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The Student Voice of UNC Asheville

The Blue Banner

The Student Voice of UNC Asheville

The Blue Banner

Women’s swim team wins half of events in debut exhibition

By: Emily HoneycuttStaff Writer[email protected]
UNC Asheville’s women’s swimming team hosted an exhibition against Mars Hill last Saturday for the first time since 1976.
“I was pleasantly surprised with our success in the exhibition,” Head Coach Elizabeth Lykins said.
UNCA won five out of the 10 events, Lykins said.
“The young ladies were a little nervous, but it was a great experience for them because this was their first competition,” Lykins said. “I was most excited with what they did with only four to five weeks of work.”
Freshman Alessandra Troncoso won both the 50-yard freestyle and the 100-yard breaststroke.
“I was nervous on the day of the exhibition because I didn’t know what to expect as it was my first college meet,” Troncoso said. “I let my body take control when I raced and really had a great time cheering on my teammates.”
Troncoso said the swim team is already close despite it being a young team.
“We spend so much time with one another, whether it be in the pool, in the weight room, eating in the dining hall or just hanging out,” Troncoso said. “We constantly encourage each other, which is also a vital part of teamwork.”
Freshman Galen Broido finished first in the 500-yard freestyle and the 200-yard individual medley.
“I was absolutely terrified but extremely excited to race at my first college meet,” Broido said. “I couldn’t be happier to be a Bulldog and a part of the swim team here.”
Broido said that the team has created a strong bond and their confidence will continue to build after this exhibition, Broido said.
“I’m very happy with the outcome, and I think this meet gave all of us a lot of confidence about meets down the road,” Broido said.
In addition to Broido and Galen’s events, the Bulldogs finished the medley relay, the first event of the exhibition, a full 10 seconds ahead of Mars Hill.
Lykins said the team needs to work on a few aspects before their next meet.
“They did a great job swimming, but they need to learn how to race better,” Lykins said. “Whether racing individually or in a medley, racing strategy is what we need to work on.”
Troncoso said the amount of people in the stands at the exhibition was unexpected.
“I was pleasantly surprised with the crowd’s turnout,” Troncoso said. “It’s exciting to know that people are becoming more familiar with the swim program here and are showing their support for our team.”

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