BALTIMORE -- The UMBC Women's Swimming & Diving program started 2026-27 in dominant fashion, easily defeating both American and VMI on Saturday at the UMBC Aquatic Complex in a double dual meet. 

The Retrievers defeated American, 212-81, and raced past VMI by a score of 238-59.

Freshman Eunice Cheung was the star inj the swimming portion for UMBC, as she took first in all four events she competed in in her collegiate debut. She was the third leg on both the winning 200 medley relay and 400 free relay teams, and took first in the 100 (57.47) and 200 fly (2:09.93, a near four second victory.

On the diving side the freshmen also shined, as Katya Peresunko, Claire Butler and Stella Ranieri went 1-2-3 in both the 1 meter and 3 meter dives to begin their careers. Peresunko scored 255.80 to win the 1M and 243.00 to win the 3M.

The Dawgs started the meet in style as Claudia Fernandez-Deardurff, Lea Kaiser and Ashley Gutshall joined Cheung to win the 200 Medley Relay in 1:47.43. Breanna Smith (1:57.13), Ella Nadeau (1:57.57), Claire Oettinger (1:57.79) and Karli Atwood (1:58.56) took the top four spots in the 200 Free, before Kaiser (1:07.80), Ula Parrill (1:08.21), Daphné Melis (1:08.70) and Shannyn Lambert (1:09.42) also finished 1-2-3-4 in the 100 Breststroke.

Gutshall then won the 50 Free (23.97) and the 100 Free (52.80), before Parrill (2:27.43) and Melis (2:28.02) took the top two spots in the 200 Breaststroke. Kolby Reese rallied late to win the 500 Free by .10 seconds, finishing in 5:17.90.

Smith (2:12.74), Nadeau (2:12.95), Lambert (2:15.91) and Melis (2:16.03) finished 1-2-3-4 in the 200 IM, and then Gutshall, Cheung, Oettinger and Erma Duratovic easily won the 400 Free Relay in 3:33.13 to conclude the meet.

UMBC is at Navy next weekend for a Tri-Meet with William & Mary.