Dexter Women’s Swim & Dive Shines at SEC Red Championships

Photo: Medley Relay State Qualifying Team (L-R) Ganas, McAllister, Smaby, Murillo. Photo by Becky Murillo

The Dexter Dreadnaughts capped an impressive showing at the 2025 SEC Red Championships, held November 7–8 at Pioneer High School. Competing against some of the state’s top Division 1 programs, Dexter held their own with standout swims and strong dives that showcased the team’s depth and determination.

Junior Captain Kayce McAllister led the way in the pool, finishing fourth overall in the 100-yard freestyle with an extremely fast time of 53.24 seconds! McAllister also anchored Dexter’s 200-yard medley relay, where she teamed up with senior Captain Bekah Murillo, Freshman Brooke Ganas, and Sophomore Delia Smaby to post a fifth-place finish 1:59.26 and a Division 2 state cut.

In the distance events, Murillo placed eighth in the 500-yard freestyle with a state qualifying time of 5:34.13, while Delia Smaby finished tenth with a personal best time of 5:52.75. Junior Natalia Rivera also competed in the event, clocking 6:15.62. Murillo wasn’t done making state cuts after the 500…she also swam a 1:03:48 in the 100 backstroke to qualify her for the state finals in that event as well.

Freshman Brooke Ganas showed promise in the 200-yard freestyle, finishing in 13th place2:08.52, gaining valuable championship experience.

On the diving boards, Junior Vivian Linebaugh continued Dexter’s tradition of excellence, earning fifth place in the 1-meter event with a score of 300.65 points, adding valuable points to the team’s total. Teammates Junior Olivia Cummings and Sophomore Lexi Gramling finished 9^th and 12^th respectively, contributing to a strong overall diving performance.

Dexter closed the meet with solid swims in the relays and strong energy from its underclassmen, setting up momentum heading into the MHSAA Division 2 State Finals later this month.