Opponents:
at Greensboro / Guilford | Greensboro, N.C. | Greensboro College (Royce Reynolds Family Student Life Center Pool) | January 9 | 6 p.m.
SPIRITS HEAD TO GREENSBORO COLLEGE FOR TUESDAY MEET
The Salem swim team makes its second trip to Greensboro College this season, first since October 24th, on Tuesday evening. The Spirits will compete in a dual that features Guilford and the host Pride at the Royce Reynolds Family Student Life Center Pool.
RESULTS FROM PREVIOUS DUAL WITH GREENSBORO, GUILFORD (Oct. 24)
Salem junior swimmer Omega Pinnix toppled two more program records when the Spirits made the short trip to Greensboro by placing herself first in both the 50 freestyle (27.30) and 100 freestyle (1:00.30) as Salem competed in a double dual with Greensboro and Guilford at the Royce Reynolds Family Student Life Center Pool on the campus of Greensboro College.
Pinnix, who now owns four program records in her first season at Salem, topped Paige Martin's previous best in the 50 freestyle by 0.46 seconds, while taking first place in the event on Tuesday. Martin established the record at Greensboro Dual on January 22, 2010.
Pinnix also claimed first in the 100 freestyle, touching the wall in 1:00.30, which was 0.50 seconds quicker than that of Martin's previous mark in the event, which came on February 12, 2010 at the ODAC / Atlantic States Championships.
Vargas was one of four Salem competitors to finish in the Top-3, grabbing a trio of third-place finishes in the 100 butterfly (2:11.81), 500 freestyle (9:08.91) and the 1650 freestyle (31:38.94). Vargas becomes the first Spirit in program history to race in the 1650 freestyle event.
Greensboro earned a 107-76 victory over the Spirits, while Guilford came away with a 109-80 victory in the double dual.
RECORD BOOK GOING THROUGH MAJOR OVERHAULS THIS SEASON
Salem has broken five 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 five 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.
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.
UPDATED TOP MARKS IN PROGRAM HISTORY (by event)
Place | Individual | Date | Event | Race | Time |
3. | Paige Martin | Feb. 2, 2010 | Greensboro / Guilford Dual | 50 breaststroke | 39.22 |
2. | Corrin Shores | Nov. 9, 2019 | Dual Meet (vs. Pfeiffer) | 50 butterfly | 34.08 |
12. | Omega Pinnix | Nov. 17, 2023 | William Peace Invitational | 50 freestyle | 25:38 |
4. | Omega Pinnix | Sept. 23, 2023 | at UNC Pembroke | 100 backstroke | 1:05.91 |
3. | Olivia Kleven | Dec. 7, 2019 | Greensboro / Virginia Wesleyan Dual | 100 breaststroke | 1:16.31 |
13. | Olivia Rado | Feb. 13, 2009 | ODAC / Atlantic States Championships | 100 butterfly | 1:11.16 |
19. | Omega Pinnix | Nov. 18, 2023 | William Peace Invitational | 100 freestyle | 56.37 |
1. | Olivia Kleven | Nov. 9, 2019 | Dual Meet (vs. Pfeiffer) | 100 individual medley | 1:10.07 |
1. | Omega Pinnix | Dec. 2, 2023 | Columbia / Warren Wilson Dual | 200 backstroke | 2:19.50 |
1. | Olivia Kleven | Dec. 7, 2019 | Greensboro / Virginia Wesleyan Dual | 200 breaststroke | 2:51.76 |
2. | Daja Jones | Dec. 2, 2023 | Columbia / Warren Wilson Dual | 200 butterfly | 4:19.29 |
18. | Omega Pinnix | Nov. 17, 2023 | William Peace Invitational | 200 freestyle | 2:03.78 |
9. | Salem (Kara Berman / Elise LaViolette / Rachel Fichthorn / Olivia Rado) | Feb. 13, 2009 | ODAC / Atlantic States Championships | 200 freestyle relay | 1:56.72 |
2. | Rachel Fichthorn | Dec. 1, 2007 | Randolph College Invitational | 200 individual medley | 2:35.02 |
1. | Salem (Olivia Kleven / Corrin Shores / Ashleigh Nelson / Amy Stutzer) | Nov. 9, 2019 | Dual Meet (vs. Pfeiffer) | 200 medley relay | 2:09.38 |
2. | Bethany Eaton | Oct. 31, 2009 | Emory & Henry / Bridgewater Dual | 400 freestyle | 5:33.53 |
10. | Salem (Kara Berman / Elise LaViolette / Sarah Brannock / Rachel Fichthorn) | Feb. 13, 2009 | ODAC / Atlantic States Championships | 400 freestyle relay | 4:24.06 |
1. | Rachel Fichthorn | Jan. 20, 2008 | Agnes Scott / Sweet Briar | 400 individual medley | 5:21.06 |
1. | Rachel Fichthorn | Nov. 17, 2007 | Mars Hill / Emory & Henry Dual | 500 freestyle | 6:16.86 |
2. | Hope Kerr-Read | Dec. 5, 2009 | Sweet Briar / Hollins / Emory & Henry | 800 freestyle | 12:40.10 |
7. | Salem (Kara Berman / Elise LaViolette / Rachel Fichthorn / Olivia Rado) | Feb. 13, 2009 | ODAC / Atlantic States Championships | 800 freestyle relay | 9:46.29 |
3. | Rachel Fichthorn | Feb. 5, 2008 | Agnes Scott / Greensboro / Sweet Briar | 1000 freestyle | 12:25.08 |
3. | Sara Vargas | Dec. 2, 2023 | Columbia / Warren Wilson Dual | 1650 freestyle | 29:45.53 |
1. | Omega Pinnix / Daja Jones / Sara Vargas / Rama Alskhita | Oct. 23, 2023 | vs. Greensboro / Guilford | 400 medley relay | 4:48.26 |
SALEM CLAIMS DUAL VICTORY IN WARREN WILSON, COLUMBIA MEET
The Salem swim team captured its first-ever dual victory on Saturday, December 2nd, as the Spirits posted a 94-92 win over fellow Independent Swim Conference foe Warren Wilson at the Salem Aquatic Center. Salem also fought hard against Columbia College, who was also competing in the event, but the Koalas emerged with a 97-90 victory.
