BRIDGEWATER, Mass. (December 6, 2025) – The Golden Bears ended 2025 by competing in the Bridgewater State University Invitational on Saturday. They ended the competition with nineteen season-best times, excluding swims swum for the first time this season. Ella Smith also broke two program records: the 400-yard IM and the 100-yard Freestyle. The team's top-notch swims earned them fourth out of seven teams at the invitational.
Results:
Western New England: 4th/7
How it Happened:
200 Yard Medley Relay:
- The WNE team of Alex Watroba, Ella Smith, Caitlin Guntly, and Olivia Young started the meet off with a top-notch performance, placing second in the event, earning 26 points, and finishing with a time of 1:57.85.
50 Yard Butterfly:
- Caitlin Guntly placed fourth overall in the 50-yard Butterfly. Guntly earned 11 points for the team, finishing in 28.44.
400 Yard IM:
- The 400-yard IM was an exciting race for the Golden Bears. It saw Ella Smith and Alex Watroba finish first and second, respectively. That earned the team 29 points.
- Ella Smith continued her great season by picking up yet another program record. Smith had not swum the 400 IM yet this season and would crush the field with a first-place time of 4:34.68.
- Alex Watroba had a top-notch swim as well. Watroba swam the event for the first time this season, too, and ended with a 5:01.43. Had Smith not been in the same event and heat, Watroba would have claimed the WNE record as well.
100 Yard Backstroke:
- Bella Giard placed fifth in the 100-yard Backstroke event for WNE. Giard earned ten points for the Golden Bears with a season-best time of 1:07.43.
100 Yard Freestyle:
- Ella Smith was back in the water for her second individual and third event overall of the day. Smith placed first with a final time of 54.29, a new season-best time and program record. Smith earned the team sixteen points in that event.
200 Yard Backstroke:
- Alex Watroba followed Smith's first-place finish with a first-place finish of her own with a comeback win in the 200-yard Backstroke. Watroba earned a season-best time of 2:20.99 and 16 points for the team.
100 Yard IM:
- Caitlin Guntly then made it three wins in three races for the Golden Bears. Guntly's season-best time in the 100-yard IM of 1:06.84 earned the team 16 points and saw her reach the podium once again.
50 Yard Backstroke:
- Bella Giard picked up another top-five finish by placing fifth in the 50-yard Backstroke. Giard earned a season-best time of 30.99 and 10 points for the team.
200 Yard IM:
- Ella Smith won her third race of the day with her 200-yard IM performance. Smith earned another season-best time with a 2:11.73. Smith earned 16 more points for WNE with that win.
400 Yard Freestyle Relay:
Up Next on the Schedule:
- The team will rest during the holiday break and will be back in action at home on Friday, January 9, 2025, at 6:00 PM, as they welcome the Anchorwomen of Rhode Island College.
