HADDONFIELD, N.J. — Junior Kelsie Miller from Rockville, Maryland, earned the Atlantic East Conference Women’s Swimmer of the Week award for the fourth time in the 2025-26 season, as announced by the league office on November 24, 2025. The recognition marked her 10th career weekly honor in the conference and her third consecutive selection this season.
Miller led the St. Mary’s College of Maryland women’s swimming team at the Yellow Jacket Invitational, hosted by Randolph-Macon College at the Hampton Aquaplex from November 21 to 23, 2025. She secured the team’s only gold medal in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 56.19 seconds. Miller also placed sixth in the 200-yard butterfly at 2:12.03, anchored the seventh-place 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:40.64 and the 800-yard freestyle relay in 8:14.84, swam the third leg of the eighth-place 200-yard medley relay in 1:51.87, led off the ninth-place 400-yard freestyle relay in 3:44.58, and finished 10th in the 200-yard individual medley at 2:12.16.
The Seahawks finished fifth in the eight-team meet. Mary Washington topped the standings with 1551.5 points, followed by Randolph-Macon at 943.5, Catholic University at 586.5, Randolph College at 585, and St. Mary’s College further down the order. Other competitors included Mount St. Mary’s, Gallaudet and Hood.
The Atlantic East Conference, which includes seven member institutions for women’s swimming, awards weekly honors based on performances in sanctioned meets. This season’s recipients have included Miller on October 27, November 10, November 17 and November 24, with teammate Emerson Young selected on November 3. The conference, established in 2018, governs Division III athletics for schools such as St. Mary’s College, Marymount University, Immaculata University, Gwynedd Mercy University, Cabrini University, Neumann University and Centenary University.
St. Mary’s College will next compete on December 6, 2025, in a non-conference tri-meet at McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland, against Hood College, starting at 1 p.m. McDaniel entered with a 1-5 record, while Hood stood at 3-4. The Seahawks’ schedule includes additional meets leading to the Atlantic East Championships in February 2026.
Miller, a biology major from Winston Churchill High School, has established herself as a standout in the conference. Her career highlights include CSCAA Scholar All-America recognition and strong showings at the Atlantic East Conference Championships. At the 2025 championships, she contributed to team efforts in multiple events. Earlier honors include three weekly awards as a freshman in the 2023-24 season and additional selections in prior years. Her times at the invitational, such as 56.19 in the 100 butterfly, rank competitively within Division III standards, where national qualifying marks for the event hover around 54 seconds for A cuts and 57 for B cuts, per NCAA guidelines.
The 100-yard butterfly requires swimmers to complete two lengths of the pool using the butterfly stroke, emphasizing endurance, technique and speed. Miller’s victory came amid a field that saw Mary Washington’s Claire Featherstone win the 100 backstroke in 57.65. Relays, such as the 200 freestyle where four swimmers each cover 50 yards, test team coordination and individual sprint capabilities.
In the Atlantic East, St. Mary’s has claimed the women’s swimming title in recent years, including 2025. The conference championships, set for February 13-16, 2026, at the Germantown Indoor Swim Center, will feature events like those Miller excels in. Division III swimming follows NCAA rules, limiting practice to 20 hours per week and emphasizing student-athlete welfare.
The Yellow Jacket Invitational, an annual mid-season meet, allows teams to gauge progress before conference finals. Randolph-Macon, the host, finished second overall, with standout performances like Katelyn Spuchesi’s school record in the 500 freestyle at 5:29.92. Catholic placed third, led by Molly Foltz and Maura Sadowski in distance events. Such invitationals build experience for swimmers aiming for NCAA nationals, where qualifying requires meeting time standards.
Miller’s consistent honors underscore her role in the Seahawks’ success, contributing points across sprints and medleys. As the season progresses, her performances could position the team for another conference crown.
