Monday, February 24
Geneva, Ohio
All Day
Seton Hall University
845
vs
Big East Championship
Waggoner's Triumphant Night Closes 2025 BIG EAST Champs
2/28/2025 12:51:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving
GENEVA, Oh. – Allie Waggoner's record-breaking final BIG EAST tile highlighted the Seton Hall women's swimming and diving team final night at the 2025 BIG EAST Championships on Thursday at Spire Academy.
Diving
After prelims, all three Pirate divers - Nikki Pawar, Amy Kugelman and Sarah Behrman - found themselves competing against each other in the B-final. At the end of six dives, Pawar's experience paid off as she led the Pirates and earned a tenth place finish with a score of 259.05.
Swimming
In the final individual BIG EAST event of her career, the 1650 freestyle, Allie Waggoner was in search of her third-consecutive conference title in the event. Joined by Mandy Zajdzinski in lane seven, the two Pirates departed the blocks and began what would potentially be there final races. Right out of the gate, Waggoner asserted her dominance. The reigning champion pulled a two body-length gap within the first 250 yards and never looked back. She kept a steady pace of 29-second 50s for the majority of the race, slowly expanding her lead to nearly two laps.
As the end of the race approached, the school and conference record were in sight. As the official rang the bell to signal the final fifty, Waggoner bolted down the pool. The senior went 27.33 in her final two laps, which made all the difference in the result. Waggoner not only broke her own school record which she set earlier this season, but she broke the conference record. With a time of 16:06.75, Waggoner obliterated the former record held by West Virginia's Rachael Burnett. Burnett set her record in 2012 with a time of 16:13.94.
As the meet bled on, the 100 freestyle became the Pirates' next chance at victory. After prelims, Natalie Heim sat in fifth and appeared poised to make a run at her first BIG EAST title of the meet. The graduate student ended the first half of the race in first place with a time of 23.91. But, surge from the rest of the field proved too much for the veteran. Heim ended the event where she was seeded, fifth, with a time of 50.40.
Outside of the championship finals, the Pirates collected other strong swims. Freshman Amelia Obszarny, after a consistent day in the 100 backstroke yesterday, posted a season-best time of 2:05.66 in the 200 backstroke today. Meanwhile, in the 200 butterfly, Shun Qi Lim, raced a season and career-best time of 1:05.61.
At the meet's end, the Pirates found themselves in fifth place with 845 points overall.
What's Next
Stay tuned for future updates around our swimmers competing in national meets.
Diving
After prelims, all three Pirate divers - Nikki Pawar, Amy Kugelman and Sarah Behrman - found themselves competing against each other in the B-final. At the end of six dives, Pawar's experience paid off as she led the Pirates and earned a tenth place finish with a score of 259.05.
Swimming
In the final individual BIG EAST event of her career, the 1650 freestyle, Allie Waggoner was in search of her third-consecutive conference title in the event. Joined by Mandy Zajdzinski in lane seven, the two Pirates departed the blocks and began what would potentially be there final races. Right out of the gate, Waggoner asserted her dominance. The reigning champion pulled a two body-length gap within the first 250 yards and never looked back. She kept a steady pace of 29-second 50s for the majority of the race, slowly expanding her lead to nearly two laps.
Last One, Fastest One ⏱️#HALLin🔵⚪️ │ #BIGEAST 🏴☠️ pic.twitter.com/MfpnrRYfbn
— Seton Hall Swimming & Diving (@SHUSwimDive) February 28, 2025
As the end of the race approached, the school and conference record were in sight. As the official rang the bell to signal the final fifty, Waggoner bolted down the pool. The senior went 27.33 in her final two laps, which made all the difference in the result. Waggoner not only broke her own school record which she set earlier this season, but she broke the conference record. With a time of 16:06.75, Waggoner obliterated the former record held by West Virginia's Rachael Burnett. Burnett set her record in 2012 with a time of 16:13.94.
As the meet bled on, the 100 freestyle became the Pirates' next chance at victory. After prelims, Natalie Heim sat in fifth and appeared poised to make a run at her first BIG EAST title of the meet. The graduate student ended the first half of the race in first place with a time of 23.91. But, surge from the rest of the field proved too much for the veteran. Heim ended the event where she was seeded, fifth, with a time of 50.40.
Outside of the championship finals, the Pirates collected other strong swims. Freshman Amelia Obszarny, after a consistent day in the 100 backstroke yesterday, posted a season-best time of 2:05.66 in the 200 backstroke today. Meanwhile, in the 200 butterfly, Shun Qi Lim, raced a season and career-best time of 1:05.61.
At the meet's end, the Pirates found themselves in fifth place with 845 points overall.
- Villanova – 1,588 points
- UConn – 1,516
- Xavier – 1,167
- Georgetown – 1040
- Seton Hall – 845
- Butler – 570
- Providence – 475
What's Next
Stay tuned for future updates around our swimmers competing in national meets.
Players Mentioned
Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Freestyle
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Butterfly/IM
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Freestyle/Backstroke
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Freestyle/IM
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Freestyle/IM
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Freestyle
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