WHITTIER, Calif. (Jan. 27, 2024) – The Whittier College women's swimming and diving team had itself an excellent outing on Saturday, picking up a 170-74 SCIAC dual-meet win over the University of La Verne.

The meet served as the team's senior day, with seniors Grace Cooper, Jenna Marsh, and Juli Veneri recognized prior to Saturday's festivities. Also prior to Saturday, Veneri, along with fellow diver Miriam Brownell, took to the boards on Friday at the Slade Aquatics Center.

Collectively, the Poets won 10 out of a possible 14 swimming events, with freshman Mia Piexoto being chief among the standout Poets once again. The freshman won the 200 IM (2:15.87) and 200 Back (2:15.83), while also contributing to the 200 Medley Relay team as well as the 200 Free Relay team. In her individual events, the freshman standout had a combined 15-second margin of victory.

Meanwhile, junior Anna Dyckerhoff continued her impressive run of performances in middle-distance freestyle events, taking the 500 Free in a closely-contested race with teammate Riana Barrett. She also joined Piexoto on the winning side of both 'A' relay teams. Barrett, meanwhile, shined in the 1000 Free with an 11:21.38, though both women would share the spotlight in the 200 Free. Both Barrett and Dyckerhoff finished with an unofficial 2:07.80, making them co-event winners in a fun moment for the live crowd.

Junior Gessica King won both breaststroke events with a 1:10.93 in the 100 event, and a 2:35.05 in the 200 Breast. Additionally, junior Piper Guinn picked up a key win in the 50 Free. She beat out a crowded field, first touching the wall in 26.12.

Head Coach Michael Jafari and the Poets will have one more chance to ready themselves for the 2024 SCIAC Championship meet when they travel to Occidental College to face off against the Tigers, as well as the University of Redlands in one last double-dual meet.

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