Courtesy of Sofiia BriantsevaGOLD FOR GARRE: Natalie Garre ’28 reacts to shattering the Division III 1650 yard record at the NCAA Championships. Garre competed alongside five other Polar Bears in Greensboro N.C. at the championship meet. “It was a really good way to end out my swim career because I think it was the farthest […]
Courtesy of Sofiia Briantseva“It was a really good way to end out my swim career because I think it was the farthest I could have gone. I was just very happy to have made it and to have done pretty well at the meet,” Liv Smith said.
The 400 free relay capped off the meet, and the Polar Bears competed with Liv Smith, Harrington, Stevenson and Walsh, in that order. The Polar Bears placed 24th in this relay, four spots better than they were seeded. Liv Smith, to end her college swimming career, set a personal best time in the 100 free with a 53.75, swimming almost half a second faster than her previous best.
Among the six swimmers at Nationals, three participated in individual swim events with Garre in the 500 free, 400 IM and 1650 free; Elizabeth Walsh ’26 in the 200 fly, 200 IM and 400 IM and Harper Stevenson ’27 in the 200 fly. Liv Smith ’25 and Ava Harrington ’28 participated in the 200 free relay, 400 free relay and 800 free relay to round out the national team.
Garre’s swim in the 1650 broke the previous NCAA DIII record by over three seconds. The last 1650 record held by Sarah Thompson from Williams College was set in 2015 and has not been superseded since. Head Coach Brad Burnham said this is the first time a Polar Bear has ever held a DIII national swimming record.
Walsh also placed 22nd in the 200 fly, which was her best finish in that event ever. Her teammate Stevenson competed in her first nationals, also in the 200 fly, placing 25th overall. While neither of these swimmers raced their best times, their performance reflected Burnham’s hope for the team in these kinds of meets.
“A reason why I love this sport and why it can be so challenging is that we have a way to measure each individual performance. Best times are always great, but the national championships are more about racing and maybe finding some motivation for the next season if you have one,” Burnham said in an email to the Orient. “I just want them to see what they can do against the best competition in the country.”
As their season concludes, the swimmers are already looking forward to the next season and getting right back in the water to stay fresh.
Six women’s swimmers and divers traveled to Greensboro, N.C., last week for the NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships. The Polar Bears finished 15th overall at the meet with a record-shattering performance from Natalie Garre ’28 and an All-American finish on the 3-meter by diver Sadie Smith ’25.
Harper Stevenson ’27 is a member of the Bowdoin Orient.
“I am so happy to be able to represent Bowdoin in that way by having this national record. I could not have done it without the support of my team and my coaches. It makes me very grateful and happy,” Garre said.
Beyond Garre’s performance, the team and other individual performers achieved some personal bests and came into the meet in high spirits. Both women’s team captains, Liv Smith and Sadie Smith, have competed at Nationals in the past and showed the newcomers the ropes.
This mentality came through in the team’s relay performances. Bowdoin was only invited to nationals in the 800 free relay, but the team was allowed to compete in the 200 and 400 free relays as well. The 800 free relay consisting of Garre, Liv Smith, Harrington and Stevenson, in that order, finished 18th overall, exactly what they had been seeded to finish. Garre went a personal best in the 200 free as the leadoff, dropping almost three seconds from her previous record.
The 200 and 400 relays also allowed for some good swims. The 200 relay happened on the first day with Liv Smith, Stevenson, Walsh and Harrington competing for the Polar Bears. Liv Smith, leading off, went one of her best times ever in the 50 free with a 25.06.
“I’m taking one week with no activity, next week go back to lifting and then back on the grind. I’m trying to get lots of people to come swim with me,” Garre said. “Hopefully I can get a big swim team group back on it.”
Garre was thrilled to compete and write history for herself and the program.
This energy paid off in other performances. Walsh, who has competed at Nationals for the past three years, had some of her best finishes in her career. She placed 18th in the 400 IM, just off finals qualification and only one place behind her 17th place finish last year.
After a record-breaking season, which recently won her NESCAC Swimming Rookie of the Year, Garre capped off her season with three All-American honors. She won the 500 free and 1650 free with room, taking the 500 by 1.77 seconds and the 1650 by over ten seconds—almost a complete lap on the other swimmers. She also placed second in the 400 IM, setting a personal best in the event by over four seconds.
