WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Salem swim team will make its first-ever postseason appearance this week when the Spirits head to Fort Pierce, Florida, to take part in the Sun Coast Conference Championships.

Salem joined the Sun Coast Conference in August 2021, marking the first-ever league affiliation in program history.

The Sun Coast Conference consists of nine programs, including Ave Maria, Keiser, Pfeiffer, Salem, South Georgia State, St. Thomas, Southern Virginia and Thomas University. Another league member, Indian River State College, will be joining for the 2022 season only and also serve as the host of the Sun Coast Conference end of season meet on February, 10-12, 2022.

Salem head coach Vavina Lapham will have three swimmers competing in the event, including Kylie Clark, Abigail Hawkins and Olivia Nivens.

"It's exciting to build a new legacy for Salem College," said Lapham. "Kylie, Olivia and Abigail will officially make Salem College swimming history because of their hard work and dedication to the sport of swimming. They have continued to improve all season by dropping their time individually in all of their events. The culture of our team is building and this experience is going to continue to take our program to the next level." 

KYLIE CLARK ANALYSIS | Participating in 50 Freestyle, 100 Freestyle, 100 Backstroke

Clark will be racing in the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke for Salem in the Championships.

Clark, one of four two-sport athletes on the swim team, has finished among the Top-10 on 15 occasions during the 2021-22 season, second-most on the unit. Her last two months of competition have been highlighted by four Top-3 finishes.

The first of those Top-3 performances came in a meet that included Greensboro, St. Andrews, Piedmont and Warren Wilson on January 29th. In the 200 backstroke, Clark touched the wall third (4:16.44) to reach the podium for the first time as a collegiate swimmer.

Last week, in the Pfeiffer Dual on February 2, Clark picked up a third-place in the 100 freestyle, after posting a time of 1:48.93.

She quickly followed that up with a pair of first-place performances in a virtual meet with Mount Vernon Nazarene on February 3rd. In the clash with the Cougars, Clark was first in the 50 freestyle (42.72) and 100 backstroke (1:50.81).

2021-22 SEASON-BEST TIMES (PER EVENT)

ABIGAIL HAWKINS ANALYSIS | Participating in 100 Butterfly, 200 Backstroke, 200 Individual Medley 

Hawkins is representing Salem in the 200 butterfly, 200 backstroke and 200 individual medley at the Sun Coast Conference Championships.

Hawkins has competed in 23 individual races over the course of the 2021-22 season, earning 13 Top-10 finishes along the way, which is third-most on the unit. Hawkins has been among the Top-3 finishers in 10 races this season, most of any Spirit swimmer.

She touched the wall first on four occasions, earning two first-place performances in the Greensboro Dual in both the 50 backstroke (41.25) and 50 butterfly (31.51). She followed that up by placing first in the 200 backstroke (3:34.77)) at the Pfeiffer Dual before capping off the 100 butterfly in the Mount Vernon Nazarene Dual in first with a time of 1:50.65.

Hawkins also grabbed a pair of second-place finishes against Mount Vernon Nazarene on February 3, in the 200 backstroke (3:31.84) and 200 individual medley (3:37.57).

2021-22 SEASON-BEST TIMES (PER EVENT)

OLIVIA NIVENS ANALYSIS | Participating in 200 Freestyle, 200 Breaststroke, 500 Freestyle

Nivens will be taking part in the 200 freestyle, 200 butterfly and 500 freestyle in the Championships.

Nivens has been one of the top performers throughout the slate for Lapham's squad, posting a team-best 17 Top-10 individual outings and eight Top-3 finishes as an individual, second-most on the unit.

The Burleson, Texas native has tallied the most first-place showings, five, of anyone on the Spirit team. All five have come in the final month of the season.

Nivens earned her first individual title in the 200 breaststroke at the Pfeiffer Dual on February 2, where she posted a time of 3:59.00. She followed that up by grabbing first in the 500 freestyle (8:08.97) in Meisenheimer, N.C.

The following afternoon, in a clash with Mount Vernon Nazarene, Nivens came through with a trio of first-place performances in the 200 breaststroke (3:56.72), 200 freestyle (2:43.93) and 500 freestyle (8:18.32).

2021-22 SEASON-BEST TIMES (PER EVENT)