Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, October 24
Toledo, Ohio
6 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
at
Toledo
Photo by: EMU Athletics/Chloe Smith
Women's Swimming and Diving Lifts Lid on 2014-15 Campaign
10/23/2014 12:42:00 PM | Swimming & Diving
Eagles travel to Toledo for the first meet of the season
Meet Notes
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Eastern Michigan University's women's swimming and diving team is ready to hit the water, as it will take on Mid-American Conference foe the University of Toledo. The Eagles and the Rockets will square off Friday, Oct. 24 at 6 p.m., inside the UT Student Recreation Center in Toledo, Ohio.
Friday's matchup will mark the 23rd meeting between the two teams in program history, as the Green and White has taken on the Rockets in nearly every season since the 1991-92 season. Eastern holds a 15-7 all-time record against Toledo, but have dropped five of the past six contests to the opponent down I-23. Last season, the Eagles fell to the Rockets on Nov. 16, 130-170. The Green and White saw wins from Monica Dorszewski (Palatine, Ill.-Palatine) in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke, Jessica Godlewski (Apex, N.C.-Apex) in the 200 fly, Melynee Saya (Nashua, N.J.-Nashua) on the 1-meter springboard, and the two-time Mid-American Conference Most Outstanding Diver Danielle Hulvey in the 3-meter dive.
However, the Eagles are likely to see a different look when they make the short trip to Toledo. The Rockets' roster features 15 freshmen, while the team also lost its only two All-MAC honorees in Christina Noens and Beth Rogers.
Conversely, the Eagles return the bulk of the team after losing just three seniors to graduation. Dorszewski and Godlewski are back for their senior seasons and will aim to repeat their All-MAC season after earning the honor en route to helping the team finish fourth in the conference with 469 points, Feb. 27-March 1. The team also features a larger roster with nine new additions, five of which are part of the diving program.
The following is a breakdown of this year's Eagles by primary position.
SPRINTS/MIDDLE DISTANCE FREESTYLE
Eastern lies in a strong conference for freestyle sprints, but has the luxury of multiple veteran swimmers who can represent the team in the 50 and 100 free. Leading the team for most of the 2013-14 season in the 50 free was Mary Kate MacLean (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-Detroit Country Day), who recorded the fifth-fastest mark in program history in the championship heat of the 2014 MAC Championships in 23.26 seconds. Alongside MacLean is senior Sara Ghaffari (Bolinas, Sweden-Torsbergsgynasiet), who holds the fourth-fastest time in EMU laurels at 23.24 seconds, and also competes heavily in the 100 back and 100 fly events. Sophomores Sierra Wagner (Huntsville, Texas-Huntsville) and Makenzie Garringer (Napoleon, Ohio-Napoleon) were also in the mix in both the 50 and 100 free.
Junior Becca Detro (Carmel, Ind.-Carmel) should be a contender in the 100 and 200 free for the Eagles after logging the eighth-fastest time of 51.20 seconds in program history in the 100 free, while her mark of 1:49.96 sits at sixth in Eastern's record books. The Eagles saw its 200 free frontrunner flip between Detro and Grace Van Allen (Indianapolis, Ind.-North Central), who earned a spot in EMU's all-time top-10 list in the 200, 500, and 1650 free during her rookie season. Van Allen swam in the championship heat of the 500 free at the MAC Championships while also competing in the consolation final of the 200 free and finishing 10th in the 1650 free.
DISTANCE
In addition to Van Allen in the distance events, the Eagles will also see a lot of the junior/sophomore combination of Audra Burtch (Goshen, Ind.-Concord) and Allison Murslack (Gibsonia, Pa.-Pine-Richland). Both athletes competed at the MAC Championships in the 500 and 1650 free, and were part of the primary lineup in the 1000 free throughout last year's competition. The pair was also called upon to swim the grueling 400 IM last year, with Burtch making the consolation final in a career-best 4:26.29.
BUTTERFLY
The reigning MAC champion in the 200 fly returns to the Eagles for one final campaign donning the Green and White, as Godlewski was dominant in the event last year. Out of 12 performances in the 200 fly, the Apex, N.C. native won 11 times and finished runner-up once. She is also a threat in the 100 fly and 100 back, but is often utilized in the 200 and 400 IM as well. Ghaffari is no stranger to the butterfly events, as she was part of a strong 100 fly lineup that produced four top-16 finishes at the 2014 MAC Championships. The Eagles saw a fresh talent emerge out of Carly Jackson (La Porte, Ind.-La Porte) in both the 100 and 200 fly during her freshman season. Jackson posted the third-fastest times in both events, winning the consolation final of the 100 fly in 55.53 seconds, while her time of 2:00.38 in the 200 fly was good for fourth in the conference.
BACKSTROKE
Sophomores Alexis Mitcheltree (Moon Twp., Pa.-Moon Area) and Haley Shaw (Fenton, Mich.-Fenton) saw the bulk of the action in the backstroke events throughout the 2013-14 campaign. Shaw had a breakthrough performance in the 100 back at the MAC Championships, recording the fourth-fastest time in EMU history in 56.47 seconds. MacLean and Ghaffari also competed in the shorter distance backstroke event throughout the year, while Mitcheltree was the lead swimmer for the Eagles in the 200 back.
