KINGSPORT, Tenn. – Newcomer Benedetta Pepe Pugliese established a new Conference Carolinas meet record in the 400-yard Individual Medley, while Ketlyn Rodriguez Matos and the 400-yard Medley Relay team both shattered school records to highlight action at the Conference Carolinas Championships on Friday at the Kingsport Aquatic Center.
 
The Braves made a leap in the team standings and now sit atop the leaderboard with 520 points. Emmanuel is now in second place with 489 points, followed by Converse in third place with 299 points. 
 
Pepe Pugliese bested the field in the 400-yard Individual Medley to take top honors with a time of 4:24.58 for an NCAA B Standard time as well as a Conference Caorlinas meet record. Chiara Ambrosi placed second in the 400-yard Individual Medley with a time of 4:40.20. Britta Schwengle claimed first place honors in the 200-yard Freestyle with an NCAA B Standard time of 1:52.96, while Rodriguez Matos broke her own school record in the 100-yard Breaststroke on the way to a runner-up finish. 
 
The Braves closed Friday's evening session with an impressive performance in the 400-yard Medley Relay as Britta Schwengle, Ketlyn Rodriguez Matos, Fatima Portilo, Mariel Mencia Martinez touched in first place with a time of 3:38.89 to shatter the school record. 
 
Saturday's final-day action inside the Kingsport Aquatics Center will get underway at 10 a.m. with the preliminaries of the 200-yard Backstroke. Saturday's evening session will include the finals of the 200-yard Backstroke, the 100-yard Freestyle, the 200-yard Breaststroke, the 200-yard Butterfly and the 400-yard Freestyle Relay.
 

AT CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS (FEBRUARY 23, 2024)
400 Yard Individual Medley (Prelims)
1	Benedetta Pepe Pugliese	4:33.47
3	Chiara Ambrosi	4:50.29
7	Tamra Tipton	5:01.62
8	Natalia Sarmiento	5:01.72
10	Audrey Jacobs	5:06.26
13	Gretchen Gillenwater	5:25.28
100 Yard Butterfly (Prelims)
5	Mariel Mencia Martinez	57.77
7	Katie Raleigh	58.40
11	Rachel Carapella	59.44
12	Gabby Hyson	59.86
200 Yard Freestyle (Prelims)
2	Britta Schwengle	1:54.74
4	Ketlyn Rodriguez Matos	1:56.96
9	Rhyan Murphy	1:59.96
100 Yard Breaststroke (Prelims)
3	Ketlyn Rodriguez Matos	1:05.50
11	Kaeleigh Cupples	1:09.97
12	Maddie Ray	1:10.46
15	Ella Humbert	1:13.34
100 Yard Backstroke (Prelims)
3	Katie Raleigh	59.50
11	Rachel Carapella	1:01.62
13	Audrey Jacobs	1:01.93
400 Yard Individual Medley (Finals)
1	! % Benedetta Pepe Pugliese	4:24.58
2	Chiara Ambrosi	4:40.20
5	Tamra Tipton	4:52.11
8	Natalia Sarmiento	5:00.28
10	Audrey Jacobs	5:03.91
13	Gretchen Gillenwater	5:27.07
100 Yard Butterfly (Finals)
4	Mariel Mencia Martinez	57.46
7	Katie Raleigh	57.80
10	Gabby Hyson	58.41
11	Rachel Carapella	59.64
200 Yard Freestyle (Finals)
1	! Britta Schwengle	1:52.96
2	Ketlyn Rodriguez Matos	1:53.15
9	Rhyan Murphy	1:59.68
100 Yard Breaststroke (Finals)
2	$ Ketlyn Rodriguez Matos	1:04.44
11	Maddie Ray	1:09.56
13	Kaeleigh Cupples	1:11.88
15	Ella Humbert	1:13.62
100 Yard Backstroke (Finals)
3	Katie Raleigh	58.56
10	Audrey Jacobs	1:01.14
13	Rachel Carapella	1:01.73
400 Yard Medley Relay
1	$ UNC Pembroke 'A' - Britta Schwengle, Ketlyn Rodriguez Matos, Fatima Portilo, Mariel Mencia Martinez	3:38.89
$ - School Record ! - NCAA B Standard Time % - Conference Carolinas Meet Record