COLUMBUS, Georgia --- Under the direction of first year Head Coach Emily Mosbacher Biola Swim & Dive closed the book on the NAIA era of its national competition on Saturday afternoon with a marquee finish.
 
The Eagles' women's team placed third overall to earn the program's first-ever podium finish and Lisa Tixier was named the NAIA Female Swimmer of the Year after earning her third individual All-American honors (and fifth overall) of the meet on Saturday.

"We went into this evening strong, confident, and ready to finish well. On both the men and women's side, everyone stepped up to the challenge tonight, which is the tough after three long days of competing," said Head Coach Emily Mosbacher. "The women were hungry for that third place finish, and they understood that it would have to be a team effort to get there; And it's that mindset that made them able to accomplish that."
 
Another highlight of the final day was Shane Brinson winning the one-meter dive. He added this to his three-meter dive win from earlier in the meet to earn his second sweep of national championships in as many years. He was named the Men's Diver of the Meet and his coach earned Dive Coach of the Meet honors.
 
Tixier and Brinson were among three individual Eagles to earn All-American honors on Saturday. Tixier's came with a second place finish in a really, really fast 100-freestyle race. The third individual All-American was Sammy Dammann. Dammann picked up her first individual All-American honors of her three-year career when she finished third in the 200-butterfly with a 2:08.31.
 
In addition to the individuals Biola added one more All-American relay to its total for this meet. The women's 400-freestyle relay swam a 3:31.81 to finish third, a full three seconds ahead of their closest competition. Haley Baker, Bethany Harper, Emily Silzel and Tixier each picked up All-American recognition for the effort.

That relay also earned the women's team its final 32 points of the meet. Those 32 points brought the team total up to 343 and gave the team a secure third-place finish, a whole 79 points ahead of fourth-place Brenau. The men's team would finish 12^th with 108 total points. It was the final team in the field to eclipse the 100 mark.
 
Raymond Kam (12^th – 200-butterfly) and Brinson combined to contribute 25 points to the Eagles' tally on this final day of competition. The team got an additional 12 points from the 400-freestyle team of Michael Severi, Daniel Vale, Andrew Benson and Tom Franicevich's 11^th-place finish of 3:08.97.
 
Tixier was awarded swimmer of the meet for winning two individual championships, setting a new NAIA record and adding a national runner-up finish and two All-American relay performances. It's the third time in the last four years that the award has gone to a Tixier.

"There's nothing better than to put in hard work all season and then finish with performances that represent that so well. This team is made up of incredible individuals, and I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to be their coach," said Mosbacher. "We will miss being part of the NAIA National Championships, but we are ready for the new challenges and competition that the NCAA DII will have to offer."
 
The next time you see this Biola Swim & Dive program will be next October when it opens its first season as a NCAA Division II program. The Eagles will continue to compete in the Pacific Collegiate Swim & Dive Conference, but will not be eligible for national postseason competition for at least two years.