Opponent:
vs. Hollins | Winston-Salem, N.C. | Salem Aquatic Center | January 20 | 1 p.m.

SALEM RETURNS HOME, FACES HOLLINS IN DUAL
The Salem swim team returns home for the first time since October 7th, when the Spirits hosted William Peace, to face off against Hollins on Saturday, January 20th. The meet is set to begin at the Salem Aquatic Center at 1 p.m.

PINNIX MAKES STRONG IMPRESSION AT GREENSBORO COLLEGE MEET (Jan. 13)
Omega Pinnix highlighted the first Salem swim meet of the 2024 calendar year, which featured Guilford, Randolph and host Greensboro, which took place at the Royce Reynolds Family Student Life Center Pool on the campus of Greensboro College.

Sara Vargas claimed a third-place for Salem in the meet, which came as she touched the wall of the 500 freestyle with a time of 8:35.90. She narrowly missed a Top-3 finish in the 100 butterfly, placing fourth with a time of 2:00.85. Vargas took part in the 1000 freestyle, ending with a time of 16:31.29, where she brought home fifth.

Marabeth Huffman also placed fourth for Salem in the 200 individual medley, posting a time of 3:01.98. She was fifth in the 100 freestyle with a time of 1:07.45, finishing one place in front of Adalyn Raney, who was sixth with a mark of 1:32.81. Huffman and Raney took part in the 100 backstroke, placing fourth and sixth, respectively. Huffman tapped the wall in 1:21.50, while Raney had a mark of 1:43.52.

Huffman also participated in the 200 freestyle, placing sixth with a mark of 3:21.20. The tandem of Raney and Fullerton were fifth and sixth, respectively, in the 50 freestyle. Raney's time was 36.17 in the event, while Fullerton was 38.11

Madison Fullerton wrapped up the meet with a fifth-place performance for the Spirits, posting a time of 3:33.80 in the 200 backstroke.

The quartet of Pinnix, Fullerton, Huffman and Raney competed in the 200 medley relay, placing third in the event behind Randolph and Greensboro with a mark of 2:30.70.

Salem Finishes / Times (vs. Guilford / Greensboro / Randolph)

RECORD BOOK GOING THROUGH MAJOR OVERHAULS IN 2023-24
Salem has broken seven records and competed in three events for the first time through the first five meets of the 2023-24 season.

Junior Omega Pinnix has broken seven program individual records for the Spirits this season. The Greensboro, N.C., native set new program records in the 50 freestyle (25.38), 100 backstroke (1:05.91), 100 freestyle (56.37), 200 backstroke (2:19.50) as well as the 200 freestyle (2:03.79).

Pinnix has managed to reset her own personal record in two of the aforementioned events—the 50 freestyle and the 100 freestyle.

When the Spirits took part in the William Peace Invitational, which took place on November 18th, Pinnix bettered her previous mark in both events. Her new time of 25.38 in the 50 freestyle was 1.92 seconds faster than her previous time of 27.30, which she had raced at a dual which featured both Greensboro and Guilford on October 24th.

Pinnix also improved on her time in the 100 freestyle by almost four seconds at the William Peace Invitational. After posting a time of 1:00.30 in the 100 freestyle at the Greensboro and Guilford dual on October 23rd, Pinnix touched the wall in 56.37 in Raleigh, N.C.

Pinnix's time in the 100 backstroke topped the previous mark, held by Rachel Fichthorn, which was 1:08.68. Pinnix also topped Fichthorn's record in the 200 backstroke, which had stood since February 13, 2009, where she finished the event in a time of 2:29.25.

Pinnix broke Fichthorn's mark in the 200 backstroke by nearly five seconds with a time of 2:24.71 at the William Peace Invitational. The Greensboro, N.C., native shaved another five seconds off her time in Salem's dual with Columbia and Warren Wilson on December 2nd, touching the wall in 2:19.50, as she broke her own personal best in the event.

Returning to her hometown for the third time this season, Pinnix established two more program records when Salem faced the trio of Guilford, Greensboro and Randolph on January 13th. The Gate City native set new marks in the 200 breaststroke and the 200 individual medley. Pinnix established the new record in the 200 breaststroke by touching the wall in 2:50.00, which topped the mark held by Olivia Kleven of 2:51.76. Pinnix also came through with a mark of 2:28.45 in the 200 medley relay, bettering the mark previously held by Rachel Fichthorn, which stood at 2:35.02. Pinnix placed first in both events for the Spirits.

Sara Vargas, who took part in the 1650 freestyle at the Greensboro/Guilford Dual for the first time in program history, finished the event in a time of 31:38.84. Since that point, she has race the event twice and owns the best time (29:45.53), which came in the most recent outing against Columbia and Warren Wilson.

TOP MARKS ESTABLISHED 2023-24 (by event)

HOW HOLLINS HAS FARED IN 2023-24
Hollins enters the weekend with a 3-6 mark this season and has competed in 11 meets since its season began on September 30th at the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Relays.

After opening the season with an eighth-place finish at the ODAC Relays, Hollins dropped meets to Southern Virginia (165-59), Sweet Briar (109-102) and Randolph (169-60). The fortunes turned for the better with three straight victories in duals against Guilford (142-49), Sweet Briar (121-90) a
and Gallaudet (166-64), which came in late October and early November.

Hollins made its most recent appearance at a meet hosted by Bridgewater, falling 196-34 to the host Eagles and 177-48 to Virginia Wesleyan, who also took part in the double dual.