ITHACA, N.Y. - The Ithaca College women's swimming & diving team capped a dominant week by securing its seventh consecutive Liberty League championship, totaling 1,820 points to finish well ahead of the field on the final day of competition at Kelsey Partridge Bird Natatorium. RPI finished second totaling 1,430.5 while Skidmore finished third with 1,032.5 team points.
The Bombers closed the meet with a statement victory in the 400-yard freestyle relay, as
Elke Beaumont,
Naomi Fry,
Charlotte Barton, and
Samantha Bender combined for a winning time of 3:29.34, the second-fastest mark in program history.
Ithaca also added an individual event title on Saturday.
Sydney Koehler captured the 200-yard breaststroke in 2:19.88, hitting the NCAA B‑cut and pulling away over the final 50 yards to secure her second-straight Liberty League crown in the event. Teammate
Kathleen Papiernik followed in second with a strong 2:24.09, giving the Bombers a 1–2 sweep in the event.
Papiernik earned the 2026 Liberty League Championships Swimmer of the Meet after she won the 200-yard IM in 2:06.11 and returned the next day to defend her title in the 100 butterfly with a 55.32, a performance that not only earned the Liberty League crown but also achieved the NCAA Division III B‑cut and dipped under the Association record (55.47). Papiernik was equally valuable on relays, producing a decisive third‑leg split on Ithaca's championship‑winning 400 medley relay, helping the Bombers post a winning time of 3:50.31.
The Bombers' depth was on full display throughout the evening session. Bender earned a podium finish in the 200 backstroke, placing third in 2:05.38, while first year
Ainsley Lappas-Ford added key points in sixth. In the 100 freestyle, Ithaca placed four swimmers in the A‑final, led by Beaumont's runner-up finish in 51.67 and Barton's seventh-place effort.
Ithaca dominated the diving well once again, placing four competitors in the top six of the 3‑meter championship final. First year
Madison Morris led the way as the runner-up with 474.15 points, followed closely by
Maya Hathorn (3rd, 452.35),
Grace O'Malley (4th, 450.65), and
Eliza Salus (6th, 439.40).
The Bombers also picked up a major distance haul in the 1650-yard freestyle, where first year
Paige Simon surged to a runner-up finish in 17:51.57, while
Mya Barbatsoulis (7th) and
Erika Doran (8th) added additional A‑final points.
With the championship, Ithaca extends its women's title streak to seven seasons, including three-straight under head coach
Mike Blakely-Armitage. The Bombers now await NCAA selection announcements as several swimmers and divers positioned themselves for national qualification with their performances across the four-day championship meet. Regionally qualified divers will return to action on Friday, February 27 at the NCAA Diving Regionals scheduled for Feb. 27-28 in Rochester, N.Y.
