KINGSPORT, Tenn. – Mariel Mencia Martinez, Britta Schwengle, and Benedetta Pepe Pugliese all raked in another individual event title, and played a key part in pacing the  30^th-ranked UNC Pembroke swimming team to the conference title on the final day of the 2024 Conference Carolinas Championships.
 
The Braves totaled 776 points across the 4-day event in northeast Tennessee to outlast defending league champion Emmanuel (727 points). Barton was third with 421 points.

Pepe Pugliese was named Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year, while Oscar Roverato picked up the league's coach of the year honors for the second consecutive year.
 
Schwengle busted a Conference Carolinas Championships and program record in 1650-yard Freestyle, while Mencia Martinez took top honors in the 100-yard Freestyle. Pepe Pugliese shattered the Conference Carolinas Championship record in the 200-yard Breaststroke to beat out the field. Schwengle (1650 Freestyle), Mencia Martinez (100 Freestyle), Pepe Pugliese (200 Breaststroke) and Sofia Pereira (1650 Freestyle) each recorded NCAA B Standard times in their events as well. 
 

AT CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS (FEBRUARY 24, 2024)
200 Yard Backstroke (Prelims)
6	Chiara Ambrosi	2:12.61
13	Audrey Jacobs	2:19.64
100 Yard Freestyle (Prelims)
2	Mariel Mencia Martinez	52.52
9	Rhyan Murphy	54.19
11	Gabby Hyson	54.66
Exh.	Luisa Rios	56.76
Exh.	Makayla Dolan	59.34
200 Yard Breaststroke (Prelims)
2	Benedetta Pepe Pugliese	2:21.14
3	Ketlyn Rodriguez Matos	2:22.97
11	Maddie Ray	2:36.18
13	Kaeleigh Cupples	2:37.70
16	Ella Humbert	2:40.17
200 Yard Butterfly (Prelims)
2	Katie Raleigh	2:06.60
3	Fatima Portillo	2:07.69
4	Gabby Hyson	2:13.19
10	Tamra Tipton	2:20.82
1650 Yard Freestyle (Finals)
1	$ % ! Britta Schwengle	17:20.29
2	! Sofia Pereira	17:20.46
3	Fatima Portillo	17:51.28
9	Natalia Sarmiento	19:39.34
11	Gretchen Gillenwater	20:09.95
Exh.	Sara Ormsby	23:40.45
200 Yard Backstroke (Finals)
4	Chiara Ambrosi	2:08.17
12	Audrey Jacobs	2:16.13
100 Yard Freestyle (Finals)
1	! Mariel Mencia Martinez	51.87
11	Rhyan Murphy	54.63
12	Gabby Hyson	54.72
200 Yard Breaststroke (Finals)
1	% ! Benedetta Pepe Pugliese	2:17.73
3	Ketlyn Rodriguez Matos	2:20.25
12	Maddie Ray	2:34.12
13	Kaeleigh Cupples	2:35.40
16	Ella Humbert	2:39.02
200 Yard Butterfly (Finals)
2	Katie Raleigh	2:05.94
3	Fatima Portillo	2:08.38
4	Gabby Hyson	2:12.14
9	Tamra Tipton	2:18.00
400 Yard Freestyle Relay
2	UNC Pembroke 'A' - Britta Schwengle, Rhyan Murphy, Gabby Hyson, Mariel Mencia Martinez	3:32.28
$ - School Record ! - NCAA B Standard Time % - Conference Carolinas Meet Record