ITHACA, N.Y. - The six‑time defending Liberty League Champion Ithaca College women's swimming & diving team continued its dominance on Day 2 of the 2026 Liberty League Championships, widening its lead behind multiple event victories, key scoring depth, and another strong showing on the boards. The Bombers sit firmly atop the standings with 874 points, well ahead of RPI (623) and Skidmore (459).
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Junior
Kathleen Papiernik delivered one of the evening's highlight performances, winning the 100-yard butterfly in 55.32, a time that surpasses the association and Liberty League Championship record. The victory marks her third consecutive Liberty League title in the event, while also hitting an NCAA B-cut. Sophomore
Elizabeth Bodie made it a 1–2 Ithaca punch, finishing second in 56.37.
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Sophomore
Mianny Trinidad also reached the A‑final, placing seventh in 58.44, while first-year
Ainsley Lappas-Ford captured the B‑final win with 1:00.69. Ithaca produced major points in the 200 freestyle, where three Bombers placed inside the top seven of the A‑final.
Samantha Bender was the top finisher at fourth with a time of 1:53.98, followed by
Naomi Fry (1:54.44) who was fifth and
Ava Palfreyman scored a seventh-place finish at 1:56.29.
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The Bombers delivered another strong performance on the 1‑meter boards, placing five divers inside the top eight of the championship final to secure a major point surge on Day 2. First year
Madison Morris led the group with a runner-up finish, scoring 446.90 points, while junior
Emily Provost followed in fourth with 426.15. Sophomore
Maya Hathorn and senior
Eliza Salus added fifth (425.20) and sixth (423.80) respectively, continuing Ithaca's dominance in the event. First year
Grace O'Malley rounded out the Bombers' finalists, placing eighth with a score of 409.15.
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First year
Erika Doran won her first Liberty League title in the 400 IM, pulling away from the field to stop the clock at 4:35.18—a personal best and the Bombers' fifth individual win of the championship meet. Sophomore
Mya Barbatsoulis also reached the A‑final, finishing seventh in 4:48.83.
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Ithaca capped the session with a win in the 200 freestyle relay, as
Elke Beaumont,
Jillian Wedding,
Samantha Bender, and
Spencer Carroll combined for a 1:34.71, an NCAA B‑cut performance.
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Ithaca looks to continue its momentum on Friday with swimming again continuing at 10 a.m., men's diving at 1 p.m. and evening finals at 6 p.m. Events tomorrow include: 200-yard butterfly, 100-yard backstroke, 100-yard breaststroke, men's 1-meter diving, 200 medley relay and the 800-yard freestyle relay.
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