NEED TO KNOW:
Men's Finish: 4^th of 9
Women's Finish: 6^th of 12
 
CARY, N.C. – Piedmont University's men's and women's swimming teams put together a solid showing in their first tournament-style event of the season as both teams earned their way to the top half of the standings at the William Peace Invite.
 
The Lions did not find themselves on many podiums in their events on Friday or Saturday, but a steady and consistent effort from both teams led them to respectable finishes.

The Piedmont men got got steady performances from a trio of Lions, highlighted by a pair of top-fives from freshman LEANDRO FORERO.
 
Forero got the weekend started on a good note for the men with a second-place finish in the 1650 Yard Freestyle event, then ended the weekend on a high note with a fifth-place finish in the 500 Yard Freestyle. Forero was the highlight of the weekend for Piedmont as he continues to be one of the team's top freshmen.
 
Freshman AUSTIN O'BRIEN and sophomore JON BROWN also put on steady performances to help the Lions. O'Brien advanced to the A final of the 100 Yard Backstroke to take home an eighth-place finish in the event, which led the way as teammates ZANE MORGAN and KYLE RUTBERG were the top two in the B final.
 
O'Brien notched another top 10 later in the weekend with a seventh-place finish in the A- final of the 200 Yard Backstroke.
 
Brown notched a pair of good finishes as well as he took home seventh place in each the 100 Yard Breaststroke and the 200 Yard Individual Medley.
 
The Piedmont women enjoyed much of the same consistent success as the men thanks in-part to the performance of sophomore LAUREN STONE. Stone was fifth overall in the 1650 Yard Freestyle event, the first race of the weekend, to get things rolling in the right direction for the Lions.
 
Stone also earned an eighth-place finish in the 500 Yard Freestyle later in the weekend.
 
The women found a lot of their success in relays as MADISON NANCE, GWYNETH THOMAS, Stone, and KATHERINE STIGALL earned a ninth-place finish in the 400 Yard Freestyle Relay.
 
That was one of three top-10s in relays for the Lions as Nance, Thomas, LIZZIE ARRENDALE, and Stone were 10^th in the 200 Yard Freestyle Relay and Thomas, Nance, Stigall, and Stone were 10^th in the 200 Yard Medley Relay.
 
The Lions get an extended break now to prepare for their next event, a dual rematch with Warren Wilson, on January 8.

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