Swimming & Diving | 2/13/2025 8:01:00 PM

WEST FARGO, N.D. – MSU Moorhead swimming & diving saw an All-NSIC performance from Fernanda Leon in the 400-yard IM to highlight day two at the NSIC Championships. Sophia Verke and Maggie Moore would also turn in strong showings for the Dragons. 
 
After the second day of competition, MSUM is in sixth place with 197 points. 
 
Ruth Pavelski would begin the day of competition for MSUM in the 100-yard fly. Pavelski would register a preliminary time of 58.84 to qualify for the B-final later in the evening. The sophomore would finish fourth in the B-final with an improved time of 58.24.
 
Fernanda Leon would see another strong showing in the 400-yard IM preliminaries, finishing second overall and qualifying for the A-final. Leon swam a 4:33.29, a new collegiate best, which becomes the second-fastest time in program history. Cami Mayo would qualify for the event's C-final following a season best time of 4:45.39. Mayo would place third in the C-final with another season best of 4:44.22.
 
Leon would earn a runner-up finish in the A-final to earn All-NSIC honors. The true freshman is the first Dragon to earn all-conference distinction since 2022 (Katelin Winter). Leon clocked a 4:31.03 in the finals, which improves upon her second-fastest time in MSUM history. 
 
In the final event of the morning session, Sophia Verke would qualify for the A-final in the 200-yard freestyle. Verke clocked a 1:55.03 to earn the eighth-fastest time in the preliminaries. Maggie Moore would earn a spot in the B-final in the same event behind a time of 1:57.56. Joanna Phillips (2:06.89) and Lily Lengerich (2:08.06) would set new season best times in the same preliminary. 
 
Moore and Verke would continue their swift pace in the finals session as Moore would place third in the B-final. Moore's 1:55.08 time moves her up to third in school history and is a new personal best. Verke would narrowly miss All-NSIC distinction, placing fourth with a personal best of 1:54.19, which improved on her second-fastest time in school history (1:54.79). 
 
In 1-meter diving, Isabelle Johnson finished 11^th in preliminary action with a score of 352.30. Zoe Bjerke would place 13^th behind a score of 332.50 with Ruth Guy placing 15^th with a score of 313.45. 
 
To conclude day two, the Dragon team of Demi-Lee Carlisle, Rose Urick, Verke and Leon would finish sixth in the 400-yard medley relay. The team clocked a time of 3:54.68, which is just outside the top five in program history. Carlisle marked a 58.26 backstroke leg while Urick was strong in the breaststroke leg, clocking a 1:06.02. Leon (58.31) and Verke (52.09) closed down the race for MSUM in the fly and freestyle portions. 
 
In the event's B-final, the MSUM team of Kelsey Jackson, Linnea Edgren, Moore and Pavelski would place sixth behind a time of 4:03.08.
 
The NSIC Swimming & Diving Championships continue at 10 a.m. tomorrow.