The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

BOTH Higgs sisters continue their winning ways in the Carolinas to highlight the performances of Bahamian collegiate swimmers throughout NCAA Division I swimming.

Albury Higgs and the South Carolina Gamecocks completed the weekend with a pair of wins over North Carolina-Wilmington (279-73) and Queens (175-166) at the South Carolina College Invitational.

Higgs won the 200 IM a time of 2:03.51 seconds. “We swam kind of an off lineup, we got some people into different events, especially on the women’s side. We fought – Queens and UNCW are two good programmes that gave us races all the way to the end,” said head coach McGee Moody. “Our kids stepped up big. Now the focus shifts 100 per cent to the SEC Championships.”

The Gamecocks’ attention now shifts to the 2020 SEC Championships which begins February 18, hosted by the Auburn Tigers.

Lily Higgs and the North Carolina Tar Heels lost their penultimate regular season meet when they fell to the No. 6 Virginia Cavaliers 171-125.

Individually, Higgs won the 200 breaststroke in a time of 2:15.09.

“I’m extremely proud of our team for competing well against one of the nation’s best teams,” said head coach Mark Gangloff.

“We are in a great position for this time of year.”

The Tar Heels will be on the road this Saturday when they face the Duke Blue Devils in their final regular season meet.

The ACC Championships will follow shortly thereafter at the end of February.

A trio of Bahamians for the Howard Bison reached the medal podium in their meet against the Catholic Cardinals.

Luke-Kennedy Thompson, Andreas Weech and the Bison won 162-134 to improve to 6-2 on the season.

Thompson won the 1,000 Free in 9:57.63, good for the third fastest mark in Bison programme history. He also won the 200 IM in 1:59.23.

T’Lez Foulkes also recorded a win in the 100 Breast in 1:00.42.

On the women’s side, Andreas Weech and the Bison won 159-137. Weech placed 3rd in the 100 butterfly in a time of 1:05.23.

The Bison will conclude the regular season against the NJIT on February 2.