Women's Swimming | 11/7/2026 9:50:00 PM

ERIE, Pa. – Three school records, five pool records and three NCAA Division II provisional qualifying performances highlighted a dominant afternoon for the Gannon women's swimming team as the Golden Knights defeated Case Western Reserve 171.5-122.5 on Saturday at the Carneval Athletic Pavilion Pool.

Daniela Mišúthová (Bratislava, Slovakia/Bilingual Grammar School Ceska 10) and Mariia Melnyk (Kyiv, Ukraine/Education Center Optima) led the record-setting performance, combining for five individual victories while contributing to Gannon's winning relay teams.

Mišúthová captured three individual victories, highlighted by a school- and pool-record performance in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:01.57. She also won the 200-yard freestyle (1:55.75) and 200-yard individual medley (2:11.92).

Melnyk continued her outstanding start to the season by winning the 100-yard backstroke in 57.15 and the 100-yard freestyle in 50.81. She later established a school and pool record in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 50.58 as the leadoff swimmer in Gannon's 400-yard freestyle relay.

The Golden Knights also established a school and pool record in the 200-yard medley relay as Mišúthová, Amari Ash (Tacarigua, Trinidad and Tobago/Northgate College, Tacarigua), Hailey Wills (Cleves, Ohio/Seton) and Melnyk combined for a winning time of 1:45.09.

Ash contributed another pool record in the 50-yard freestyle, winning the event in 23.56. Gannon concluded the competition with a pool-record performance in the 400-yard freestyle relay, finishing in 3:34.20.

Ash, Melnyk and Mišúthová also recorded NCAA Division II B-cut performances, meeting the provisional qualifying standards for consideration at the national championships.

The Golden Knights finished with 10 individual event victories, including a first-place tie, and both relay wins to secure the 49-point victory.

THE MEET FACTS

Final Score: Gannon 171.5, Case Western Reserve 122.5

Date: Saturday, November 7, 2026

Location: Carneval Athletic Pavilion Pool – Erie, Pa.

School Records: 3

Pool Records: 5

NCAA Division II B Cuts: 3 athletes

Individual Event Victories: 10 (including one tie)

Relay Victories: 2

THE KNIGHT CAP

• Mišúthová Wins Three Events: Daniela Mišúthová (Bratislava, Slovakia/Bilingual Grammar School Ceska 10) led Gannon with three individual victories, capturing the 200-yard freestyle in 1:55.75, the 200-yard backstroke in 2:01.57 and the 200-yard individual medley in 2:11.92.

• School Record in the Backstroke: Mišúthová established both a school and pool record in the 200-yard backstroke with her winning time of 2:01.57. The performance also met the NCAA Division II B-cut standard.

• Melnyk Sets Freestyle Record: Mariia Melnyk (Kyiv, Ukraine/Education Center Optima) established a school and pool record in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 50.58 while leading off Gannon's 400-yard freestyle relay. Earlier in the meet, she won the individual 100-yard freestyle in 50.81. Both times met the NCAA Division II provisional qualifying standard.

• Record-Setting Medley Relay: Gannon's 200-yard medley relay team of Daniela Mišúthová (Bratislava, Slovakia/Bilingual Grammar School Ceska 10), Amari Ash (Tacarigua, Trinidad and Tobago/Northgate College, Tacarigua), Hailey Wills (Cleves, Ohio/Seton) and Mariia Melnyk (Kyiv, Ukraine/Education Center Optima) established a school and pool record with a winning time of 1:45.09.

• Ash Breaks Pool Record: Amari Ash (Tacarigua, Trinidad and Tobago/Northgate College, Tacarigua) captured the 50-yard freestyle in a pool-record time of 23.56, earning an NCAA Division II B cut. She also contributed to both of Gannon's winning relay performances.

• Melnyk Sweeps Her Individual Events: Melnyk won the 100-yard backstroke in 57.15 before capturing the 100-yard freestyle in 50.81. The freshman also contributed to both record-setting relay victories.

• Hedges Leads Butterfly Sweep: Emily Hedges (Peachtree Corners, Ga./St Pius X Catholic) won the 200-yard butterfly in 2:09.02, while Bella Kling finished second in 2:10.07. Hailey Wills (Cleves, Ohio/Seton) completed Gannon's sweep of the top three positions in 2:15.99.

