Written by Thomas Scott

The Tigers dominated the AUS Championship, with the women’s team winning the program’s 22nd straight AUS title. 

“When I look at the entirety of the year from beginning to end, I would consider it as a very successful and good year,” says head coach Lance Cansdale.

Dal went undefeated in all conference competitions this season. The Tigers kicked off the season at the Jack Scholz Invitational at Acadia University with eight first-place finishes.

Dal won the invitational, accumulating 833 points, 388 points ahead of the second-place Acadia Axewomen. Fifth-year Reagan Crowell had four first-place finishes.

After a successful weekend in October, November presented a new challenge: the Amby Legere Invitational, hosted by the UNB Reds. On the first day, Crowell dominated with three first-place finishes, adding another in the 400m freestyle the next day.

The Tigers took over the meet with a total of nine, first-place finishes and won by 289 points.

The Tigers then headed home to Dalplex for the Kemp-Fry Invitational, ending the weekend with another seven first-place finishes. Dal led after all three days of competition. It was another dominant showing for Dal as they finished with 953.5 points, winning by 178.5 points.  

A successful first semester ended for the Tigers, winning all three competitions. 

Weeks into the second semester, the Tigers next competition was another meet hosted by UNB, this time in Saint John, N.B.  

The change of venue did not matter for the Tigers, winning another meet. The Tigers led all with 985.5 points in the final meet ahead of the AUS Championship. Dal, between the women’s and men’s teams, won 28 of 35 events  

At the AUS Championship, the Tigers cleaned up, winning with a total of 993 points.

Crowell won her third straight AUS Swimmer of the Year award. The Tigers have the last 13 AUS Swimmer of the Year award winners.

“We're going to miss Reagan, and all of our graduating seniors, but when you lose somebody who's so identifiable and witty, that's a hard replacement,” says Cansdale

Crowell placed first in five individual races on AUS Championship weekend, securing AUS Championship Female Swimmer of the Meet, the fourth of her remarkable Dal career.

“Reagan is one of the best swimmers I've ever seen. She always has such a great mindset and is always there if you ever need to talk to her,” says second-year swimmer Kate Tuck. 

“I really look up to her in the pool. She's just such a role model along with how strong she is and how competent she is in the water,” she says.

Dal tallied 993 points over the championship weekend, 233 more than the second-place Acadia Axewomen.

The Tigers then headed to nationals, hosted by the McGill Redbird and Martlets. Dal finished 12th. Crowell once again highlighted the weekend with two top-10 finishes on the second and third days of nationals. Along with Crowell’s ninth-place finish on day two of nationals, the Tigers finished ninth in the 4x200m relay led by Tuck, Crowell, Emilie Schofield, and Veronica Hollick.  

“I definitely wasn't as nervous as I was last year,” says Tuck. “I think the team did great in the end, and we pulled it all together.

With eight first years on the team, the Tigers will continue to grow their youth to dominate the AUS in future seasons.

“We're all super excited for what next year brings, especially the people who may not have been happy with their season this year. They are very confident, and they know what they want to do next season,” says Tuck. “Swimming is my second family. I love this team,” she says. After going undefeated in AUS competition this season, Crowell was named the team’s MVP. Katie Berwick, Reagan Crowell, Nilay Erkal, Veronica Hollick, Abbey Nichols, and Chloe Paul-Chowdhury are all graduating this season. Erkal, Paul-Chowdhury, Elaine Gentleman, Mikhaela-Reign Johnson, Emilie Schofield, Caitlyn Taylor all earned their three-year D awards this year.