The race was highlighted by a new record established by Omega Pinnix in the 200 backstroke. Pinnix notched a time of 2:19.50 in the event, topping the previous school record held by Rachel Fichthorn, giving her six individual program records at Salem. Fichthorn's mark of 2:29.25 was established on February 19, 2009 at the Old Dominion Athletic Converence / Atlantic States Championships.
Along with placing first in the 200 backstroke, Pinnix also tapped the wall first in the 100 freestyle (58.23) and the 50 freestyle (26.05).
Teammate Marabeth Huffman brought home first place in the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:18.06. Huffman, who took part in three events, was third in both the 100 freestyle (1:09.42) and the 500 freestyle (7:27.75).
Madison Fullerton claimed a second-place finish for the Spirits in the 100 breaststroke (1:49.41). She was also fourth in the 100 backstroke after recording a time of 1:34.62.
Daja Jones put together a solid outing for Salem, earning second in both the 200 breaststroke (3:33.35) and the 200 butterfly (4:19.29). Her time in the butterfly is 40.15 seconds faster than her previous mark (4:59.44). Jones is the only Spirit to ever compete in that event. Jones was also third in the 200 individual medley, logging a time of 3:34.80.
Sara Vargas capped off the dual with a pair of third-place finishes in the 100 butterfly (1:51.07) and the 1650 freestyle (29:45.53). Vargas, the only competitor in program history to tackle the 1650 freestyle, improved on her previous mark by just over two seconds (2.59) in the event. She was also fourth in the 200 freestyle with a mark of 3:23.48.
Salem competed in the 400 freestyle relay event, represented by Huffman, Vargas, Fullerton and Pinnix, and posted the second-best time of the event (4:58.49) in the process.
Salem Finishes / Times (vs. Columbia College / Warren Wilson)
Finish | Individual | Date | Event | Time |
3. | Sara Vargas | Dec. 2, 2023 | 1650 freestyle | 29:45.53 |
4. | Sara Vargas | Dec. 2, 2023 | 200 freestyle | 3:23.48 |
1. | Marabeth Huffman | Dec. 2, 2023 | 100 backstroke | 1:18.06 |
4. | Madison Fullerton | Dec. 2, 2023 | 100 backstroke | 1:34.62 |
2. | Madison Fullerton | Dec. 2, 2023 | 100 breaststroke | 1:49.41 |
2. | Daja Jones | Dec. 2, 2023 | 200 butterfly | 4:19.29 |
1. | Omega Pinnix | Dec. 2, 2023 | 50 freestyle | 26.05 |
1. | Omega Pinnix | Dec. 2, 2023 | 100 freestyle | 58.23 |
3. | Marabeth Huffman | Dec. 2, 2023 | 100 freestyle | 1:09.42 |
1. | Omega Pinnix | Dec. 2, 2023 | 200 backstroke | 2:19.50 |
2. | Daja Jones | Dec. 2, 2023 | 200 breaststroke | 3:33.35 |
3. | Marabeth Huffman | Dec. 2, 2023 | 500 freestyle | 7:27.75 |
3. | Sara Vargas | Dec. 2, 2023 | 100 butterfly | 1:51.07 |
3. | Daja Jones | Dec. 2, 2023 | 200 individual medley | 3:34.80 |
2. | Marabeth Huffman / Sara Vargas / Madison Fullerton / Omega Pinnix | Dec. 2, 2023 | 400 freestyle relay | 4:58.49 |