Quakers Showcase Talent at Nationals as Triathlon Nears NCAA Championship Sponsorship
Guilford closes season strong as one of 37 NCAA institutions fielding a triathlon team
from Angel Maldonado, Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant
CLERMONT, Fla. – The Guilford College triathlon team competed in the NCAA National Championship on Friday morning, traveling to Clermont, Fla., for a two-day competition.
The Quakers competed alongside 11 other Division III schools, joining 37 colleges overall, marking an increase in NCAA participation compared to last year.
At the forefront for the Quakers were Josephine Hemmer (Greenbay, Va.), Emma Butts (Asheville, N.C.), and Bec Cormack (Forest Park, Ill.) who displayed strong performances as the sport nears the threshold for NCAA championship sponsorship, a historic development for women’s athletics. Acrobatics, tumbling, triathlon, and wrestling, all recognized as emerging women’s sports, are on the verge of gaining NCAA championship status, representing a significant stride toward expanded opportunities for female athletes across college sports.
Hemmer led Guilford with a 36th-place finish out of 49 Division III competitors and 177th out of 206 participants across all divisions. Her 12:05 swim time earned her a 15th-place finish in Division III. In the biking part of the competition, the senior recorded a time of 39:19, securing a 33rd place rank against Division III foes. Hemmer wrapped up her performance with a 30:51 time in the running portion, placing 41st amongst all Division III competitors.
Butts secured a 42nd place finish amongst Division III competition, and 188th across all divisions. The freshman notched a time of 14:37 in the swimming segment, placing 41st in the Division III swim rankings. In the biking portion, she etched a time of 44:58, ranking 45th among Division III biking rankings. Finishing her day at the office, the first-year finished with a run time of 29:52, securing a 39th position in the Division III running rankings.
Cormack finished 46th among Division III competitors and 192nd overall. She swam a 15:35, placing 43rd in D-III rankings, and recorded a 42:52 in the bike, securing 41st among Division III competitors. Her run time of 41:59 placed her 46th in Division III running rankings.
This concludes the Quaker’s 2024 season. With the triathlon’s emergence as a potential NCAA-sanctioned championship, Guilford’s athletes exemplify the program’s growing impact, reflecting a bright future for women’s collegiate sports.
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