Rice University Athletics
Photo by: © 2025 Joshua Brown
Owls Close Day One of NIC
3/12/2026 7:46:00 PM | Swimming & Diving
OCALA, Fla. – Ella Dyson won the 500-yard freestyle to lead Rice on the opening day of the CSCAA National Invitational Championships.
The Owls close day one in fifth place with 143 points. Akron sits just ahead in fourth with 146.5 points, while Ohio State leads the field with 193.
Dyson won the 500 freestyle with a season-best time of 4:44.93 to secure Rice's lone event victory of the evening. Ava Hamblett also competed in the event, placing third in the consolation final with a time of 4:50.40.
Rice opened the evening with a second-place finish in the 200-yard freestyle relay. The team of Lily Archibald, Avery Karacz, Bella Zhang and Lizzie Zadel posted a time of 1:31.47.
In the 50-yard backstroke consolation final, Abigail King placed eighth with a time of 25.58.
Freshman Lily Archibald recorded a career-best swim in the 50-yard butterfly, finishing fourth in 23.93, just 0.09 seconds shy of the podium.
Rice had two swimmers compete in the 200-yard individual medley consolation final. Bella Zhang placed third with a time of 2:01.56, while Lily Cramer finished 10th in 2:04.21.
Archibald closed the individual events with a fourth-place finish in the 50-yard freestyle, touching the wall in 23.02.
The Owls wrapped up the evening with a 19th-place finish in the 400-yard medley relay. The team of Abigail King, Siiri Einio, Lizzie Zadel and Lily Cramer posted a time of 3:45.27.
Rice returns to action Friday with prelims beginning at 8:30 a.m. and finals scheduled for 5 p.m. Fans can watch the meet on the FAST YouTube channel.
The Owls close day one in fifth place with 143 points. Akron sits just ahead in fourth with 146.5 points, while Ohio State leads the field with 193.
Dyson won the 500 freestyle with a season-best time of 4:44.93 to secure Rice's lone event victory of the evening. Ava Hamblett also competed in the event, placing third in the consolation final with a time of 4:50.40.
Rice opened the evening with a second-place finish in the 200-yard freestyle relay. The team of Lily Archibald, Avery Karacz, Bella Zhang and Lizzie Zadel posted a time of 1:31.47.
In the 50-yard backstroke consolation final, Abigail King placed eighth with a time of 25.58.
Freshman Lily Archibald recorded a career-best swim in the 50-yard butterfly, finishing fourth in 23.93, just 0.09 seconds shy of the podium.
Rice had two swimmers compete in the 200-yard individual medley consolation final. Bella Zhang placed third with a time of 2:01.56, while Lily Cramer finished 10th in 2:04.21.
Archibald closed the individual events with a fourth-place finish in the 50-yard freestyle, touching the wall in 23.02.
The Owls wrapped up the evening with a 19th-place finish in the 400-yard medley relay. The team of Abigail King, Siiri Einio, Lizzie Zadel and Lily Cramer posted a time of 3:45.27.
Rice returns to action Friday with prelims beginning at 8:30 a.m. and finals scheduled for 5 p.m. Fans can watch the meet on the FAST YouTube channel.
Players Mentioned
Free/Fly
/ Swimming & Diving
Breast/Free/IM
/ Swimming & Diving
Free/Back/IM
/ Swimming & Diving
Breast
/ Swimming & Diving
Free/Back
/ Swimming & Diving
Free/Fly
/ Swimming & Diving
Free/Fly/IM
/ Swimming & Diving
Free/Fly
/ Swimming & Diving
Breast/IM
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