BREASTSTROKE
An All-MAC honoree and the EMU 100 breast record holder, Dorszewski remains on the roster for the 2014-15 season, and will look to continue her dominant run in both the 100 and 200 breast. Dorszewski's time of 1:02.22 in the 100 breast was good for third at the MAC Championships, while her time of 2:15.48 in the 200 breast earned the senior a fourth-place finish and the second spot on EMU's all-time performance list. The Palatine, Ill. native was the only Eagle to record an NCAA B-cut time in both events, and one other Eagle accomplished the feat in the 100 breast when Genna Worthley (Portland, Maine-Deering) won the consolation final in 1:02.48 for the third-fastest time in EMU history.
INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY
Though Eastern returns all competitors for the 400 IM in Burtch, Godlewski, and Murslack, the Green and White will look for another swimmer to step up and take the reins behind Godlewski in the 200 IM. Godlewski finished sixth and fifth in the 200 and 400 IM, respectively, at last year's MAC Championships. However, with the graduation of Jackie Swartz, who finished 12th at the conference meet in the 200 IM, the Eagles have an open spot for their second scorer in the event.
RELAYS
The MAC has been consistently competitive in the relays, and EMU's lineups have been right in the mix with its highest finishes last year coming from the 400 and 800 free relays. The Eagles took fourth behind Detro, Dorszewski, Godlewski, and Van Allen in the 800 free relay, and also enjoy the benefit of returning Detro, Ghaffari, Godlewski, and MacLean for the 400 free relay in which they placed fifth. In fact, the Eagles return all relay athletes with the exception of Swartz, who competed on the 200 and 400 medley relays as well as the 200 free relay. With the Eagles in close contention, they will look to step up their relay finishes this season.
DIVING
With the departure of two-time MAC Most Outstanding Diver Hulvey, the Eagles have the perfect opportunity for another diver to rise to the top of the conference. The team will be led by a pair of seniors in Lauren Dark (Chelsea, Mich.-Chelsea) and Saya. Both divers made the championship final of the MAC Championships in the 3-meter dive with Dark taking third ahead of Hulvey, while Saya finished seventh. On the 1-meter springboard, Dark is the only returning representative from the championship final at the conference meet, but Saya was not far behind in scoring with 272.15 points, less than 40 points behind the score of 309.65 that won the overall title for Hulvey. In addition to Dark and Saya, the Green and White has added five divers to the roster for even more added depth on the boards.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Eastern Michigan University's women's swimming and diving team is ready to hit the water, as it will take on Mid-American Conference foe the University of Toledo. The Eagles and the Rockets will square off Friday, Oct. 24 at 6 p.m., inside the UT Student Recreation Center in Toledo, Ohio.
Friday's matchup will mark the 23rd meeting between the two teams in program history, as the Green and White has taken on the Rockets in nearly every season since the 1991-92 season. Eastern holds a 15-7 all-time record against Toledo, but have dropped five of the past six contests to the opponent down I-23. Last season, the Eagles fell to the Rockets on Nov. 16, 130-170. The Green and White saw wins from Monica Dorszewski (Palatine, Ill.-Palatine) in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke, Jessica Godlewski (Apex, N.C.-Apex) in the 200 fly, Melynee Saya (Nashua, N.J.-Nashua) on the 1-meter springboard, and the two-time Mid-American Conference Most Outstanding Diver Danielle Hulvey in the 3-meter dive.
However, the Eagles are likely to see a different look when they make the short trip to Toledo. The Rockets' roster features 15 freshmen, while the team also lost its only two All-MAC honorees in Christina Noens and Beth Rogers.
Conversely, the Eagles return the bulk of the team after losing just three seniors to graduation. Dorszewski and Godlewski are back for their senior seasons and will aim to repeat their All-MAC season after earning the honor en route to helping the team finish fourth in the conference with 469 points, Feb. 27-March 1. The team also features a larger roster with nine new additions, five of which are part of the diving program.
The following is a breakdown of this year's Eagles by primary position.
SPRINTS/MIDDLE DISTANCE FREESTYLE
Eastern lies in a strong conference for freestyle sprints, but has the luxury of multiple veteran swimmers who can represent the team in the 50 and 100 free. Leading the team for most of the 2013-14 season in the 50 free was Mary Kate MacLean (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-Detroit Country Day), who recorded the fifth-fastest mark in program history in the championship heat of the 2014 MAC Championships in 23.26 seconds. Alongside MacLean is senior Sara Ghaffari (Bolinas, Sweden-Torsbergsgynasiet), who holds the fourth-fastest time in EMU laurels at 23.24 seconds, and also competes heavily in the 100 back and 100 fly events. Sophomores Sierra Wagner (Huntsville, Texas-Huntsville) and Makenzie Garringer (Napoleon, Ohio-Napoleon) were also in the mix in both the 50 and 100 free.
