By Cathleen Pruden, Swimming World College Intern
The 200 IM was incredibly quick, and possibly the most impressive event of the first night of NESCACs. The 2014 NCAA Champion, Emily Hyde, set a new meet record with her final time of 2:00.60. That time is over two seconds faster than her 2015 NCAA Championship performance, and would have won her the title last year. Emma Waddell finished second in a 2:01.53, also just under last year’s National Title winning time. Sam Pierce (2:03.47) touched third for Conn.
Williams improved their top seed from the morning, claiming the 200 freestyle relay in a time of 1:34.94. Maia Hare, Lauren Jones, Faye Sultan, and Breanna Nguyen posted the pool record. Conn’s team of Olivia Haskell, Shannon Cry, Juliette, and Pierce combined for second (1:35.63). Destin Groff, Zoe Pappas, Katie Smith, and Sarah Conklin earned third for Amherst (1:35.70).
Four women broke 30 in the 50 breaststroke final, but the title went to Bowdoin’s Mariah Rawding (29.32). Nguyen touched second (29.83), while Bates freshman Kristy Prelgovisk finished third (29.84).
Conklin matched her morning swim for the 50 butterfly championship (24.71). Hare finished second (24.88) while Middlebury’s Meg Griffin rounded out the top three (25.44).
Isabel Wyer earned a win for the host team. The Middlebury sophomore touched at 4:54.36 in the 500 freestyle. Two Williams teammates followed: Allison McNamara (4:57.10) and Lauren Jones (4:57.55).
Backstroke star Katherine Bennett earned the Ephs’ first individual title of the weekend in the 50 backstroke (25.74). Bates’ Whitney Paine (26.58) was the runner-up while Amherst’s Stephanie Moriarty (26.78) was third.
Williams won the 400 medley relay. Olivia Jackson, Nguyen, Waddell, and Jones set the pool and meet record times (3:43.63). Amherst touched second. Moriarty, Hyde, Conklin, and Pappas posted a 3:44.49. Bowdoin’s Lela Garner, Rawding, Mariah Reading, and Bridget Killian combined for third (3:48.92).
On the one meter board, Williams’ Ari Ross finished with 434.50 points. Bates’ Emma Jarczyk was second (429.10) and Rebecca Stern was third for Bowdoin (408.00). All three earned B cuts.
Team Scores through Event 9:
- Williams 731
- Amherst 512
- Bates 492.5
- Connecticut 394
- Bowdoin 393.5
- Middlebury 352.5
- Tufts 269.5
- Wesleyan 225
- Hamilton 193
- Colby 150
- Trinity 94
Full Results available here: 2016 New England Small College Athletic Conference Women: Day 1 – Results
