Duquesne @ Richmond Duals
Friday, Oct. 17, 2025 • 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 • 10:00 a.m.
Hampton Virginia Aquaplex • Hampton, Va.

2025 Roster | 2025 Schedule | 2025 Swim Cloud Team Page

OFF THE STARTING BLOCK
- The Duquesne University swimming and diving team travels to Hampton, Va. to compete at the Richmond Duals inside the Hampton Virginia Aquaplex on Friday, Oct. 17 and Saturday, Oct. 18.

- The Dukes are coming off its season opener with a split weekend for the swimmers and divers. The swimming team competed at the Pitt Relays on Saturday while the divers battled at the Clarion Diving Fall Classic.

- At the relays, the Dukes brought home a bronze in the 3x100 breaststroke relay, as the team of sophomores Jess Burns and Surrena Luna, and junior Sydney Severini touched the wall in 3:20.10. Duquesne added a fifth-place finish in the same event from freshman Kira Schrecongost and sophomores Sierra Snow and Ashley Freel, who finished in 3:29.86.

- The 200-yard medley relay opened the action on Saturday, as the team of sophomores Sierra Snow and Jess Burns, along with freshmen Kira Schrecongost and Lucy Backus, placed fourth with a time of 1:47.07. Close behind, the quartet of sophomore Ashley Freel, junior Sydney Severini, and sophomores Rachel Howard and Kaitlyn Connors took fifth, finishing in 1:48.05.

- In the 500-yard freestyle relay, the Dukes placed two teams in the top five. The quartet of Backus, Connors, junior Lexi Sundgren, and Snow finished fourth with a time of 4:39.33, while senior Katie Simpson, Howard, junior Julia Sobun, and Freel followed in fifth at 4:44.49. The 3x100 butterfly relay was next, with Howard, Schrecongost, and Freel combining for a fourth-place finish in 2:54.20.

- Later in the afternoon, Snow, freshman Norah Kotnik, and Freel took fifth in the 3x100 backstroke relay with a time of 2:51.11. The 200-yard freestyle wrapped up competition with Connors, freshman Emily Kyre, Howard, and freshman Lucy Backus touching the wall at 1:37.01 to be tabbed fourth.

- After competing at the Richmond Duals, the Dukes will be idle till November when they return to Towers Pool for the first time this season, hosting Saint Peter's on Nov. 8. The diving team will be back in action as well when it travels to Clarion, Pa. to compete in the Clarion Fall Invite.

RICHMOND DUALS LINKS
Order of Events
Hampton Virginia Aquaplex

The Richmond Duals – For the fourth straight season, Duquesne will compete at the Richmond Duals, aiming to replicate last year's dominant performance. The Dukes captured the top spot in Virginia, tallying 782 points across 30 events and earning 22 medals, including eight golds. The 400-yard medley relay team of Haley Scholer, Sydney Severini, Ashley Freel, and Kaitlyn Connors opened with gold (3:50.47), while another Duquesne squad claimed bronze (3:55.33). Scholer added two more golds in the 200 freestyle (1:52.65) and 200 backstroke (2:03.69), plus a silver in the 50 backstroke (27.01). Freel also shined in her debut, winning the 200 butterfly (2:05.45) and earning silver in the 100 freestyle (53.16). Fellow freshman Jessica Burns claimed gold in the 200 breaststroke (2:21.42) and bronze in the 50 breaststroke (30.61).

On day two of the Duals, Duquesne defeated Richmond 161–138, collecting 24 medals, including 10 golds. The Dukes opened with silver in the 200-yard medley relay (1:45.60) from Haley Scholer, Jess Burns, Rachel Howard, and Kaitlyn Connors. Burns led with wins in the 100 breaststroke (1:05.58) and 200 breaststroke (2:20.54), while fellow freshman Ashley Freel medaled in every event—taking gold in the 100 (56.61) and 200 butterfly (2:08.36), bronze in the 200 freestyle (1:55.32), and helping the 400 freestyle relay team strike gold (3:32.97). Duquesne also swept the one-meter dive, with Ashley Felitsky earning gold (268.05), followed by Lydia Redd (222.05) and Brianne Dempsey (221.15). Felitsky added another gold in the three-meter (244.45), while Kendall Nigh claimed bronze (223.95).

From The Top – The Duquesne diving team opened its 2025-26 season Saturday at the Clarion Fall Classic, with all six divers in action. In the one-meter event, five Dukes placed in the top 10, led by senior Ashley Felitsky, who finished second with 258.45 points to claim second-palce. Sophomore Brianne Dempsey followed in fourth (243.90), while graduate student Lola Dragosavac (227.75) and junior Erin Castagnero (212.00) took fifth and sixth. Freshmen Grace Hedger (198.75) and Elly Huron (182.80) impressed in their collegiate debuts, placing ninth and 11th. In the three-meter, four Dukes finished in the top 10, with Felitsky leading again, earning bronze with 243.90 points. Dempsey (221.35) and Castagnero (215.80) placed fifth and sixth, while Dragosavac took ninth (205.65). Huron (189.95) and Hedger (188.00) rounded out the lineup in 11th and 12th among 22 competitors.

A-10 Poll - According to a poll of Atlantic 10 coaches, the Duquesne University swimming & diving team has been picked to finish third in the conference for the 2025-26 season. The Dukes accumulated 83 points in the poll with one first-place vote. George Washington was the selected as the preseason favorite with seven first-place tallies and 97 total points. Richmond was tabbed second with two first-place votes and 83 points while Duquesne, Davidson (59), and Fordham (57) rounded out the top five. George Mason was selected to finish sixth with 51 points, followed by La Salle, St. Bonaventure, Rhode Island, and Saint Louis rounding out the poll.

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