Women's Swimming 10/16/2026 11:05:00 PM

Watroba Takes Second as Golden Bears Open Season at Blue Jay Pentathlon

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. (Oct. 16, 2026) — Alex Watroba placed second overall in the women's pentathlon, while AJ Jackson and Bella Giard joined her among the top 13 finishers as Western New England University competed at the Blue Jay Pentathlon, hosted by the University of Saint Joseph on Friday. The Golden Bears also recorded several personal-best performances and welcomed six swimmers competing in their first collegiate meets.

Results:

Alex Watroba: 2nd (3:11.84); AJ Jackson: 12th (3:19.85); Bella Giard: 13th (3:22.00). The pentathlon combined each swimmer's times in the 50-yard butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle and the 100-yard individual medley.

How It Happened:

Watroba led Western New England with a combined time of 3:11.84, earning second place among the 60 swimmers listed in the overall women's pentathlon standings. She finished fifth in the 50 butterfly in a personal-best 29.68 and fifth in the 50 breaststroke (36.35). Watroba also took seventh in the 50 backstroke (31.35), seventh in the 50 freestyle (27.41) and second in the 100 IM (1:07.05).
In her collegiate debut, Jackson finished 12th overall in 3:19.85. Her strongest individual placements came in the 50 breaststroke, where she took seventh in 36.53, and the 50 freestyle, where she finished eighth in 27.50. Jackson added a ninth-place 100 IM (1:09.87), a 21st-place 50 butterfly (31.38) and a 26th-place 50 backstroke (34.57).
Giard followed immediately behind Jackson in 13th with a combined 3:22.00. She paced the Golden Bears in the 50 backstroke, placing second in 30.85, and registered personal bests in the 50 butterfly (30.46, ninth) and 100 IM (1:12.31, 18th). Giard also finished 12th in the 50 freestyle (28.02) and 34th in the 50 breaststroke (40.36).
Vicky Stepien finished 21st overall in 3:29.19, recording a 37.91 in the 50 breaststroke for 13th place. She also placed 26th in the 100 IM (1:14.35), 28th in both the 50 butterfly (32.60) and 50 backstroke (34.68), and 36th in the 50 freestyle (29.65).
Olivia Young was close behind in 22nd overall with a combined 3:29.98. Young finished 15th in the 50 butterfly (30.80) and 17th in the 50 freestyle (28.48), while posting a personal best in the 50 backstroke (35.45, 34th). She completed the 50 breaststroke in 40.98 (38th) and the 100 IM in 1:14.27 (25th).
Olivia Emanuele placed 28th in the pentathlon at 3:34.04. Her eighth-place 50 butterfly (30.40) was among WNE's highest individual event finishes, and she recorded a personal-best 1:15.08 in the 100 IM. Emanuele also finished 31st in the 50 backstroke (35.03), and 32nd in the 50 freestyle (29.45).
Kierstin St. Lawrence made her collegiate debut with a 37th-place pentathlon finish (3:40.03). She recorded 33.44 in the 50 butterfly (37th), 36.23 in the 50 backstroke (43rd), 40.69 in the 50 breaststroke (36th), 30.67 in the 50 freestyle, and 1:19.00 in the 100 IM.
Melanie Bradley, also competing in her first collegiate meet, finished 53rd overall in 4:04.07. Bradley posted times of 39.09 in the 50 butterfly, 39.57 in the 50 backstroke, 46.23 in the 50 breaststroke, 34.90 in the 50 freestyle, and 1:24.28 in the 100 IM.
Morgan McAloon completed her first collegiate meet in with a combined 4:18.39. She registered personal bests in three events: the 50 backstroke (38.89), 50 freestyle (33.36) and 100 IM (1:35.40). McAloon also swam the 50 butterfly (40.41), and the 50 breaststroke (50.33).
Several additional Golden Bears competed in individual races without an overall pentathlon placement. Sofia Piantedosi swam the 50 backstroke (41.08), the 50 breaststroke (43.79) and the 50 freestyle, recording a personal-best 35.54. Gianna Calabrese swam in the 50 breaststroke (41.80) and the 50 freestyle (33.31).
Kayla Grimm, making her collegiate debut, recorded personal bests in the 50 backstroke (52.02) and 50 breaststroke (1:04.76), and swam the 50 freestyle (40.12). Fellow debutant Camilla Pacheco competed in the 50 freestyle, finishing in 42.22.