• Ribellia Wins Breaststroke: Aurelia Ribellia (East Wenatchee, Wash./Eastmont Senior) captured the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:06.65. Lea Maric (Menton, France/Lycée Albert 1er, Monaco) followed in third at 1:08.88, while Isa Salvadore (Otranto, Italy/) placed fourth in 1:10.20.

• Maric Shares First Place: Lea Maric (Menton, France/Lycée Albert 1er, Monaco) tied Case Western Reserve's Lillian Paley for first place in the 200-yard breaststroke as both swimmers finished in 2:26.96. Maria Valcheva (Sofia, Bulgaria/Sports School Vasil Levski) added a third-place finish in 2:27.93.

• Dietz Takes the 500 Free: Emma Dietz (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) won the 500-yard freestyle in 5:23.51. She also placed second in the 200-yard individual medley (2:16.99) and fifth in the 200-yard freestyle (2:01.19).

• Gannon Controls the Backstroke Events: The Golden Knights claimed the top two positions in the 100-yard backstroke as Melnyk won in 57.15 and Juliana Romero (Bogotá, Colombia/Colegio pureza de Maria) Castro finished second in 58.52. In the 200-yard backstroke, Mišúthová took first with her record-setting performance while Romero Castro placed second in 2:09.71.

• Strong Distance Performances: Phoebe Puacz (Naperville, IL/Neuqua Valley) finished second in the 1,650-yard freestyle with a time of 19:05.34. She also added a fourth-place finish in the 500-yard freestyle (5:39.26).

• Freestyle Relay Closes with Pool Record: Gannon finished the afternoon by establishing a pool record in the 400-yard freestyle relay. Mariia Melnyk (Kyiv, Ukraine/Education Center Optima), Amari Ash (Tacarigua, Trinidad and Tobago/Northgate College, Tacarigua), Ellyse Hoppe (McKean, PA/General McLane) and Juliana Romero (Bogotá, Colombia/Colegio pureza de Maria) Castro combined for a winning time of 3:34.20.

• Five Pool Records Fall: Gannon established pool records in the 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle, 200-yard backstroke, 200-yard medley relay and 400-yard freestyle relay.

• Three NCAA Qualifiers in Consideration: Ash, Melnyk and Mišúthová each met NCAA Division II provisional qualifying standards. Melnyk recorded B-cut times in both the individual 100-yard freestyle (50.81) and the 400-yard freestyle relay leadoff (50.58).

• Complete Team Victory: The Golden Knights captured 10 individual event victories and both relays, finishing with a 171.5-122.5 victory despite Case Western Reserve collecting all available diving points.

RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCES

School Records

• 100 Freestyle: Mariia Melnyk (Kyiv, Ukraine/Education Center Optima) – 50.58 (400 freestyle relay leadoff)

• 200 Backstroke: Daniela Mišúthová (Bratislava, Slovakia/Bilingual Grammar School Ceska 10) – 2:01.57

• 200 Medley Relay: Mišúthová, Ash, Wills, Melnyk – 1:45.09

Pool Records

• 50 Freestyle: Amari Ash (Tacarigua, Trinidad and Tobago/Northgate College, Tacarigua) – 23.56

• 100 Freestyle: Mariia Melnyk (Kyiv, Ukraine/Education Center Optima) – 50.58 (relay leadoff)

• 200 Backstroke: Daniela Mišúthová (Bratislava, Slovakia/Bilingual Grammar School Ceska 10) – 2:01.57

• 200 Medley Relay: Gannon – 1:45.09

• 400 Freestyle Relay: Gannon – 3:34.20

NCAA Division II B Cuts

• 50 Freestyle: Amari Ash (Tacarigua, Trinidad and Tobago/Northgate College, Tacarigua) – 23.56

• 100 Freestyle: Mariia Melnyk (Kyiv, Ukraine/Education Center Optima) – 50.81 (individual), 50.58 (relay leadoff)

• 200 Backstroke: Daniela Mišúthová (Bratislava, Slovakia/Bilingual Grammar School Ceska 10) – 2:01.57

UP NEXT

Gannon returns to competition November 19-21 at the Youngstown State Invitational in Youngstown, Ohio.

The three-day event will provide another opportunity for the Golden Knights to build on their early-season success before returning to dual-meet competition in December.

This story was written using the support of AI.