By Spencer Penland on SwimSwam
2026 Eastern Classic
October 16-17, 2026 Jones Natatorium, Ypsilanti, MI SCY (25 yards) RESULTSTEAM STANDINGS
WOMEN
EMU def. Toledo 217.5 – 144.5 EMU def. Aquinas 274 – 84 EMU def. Wayne State 257 – 106 Toledo def. Aquinas 299 – 61 Toledo def Wayne State 256 – 113 Wayne State def. Aquinas 282 – 85MEN
Wayne State – 280 Aquinas – 89Eastern Michigan hosted their annual Eastern Classic meet over the weekend at Jones Natatorium. This year’s invite featured MAC rival Toledo, which is a women’s only program, as well as NCAA Division II program Wayne State, and NAIA program Aquinas.
For EMU, this was their regular season debut. The Eagles had an intrasquad meet the previous weekend, but the results for that meet weren’t posted anywhere and EMU referred to the Eastern Classic as the opening of their season in their press release.
The Eagles came out swinging in their first meet of the season, breaking a team record in the 200 free relay, as well as a handful of all-time top 10 program marks. This is a particularly noteworthy experience from EMU considering their pool is facing closure this coming May and the university currently has no plans to provide a new or alternative pool. Eastern Michigan University announced on August 14th that continued operation of Jones Natatorium is financially unstable beyond 2027, and unless a significant source of additional funding is secured, the pool will close on May 9th. Additionally, assuming the pool closes this coming spring, EMU will be left without a pool to train in, so the university will have to try and secure an alternative site to train at. If they can’t find an alternative facility that’s suitable, the university has said the program will likely be eliminated.
Given this reality, EMU couldn’t have asked for a better start to the season, performance-wise. The Eagles’ quartet of Gabia Gelumbickas (22.65), Marlee Christee (23.04), Abbey Clarke (22.65), and Lucy Noble (22.95) teamed up to post a 1:31.29 in the 200 free relay. That performance not only was good to win the race by nearly 4 seconds, but it also marked a new program record for EMU. On top of the relay’s accolades, Gelumbickas, a freshman from Florida, put up the #2 50 free time in EMU program history with her lead-off of 22.65. Moreover, in her 1st meet as an Eagle, Gelumbickas found herself just 0.07 seconds off the EMU program record of 22.58 in the 50 free.
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Gelumbickas was big for EMU in more than just the 200 free relay. The freshman kicked the meet off by helping the Eagles to a dominant win in the 400 medley relay, thanks in no small part to her 54.28 backstroke split on the lead-off leg. That performance clocks in at 5th all-time in the EMU record books. Behind Gelumbickas’ backstroke leg, Nina LaRosa clocked a speedy 1:00.41 on breast, Tristen Mina was 55.74 on fly, and Abbey Clarke anchored in 50.17, putting EMU into the finish in 3:40.60.
Individually, Gelumbickas was a double event winner on the weekend. She first took the 50 free in 22.95, then won the 100 back in 54.49.
Tristen Mina and Abbey Clarke were excellent in the 100 fly, where Mina won with a 55.23 and Clarke was close behind in 55.34. That performance marked a career best for Clarke, while Mina was a bit off her career mark of 54.49.
Nina LaRosa was phenomenal at this meet as well, sweeping the breaststroke events. LaRosa took the women’s 100 breast with a 1:00.54, establishing a new career best. She then went on to win the 200 breast in 2:16.88, also marking a new personal best.
Read the full story on SwimSwam: Eastern Michigan Breaks 200 Free Relay Team Record in Season Debut as Program Potentially Faces Elimination
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