CarolineBenda

Top Times (SCY):
500 Freestyle: 4:48.31 (2024 SEC Championships, 2/21/24)
1000 Freestyle: 9:45.40 (vs. Louisville, 1/27/24)
1650 Freestyle: 16:26.55 (Tennessee Invitational, 11/17/23)
400 IM: 4:13.57 (SEC Championships, 2/16/23)

Top Times (LCM):
400 Freestyle: 4:19.49 (Tennessee Invitational, 11/15/23)
800 Freestyle: 8:52.29 (IN Indy Spring Cup, 05/17/23)
1500 Freestyle: 16:44.06 (IN Indy Spring Cup, 05/20/23)
400 IM: 4:48.39 (Tennessee Invitational, 11/16/23)

Career Notes:

• 2024 Olympic Trials qualifier
• 2023-24 CSC Academic All-District
• 2024 CATSPY Community Service award winner
• Competed at the 2024 Open Water National Championships
• 2023, 2024 SEC Academic Honor Roll
• 2024 CSCAA Second-Team Scholar All-America

In the Record Book:

• No. 4 in the 1000 freestyle (2024)

2023-24 (Junior): Competed at the CSCAA National Invitational, swimming to second place in the 400 IM (4:14.67) and ninth in both the 1000 free (10:03.32) and 1650 free (16:41.91) … Placed 16th in the 400 IM (4:18.97) at the SEC Championships and 25th in the 1650 free (16:41.95) … Claimed first against Louisville in the 1000 free (9:45.40) … Touched first in the 400 IM against Alabama (4:15.45) and second in the 1650 free (16:31.55) … Was fifth in the 400 IM (4:16.85) at the Tennessee Invitational and seventh in the 1650 freestyle (16:26.55) … Finished third in the 1000 free (9:58.29) at Tennessee/Florida tri-meet … Was victorious in the 1000 free against Eastern Michigan (10:02.44) … Won the 800m free against Indiana (8:56.83) … Tallied wins in the 500 free (4:58.81) and 1000 free (10:02.81) in season-opener at Arkansas … Won the Bob Bradley Scholarship Award at the team banquet.

2022-23 (Sophomore): Had personal bests in the 400 IM (4:13/57) and 500 free (4:48.47) at the SEC Championships. Was 15th in the 400 IM, 36th in the 500 free and 28th in the 1650 freestyle … Had seven top-five finishes during dual meets … Participated in four finals at the Ohio State Invitational finishing eighth in the 1000 free (9:57.88), ninth in the 1650 free (16:27.70), 14th in the 400 IM (4:17.40) and 15th in the 500 free (4:48.57)… Won both the UK Swimming & Diving Booster Award as well as the Bob Bradley Scholarship Award at the team banquet.

2021-22 (Freshman): Won the 1650 free (16:39.65) at the Ohio State Winter Invite where she also placed third in the 400 IM (4:23.96) and fourth in the 500 free (4:58.08) … Placed 16th in the mile in a lifetime best of 16:47.12 at the Ohio State Invitational … Had eighth top-8 finishes throughout the dual meet season, highlighted by a runner-up finish in the 1000 free (10:20.78) versus Ohio … Also finished third in the 1000 free (10:17.85) versus Cincinnati … Raced to fourth in the 1000 free (10:05.75) against Tennessee … Took sixth in the 1000 free (10:25.34) and eighth in the 500 free (5:09.70) in her Wildcat debut against Indiana and Indiana State.

Prior to UK: Swam for North Baltimore Aquatic Club, the same program as UK teammates Lauren Poole and Megan Drumm … U.S. Open qualifier … Nine-time Maryland Senior Championship gold medalist … Earned a pair of runner-up finishes at the 2021 ISCA International Senior Cup … Had two top-20 finishes at Richmond Future Championships in 2018 … USA Swimming Scholastic All-American.

Personal: Daughter of Marci and Brian Benda … Both parents swam at South Carolina … Has a younger sister, Meghan … Also ran cross country and track in high school, leading her team to five state championship titles … Was the Maryland state runner-up in the 3200-meter run in 2021.