ATLANTA – The Auburn women opened the 2022 NCAA Championships on Wednesday night with the 200 medley relay and the 800 freestyle relay.
After no relays qualified last year and the NCAA meet was canceled two years ago, it was the first Auburn women's relay to compete at the NCAA Championships since 2019.
The Tigers finished 23rd in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:37.16. Sophomore Meghan Lee led off with a 50 back split of 24.15, the second-fastest split of her career. She was followed by freshmen Anastasia Makarova and Lexie Mulvihill, and then it was Emma Steckiel who closed the race with a 22.08 split in the 50 free leg.
In the second race of the night, Auburn's 800 free relay team took 19th and finished with a time of 7:08.45. Senior Emily Hetzer had the fastest split of the group, going 1:46.31 as the anchor. Fellow senior Mykenzie Leehy led off with a 1:46.63 split, and then it was freshman Rebekah Hamilton and sophomore Payton Marvin who both went under 1:48.00.
Auburn will be back Thursday with a full day of prelims and finals. In the morning session, the Tigers will have Hetzer in the 500 freestyle, Lee and Hannah Ownbey in the 200 IM, and Leehy and Mulvihill in the 50 free – all vying for a spot in finals.
Auburn will also swim the 200 freestyle relay in the night session.
Thursday - Watch: Prelims | Finals
Auburn relays return at NCAA Women’s Championships
