FRANKLIN SPRINGS, Ga. – Freshman Paige Seplak broke the school record in the 200-Yard Backstroke for the second time in a week, while fellow newcomer Gillian Manning took top honors in a pair of events, to help lead the 22^nd-ranked UNC Pembroke swimming team to the event title at the EC January Invitational on Friday evening.
 
Manning registered an NCAA B Standard time in her fourth different event this season, this time in the 500-Yard Freestyle with a school record mark of 4:58.07. Seplak bested her own week-old school record in the 200-Yard Backstroke by nearly four seconds, and then teamed up with Manning, as well as sophomore Sarah Morden and Mariel Mencia Martinez, to shatter a year-old school record in the 400-Yard Medley Relay.
 
Manning was 0.33 seconds off of the school record on the way to capturing the event title in the 200-Yard Butterfly. Nathalia Silva took home runner-up honors in both the 50- and 500-Yard Freestyle, while Anna Miller finished second in the 200-Yard Breaststroke.

The Black & Gold edged No. 26 Emmanuel by 30 points (412-382) to win Friday's event. Brenau was a distant third place, Point was fourth and Lagrange was fifth.
 
The Braves will return to Emmanuel College's McDonnell Center on Saturday to take part in the Emmanuel Senior Day Winter Meet. The event is scheduled to get underway at 10 a.m. Fans can follow all of the action for free via a live video stream link at UNCPBraves.com/Live.
 

AT EC JANUARY INVITATIONAL (JANUARY 22, 2021)
400 Yard Medley Relay
3	UNC Pembroke 'A' - Paige Seplak, Sarah Morden, Gillian Manning, Mariel Mencia Martinez	$ 4:02.39
7	UNC Pembroke 'B' - Jaycie Knight, Bianca Bateman, Natalia Sarmiento, Madeline Everhart	4:22.76
500 Yard Freestyle
1	Gillian Manning	+$ 4:58;07
2	Nathalia Silva	5:11.27
5	Sierra Wright	5:45.76
10	Sara Ormsby	6:12.14
200 Yard Individual Medley
3	Anna Miller	2:18.53
4	Caterina Coughlin	2:18.56
7	Natalia Sarmiento	2:23.91
50 Yard Freestyle
1	Mariel Mencia Martinez	24.30
2	Nathalia Silva	24.93
7	Bianca Bateman	27.00
200 Yard Backstroke
2	Paige Seplak	$ 2:13.95
3	Jaycie Knight	2:21.96
6	Sara Ormsby	2:30.72
200 Yard Breaststroke
2	Anna Miller	2:30.86
3	Sarah Morden	2:37.41
6	Madeline Everhart	2:49.57
200 Yard Butterfly
1	Gillian Manning	2:04.30
4	Caterina Coughlin	2:12.97
400 Yard Freestyle Relay
1	UNC Pembroke 'A' - Mariel Mencia Martinez, Caterina Coughlin, Anna Miller, Nathalia Silva	3:39.36
3	UNC Pembroke 'B' - Natalia Sarmiento, Sierra Wright, Paige Seplak, Sarah Morden	3:51.93
$ - School Record + - NCAA B Standard Qualifying Time