A handful of Tigers represented LSU at the 2021 NCAA Women’s Swim and Dive Championship at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, NC. 

On Thursday, Montserrat Gutierrez Lavenant flipped her way to 17th place with a score of 277.75, but she just missed being able to dive in the night cap.

“I am super proud of Montserrat’s performance today in her debut at the NCAA Championships,” LSU Head Diving Coach Doug Shaffer said. “She was very solid in all of her dives in a very tough and accomplished field. By the narrowest of margins, she missed the top-16. She gets better in the higher levels, so I am confident in the days ahead. Today was a great experience.”

Two tigers represented LSU for the swim team. Summer Stanfield finished the 200-Yard IM with a time of 2:00.01, placing her in the 50th position  Katarina Milutinovich finished the 50-Yard Freestyle with a time of 22.80 getting her 49th place.

On Friday, Milutinovich competed once again, but this time in the 200-Yard Freestyle. She finished in 29th place with a time of 1:46.64. Emilie Boll competed in the 100-Yard Breaststroke and whipped kicked her way to 38th place with a time of 1:00.59. This was Boll’s first NCAA event ever.

“I think our youthfulness showed today in our races,”  LSU Head Swim Coach Dave Geyer said. “Katarina was very aggressive going out in her race which is not usually her game plan for the 200. The door was open for a second swim but unfortunately, she did not swim her race. It was a similar scenario for Emilie but on the opposite side. It was a technically great race but she just was not aggressive on the front where she usually is. However, it is always valuable experience we get every time we race on this stage. Experience that no one has with our seven representatives here.”

Gutierrez Lavenant made history for the Tigers. She earned the highest place finish for a freshman under Coach Shaffer. She flipped her way off the three-meter earning her ninth place with a score of 348.30.

Anne Tuxen also competed on the three-meter. This was her first time at the NCAA Championships. Tuxen received 34th place with a score of 263.05.

“I feel for Anne as she did not execute to her ability or potential,” Shaffer said. “The NCAA Championship preliminaries are difficult and it is easy to get caught up in that, particularly in your NCAA debut. However, she is a competitor and has her best event tomorrow.”

On Saturday, Stanfield competed in the 200-Yard Backstroke and finished in 37th place with a time of 1:56.02. Hannah Bellina competed in the 200-Yard Butterfly and finished in 47th place with a time of 2:00.44. Stanfield also competed in the 200-Yard Butterfly and finished in 39th place with a time of 1:58.63. 

Milutinovich swam her way through the 100-Yard Freestyle, ending with a time of 49.23 to earn her 45th place.