Northern Colorado Delivers Standout Performances at Trailblazer Invitational

Thursday, November 21

St. George, Utah

TBD

University of Northern Colorado

Trailblazer Invitational

11/23/2024 10:39:00 PM | Women's Swimming & Diving

Meet Results Individual Results All Time Performers

By: Brooke Richards, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

ST. GEORGE, Utah – Northern Colorado swimming delivered an exceptional performance at the 2024 Trailblazer Invitational, finishing 5th overall with 412.5 points after three days of thrilling competition at the Utah Tech University Human Performance Center.

The Bears achieved 15 CSCAA cuts, 6 top-10 all-time program performances, and an impressive 47 lifetime bests.

Sophomore Ellyson Lombardi had a record-breaking meet, securing her spot as one of the program's all-time greats. She climbed to 4th all-time in the 100y butterfly with a time of 54.32 and claimed the 2nd all-time spot in the 200y butterfly with an outstanding 1:58.79.

Freshman Ariane Bernier added to the Bears' historical achievements, finishing the 200y backstroke in 2:01.78 to secure 8th place on the program's all-time list. Bernier's leadership and consistency helped drive the team's success across multiple events.

Sophomore Kyra Rabess had a weekend to remember, becoming 9th all-time in the 100y freestyle with a time of 51.43 and finishing 3rd in the 500y freestyle (4:56.89). She also anchored the Bears' 7th-place finish in the 200y freestyle relay, teaming up with Lombardi, Vitoria Simioni, and Martina Yuki Trionfetti.

Freshman Birgitta Ingolfsdottir joined the all-time ranks in the 100y breaststroke, posting a 1:03.93 to earn 9th place in program history. Ingolfsdottir was a standout in both individual and relay events, showcasing her potential as a key contributor for the Bears.

Junior Maria Erokhina shone in the breaststroke events, posting an impressive 1:02.83 in the 100y breaststroke and 2:15.81 in the 200y breaststroke. Her efforts added crucial points to Northern Colorado's team total.

Daniela Piccinini and Ariane Bernier were standouts in the 200y backstroke. Piccinini finished with a blazing time of 2:00.46, while Bernier's 2:01.78 earned her 8th all-time in program history. Their performances underscored the depth of the Bears' backstroke lineup.

Agathi Manoli and Audrey Vannelli battled it out in the 400y IM, with Manoli touching in at 4:28.54 and Vannelli just behind at 4:28.53.

The Bears finished above WAC foe Cal Baptist University, who tallied 286 points.

CSCAA NIC Cuts
Kyra Rabess - 1650 Free (16:56.27), 200 Free (1:50.28)
Ellyson Lombardi - 200 Fly (1:59.30), 100 Fly (54.39)
Payten Irwin - 200 Fly (2:03.81)
Maria Erokhina - 200 Breast (2:15.81)
Daniela Piccinini - 200 Back (2:00.46)
Ariane Bernier - 200 Back (2:01.78)
Birgitta Ingolfdottir - 50 Breast (29.57), 100 Breast (1:02.92)
Agathi Manoli - 400 IM (4:28.54)
Audrey Vannelli - 400 IM (4:28.53)
Reese Hazan - 50 Back (26.13)
Martina Yuki Trionfetti - 50 Back (26.24)
Maria Erokhina - 100 Breast (1:02.83)

CSCAA NIC 2025
Northern Colorado swimming and dive will be eyeing the 2025 CSCAA National Invitational Championship, set to take place at the FAST Facility in Ocala, Florida from March 13-15, 2025. The event offers Division I swimmers and divers who have achieved B/Zone standards a chance to compete beyond the NCAA Championships. With a chance to qualify through automatic entry by winning their event at a conference championship or by meeting the CSCAA 'A' standard, the Bears are primed for another strong postseason showing. Teams can also enter relays with their fastest times, even if those times don't meet the qualifying standard, making the National Invitational a valuable opportunity for additional competition

Up Next

The Bears will travel to Colorado Springs for the Air Force Quad on Jan. 11, 2025.

For complete coverage of UNC Athletics, check out the official homepage at uncbears.com. Follow the women's swim and dive team on X (formerly Twitter) (@UNC_BearsSwim), Instagram (@UNC_BearsSwim_Dive), and Facebook (/UNCOBearsswimdive).