University of New Hampshire Athletics
Saturday, February 21
Lexington, Va.
10 AM
University of New Hampshire
vs
America East Championship
Sydney Leblic, Teagen Jeffers, Lydia Hart and Audrey Mahoney set an AE record in the 400 free relay
AE Championship Record 400 Relay Leads Swim 'Cats to Second-Place Finish
2/22/2026 12:32:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving
Senior captain Audrey Mahoney wins David Alexander Coaches Award
LEXINGTON, Va. - The UNH women's swimming & diving team closed the 2026 America East Championships in second place courtesy of a standout final day at the VMI Aquatic Center, highlighted by three top‑eight finishes in the 1650 freestyle, multiple podium performances from senior captain Audrey Mahoney (Downers Grove, Ill.), and a school‑ and America East- record swim in the 400 freestyle relay.
Team Standings – Final
1. Bryant – 775
2. UNH – 660
3. Vermont – 613
4. UMBC – 446
5. Binghamton – 403
6. Maine – 314
7. VMI – 159
Sophomore Lydia Hart (Cornwall, Ontario) completed a dominant championship weekend by capturing the 1650 freestyle title, marking her third individual America East championship after earlier victories in the 200 and 500 freestyle. Hart's win anchored another strong distance showing for the Wildcats, as sophomore Marisa White (Apex, N.C.) placed fifth and senior captain Carolyn Nelson (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) finished eighth, giving UNH three top‑eight finishers in the event.
Hart finished the meet with three individual podiums and contributions to two relay championships, one of the top all‑around performances of the weekend.
Mahoney received the David Alexander Coaches Award for scoring the most career America East Championship points among all championship competitors who exhausted their eligibility. She added to her championship résumé on Saturday, earning silver in the 200 freestyle and bronze as part of the 400 medley relay to complement her earlier podiums in the 50 and 100 freestyle. The Downers Grove, Ill., native later delivered one of the night's standout swims by leading off the 400 freestyle relay in 49.53, one of the fastest opening splits in program history and a significant factor in the record-setting performance.
The Wildcats' relay of Mahoney, Hart, sophomore Teagen Jeffers (Bedford, N.H.) and junior Sydney Leblic (Madrid, Spain) powered to a championship‑winning 3:21.08, breaking the America East meet, conference and UNH records.
Junior captain Grace Mahon (Orange, Conn.) finished third in the 200 Fly, earning all-conference honors. Sophomore Maddie Serfass (Hershey, Pa.) registered a seventh-place finish in the A-final.
In the 200 breast, junior Emily Loren Wright (Ventura, Calif.) recorded a fifth-place result and sophomore Lily Jackson-Oates (Redhill, England) finished eighth.
Leblic joined Mahoney in the 100 free A-final and placed eighth.
The Wildcats added valuable depth in the 200 backstroke, led by junior Izzie Campion (Auckland, New Zealand), who placed sixth in the A‑final, freshman Kelsey Mayers (Waxhaw, N.C.), who scored in the B‑final, and Labno, who added further points with her B‑final performance. The event contributed important late-session scoring as UNH maintained its team position.
Across the final day of competition, UNH collected:
• 1 America East individual champion (Hart — 1650 freestyle)
• Multiple podium finishes from Mahoney
• A school-record relay performance
• Three top‑eight finishers in the 1650 free
• A‑ and B‑final scoring in the 200 backstroke
Team Standings – Final
1. Bryant – 775
2. UNH – 660
3. Vermont – 613
4. UMBC – 446
5. Binghamton – 403
6. Maine – 314
7. VMI – 159
Sophomore Lydia Hart (Cornwall, Ontario) completed a dominant championship weekend by capturing the 1650 freestyle title, marking her third individual America East championship after earlier victories in the 200 and 500 freestyle. Hart's win anchored another strong distance showing for the Wildcats, as sophomore Marisa White (Apex, N.C.) placed fifth and senior captain Carolyn Nelson (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) finished eighth, giving UNH three top‑eight finishers in the event.
Hart finished the meet with three individual podiums and contributions to two relay championships, one of the top all‑around performances of the weekend.
Mahoney received the David Alexander Coaches Award for scoring the most career America East Championship points among all championship competitors who exhausted their eligibility. She added to her championship résumé on Saturday, earning silver in the 200 freestyle and bronze as part of the 400 medley relay to complement her earlier podiums in the 50 and 100 freestyle. The Downers Grove, Ill., native later delivered one of the night's standout swims by leading off the 400 freestyle relay in 49.53, one of the fastest opening splits in program history and a significant factor in the record-setting performance.
The Wildcats' relay of Mahoney, Hart, sophomore Teagen Jeffers (Bedford, N.H.) and junior Sydney Leblic (Madrid, Spain) powered to a championship‑winning 3:21.08, breaking the America East meet, conference and UNH records.
Junior captain Grace Mahon (Orange, Conn.) finished third in the 200 Fly, earning all-conference honors. Sophomore Maddie Serfass (Hershey, Pa.) registered a seventh-place finish in the A-final.
In the 200 breast, junior Emily Loren Wright (Ventura, Calif.) recorded a fifth-place result and sophomore Lily Jackson-Oates (Redhill, England) finished eighth.
Leblic joined Mahoney in the 100 free A-final and placed eighth.
The Wildcats added valuable depth in the 200 backstroke, led by junior Izzie Campion (Auckland, New Zealand), who placed sixth in the A‑final, freshman Kelsey Mayers (Waxhaw, N.C.), who scored in the B‑final, and Labno, who added further points with her B‑final performance. The event contributed important late-session scoring as UNH maintained its team position.
Across the final day of competition, UNH collected:
• 1 America East individual champion (Hart — 1650 freestyle)
• Multiple podium finishes from Mahoney
• A school-record relay performance
• Three top‑eight finishers in the 1650 free
• A‑ and B‑final scoring in the 200 backstroke
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Players Mentioned
Free/Back
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Distance Free
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
IM/Breast
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free/Back/IM
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Distance Free/IM
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Fly/Free
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Sprint/Free
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Fly/Back/IM
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free/Fly
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
IM/Fly
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Fly/Free
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Breast/IM
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