Giovanna Pierami, 26.80
17. Madiana Lofgren, 26.82
23. Abygail Martinez, 29.54
25. Caitlyn Brown, 29.90

100 backstroke
11. Sarah Bull, 1:00.92
12. Annaleagh Stahl, 1:01.38
13. Sasapin Sarawas, 1:02.09
22. Lauren Uribe, 1:15.28
 
1000 freestyle
8. Olivia Votava, 11:15.37
9. Ellinor Plant, 11:29.18
10. Chloe Siegrist, 11:40.65
11. AJ Rogers, 11:51.28
12. Abygail Martinez, 13:22.30
 
200 medley relay
7. Annaleagh Stahl, Jaydy Jay, Sarah Bull, Dia Henderson, 1:52.41
9. Sasapin Sarawas, Ava Light, Kayla Noe, Giovanna Pieriami, 1:55.13
 
1-meter springboard
2. Manou Meulebeek, 296.70
5. Samantha Hill, 228.53
6. Delaney Murphy, 217.58

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