Eagles' Claim First MAC Women's Swimming Championship

Complete Results.

Final Team Scores.

Day Three Results.

AKRON, Ohio – Eastern Michigan, the strongest men's swimming and diving program in the Mid-American Conference annals the past 30 years, made history on the women's side Saturday night, capturing their first league title in program history here at Akron's Ocasek Natatorium. The Eagles climbed back from a 23-point Friday deficit to finish a slim 11 points ahead of second-place, four-time defending MAC champion Miami.

Ohio finished third overall in the final team standings with 510.5 points, while Bowling Green took fourth (390.5). Toledo (374) and Ball State (365.5) finished fifth and sixth, respectively, while the Zips (351) and Buffalo (180.5) rounded out the field.

Sophomore Madeleine Pilchard earned three individual MAC Championships and was named MAC Women’s Swimmer of the Year. She was also named to the All-MAC first team. Pilchard successfully defended her 200-yard freestyle title, which she also won as a freshman. This year she clocked in at 1:48.74 establishing a new pool record. Pilchard was also victorious in the 500-yard freestyle event with a 4:51.99 mark. She also won the MAC Championship in the 100-yard freestyle race with a time of 50.48, also setting a new pool record. Pilchard swam anchor on the winning 400-yard freestyle relay team.

Joining Pilchard on the All-MAC first team is junior Sarah Chrzanowski. She finished with top score on the one-meter diving board totaling 306.2 points, setting a new meet and pool record.

In just his second year at the helm of the program, head coach Peter Linn accomplished what seven other EMU women’s swimming coaches could not by winning the conference championship. He was named MAC Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year. Last season he led the Eagles to a third place finish also earning the MAC Coach of the Year award.

Buck Smith was named MAC Women’s Diving Coach of the Year after leading Chrzanowski to the championship and placing five divers in the top seven on the one-meter board. EMU also placed four out of the top six divers on the three-meter board.

The Eagles had six members named to the All-MAC Second Team. Lindsey Hayden, Claire Letendre, Chantelle Lonsdale, Gretchen Plamondon, Catherine Lee Ha and Becky Renkola were named to the all-league second team, helping EMU to its first MAC Women’s Championship.

Entering the ensuing diving portion of the meet (3-meter), Miami held a 561.5-531.5 lead over the Eagles. In the three-meter competition, EMU placed three divers in the top five, with freshman Becky Renkola leading the way with a meet second-best 320.85 score, good enough for second-place overall. Akron freshman Katie Carter set a school, pool and new MAC meet record 335.85 mark, taking home top honors.

Even with EMU's scoring depth in the three-meter, the Eagles held just a two-point edge (417.5-415.5) over second-place Miami heading into the final event, setting up one of the most anticipated endings to a championship in league history in the 400 Freestyle Relay. But Eastern answered the call, as the foursome of Catherine Lee Ha, Katie Benedict, Alissa Ricard and Pilchard clinched the team title with a pool record time of 3:24.97 to finish first, outpacing second-place Toledo (3:27.72) and the third-place RedHawks (3:27.78). In the end, the Eagles claimed the 11-point team victory.

Swimming Coach of the Year: Peter Linn, Eastern Michigan
Diving Coach of the Year: Buck Smith, Eastern Michigan
Swimmer of the Year: Madeleine Pilchard, Eastern Michigan
Diver of the Year: Christin Eberst, Miami

Team Scores:

1. EMU, 637.5;

2. Miami, 626.5;

3. Ohio 510.5;

4. Bowling Green, 390.5;

5. Toledo, 374;

6. Ball State, 365.5;

7. Akron, 351;

8. Buffalo, 180.5.

First Team All-MAC
Madeleline Pilchard, Eastern Michigan
Danielle Béland, Akron
Ashley Marion, Ohio
Emily Wylam, Ohio
Michaela Hahn-Lawson, Ohio
Kristen Bezier, Miami
Leah Woodard, Toledo
Caroline Keating, Bowling Green
Mary Brinkoetter, Ball State
Megan Walters, Akron
Katie Forster, Miami
Ilse Peterson, Ohio
Addison Del Rio, Ball State
Coutrney Gallo, Ohio
Katie Carter, Akron
Sarah Chrzanowski, Eastern Michigan

Second Team All-MAC
Brittany Sayler, Ball State
Lauren Evonosky, Miami
Stephanie Buckner, Bowling Green
Melissa Young, Akron
Margaret Patrick, Miami
Lindsey Hayden, Eastern Michigan
Christin Eberst, Miami
Ashley Tremblay, Toledo
Claire Letendre, Eastern Michigan
Chantelle Lonsdale, Eastern Michigan
Malarie Schmidt, Miami
Kara Ohngren, Bowling Green
Gretchen Plamondon, Eastern Michigan
Dana Schultz, Bowling Green
Sigal Simsolo, Ohio
Catherine Lee Ha, Eastern Michigan
Becky Renkola, Eastern Michigan
Darcy Meek, Miami

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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