Junior Becca Detro (Carmel, Ind.-Carmel) should be a contender in the 100 and 200 free for the Eagles after logging the eighth-fastest time of 51.20 seconds in program history in the 100 free, while her mark of 1:49.96 sits at sixth in Eastern's record books. The Eagles saw its 200 free frontrunner flip between Detro and Grace Van Allen (Indianapolis, Ind.-North Central), who earned a spot in EMU's all-time top-10 list in the 200, 500, and 1650 free during her rookie season. Van Allen swam in the championship heat of the 500 free at the MAC Championships while also competing in the consolation final of the 200 free and finishing 10th in the 1650 free.
DISTANCE
In addition to Van Allen in the distance events, the Eagles will also see a lot of the junior/sophomore combination of Audra Burtch (Goshen, Ind.-Concord) and Allison Murslack (Gibsonia, Pa.-Pine-Richland). Both athletes competed at the MAC Championships in the 500 and 1650 free, and were part of the primary lineup in the 1000 free throughout last year's competition. The pair was also called upon to swim the grueling 400 IM last year, with Burtch making the consolation final in a career-best 4:26.29.
BUTTERFLY
The reigning MAC champion in the 200 fly returns to the Eagles for one final campaign donning the Green and White, as Godlewski was dominant in the event last year. Out of 12 performances in the 200 fly, the Apex, N.C. native won 11 times and finished runner-up once. She is also a threat in the 100 fly and 100 back, but is often utilized in the 200 and 400 IM as well. Ghaffari is no stranger to the butterfly events, as she was part of a strong 100 fly lineup that produced four top-16 finishes at the 2014 MAC Championships. The Eagles saw a fresh talent emerge out of Carly Jackson (La Porte, Ind.-La Porte) in both the 100 and 200 fly during her freshman season. Jackson posted the third-fastest times in both events, winning the consolation final of the 100 fly in 55.53 seconds, while her time of 2:00.38 in the 200 fly was good for fourth in the conference.
BACKSTROKE
Sophomores Alexis Mitcheltree (Moon Twp., Pa.-Moon Area) and Haley Shaw (Fenton, Mich.-Fenton) saw the bulk of the action in the backstroke events throughout the 2013-14 campaign. Shaw had a breakthrough performance in the 100 back at the MAC Championships, recording the fourth-fastest time in EMU history in 56.47 seconds. MacLean and Ghaffari also competed in the shorter distance backstroke event throughout the year, while Mitcheltree was the lead swimmer for the Eagles in the 200 back.
BREASTSTROKE
An All-MAC honoree and the EMU 100 breast record holder, Dorszewski remains on the roster for the 2014-15 season, and will look to continue her dominant run in both the 100 and 200 breast. Dorszewski's time of 1:02.22 in the 100 breast was good for third at the MAC Championships, while her time of 2:15.48 in the 200 breast earned the senior a fourth-place finish and the second spot on EMU's all-time performance list. The Palatine, Ill. native was the only Eagle to record an NCAA B-cut time in both events, and one other Eagle accomplished the feat in the 100 breast when Genna Worthley (Portland, Maine-Deering) won the consolation final in 1:02.48 for the third-fastest time in EMU history.
INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY
Though Eastern returns all competitors for the 400 IM in Burtch, Godlewski, and Murslack, the Green and White will look for another swimmer to step up and take the reins behind Godlewski in the 200 IM. Godlewski finished sixth and fifth in the 200 and 400 IM, respectively, at last year's MAC Championships. However, with the graduation of Jackie Swartz, who finished 12th at the conference meet in the 200 IM, the Eagles have an open spot for their second scorer in the event.
RELAYS
The MAC has been consistently competitive in the relays, and EMU's lineups have been right in the mix with its highest finishes last year coming from the 400 and 800 free relays. The Eagles took fourth behind Detro, Dorszewski, Godlewski, and Van Allen in the 800 free relay, and also enjoy the benefit of returning Detro, Ghaffari, Godlewski, and MacLean for the 400 free relay in which they placed fifth. In fact, the Eagles return all relay athletes with the exception of Swartz, who competed on the 200 and 400 medley relays as well as the 200 free relay. With the Eagles in close contention, they will look to step up their relay finishes this season.
DIVING
With the departure of two-time MAC Most Outstanding Diver Hulvey, the Eagles have the perfect opportunity for another diver to rise to the top of the conference. The team will be led by a pair of seniors in Lauren Dark (Chelsea, Mich.-Chelsea) and Saya. Both divers made the championship final of the MAC Championships in the 3-meter dive with Dark taking third ahead of Hulvey, while Saya finished seventh. On the 1-meter springboard, Dark is the only returning representative from the championship final at the conference meet, but Saya was not far behind in scoring with 272.15 points, less than 40 points behind the score of 309.65 that won the overall title for Hulvey. In addition to Dark and Saya, the Green and White has added five divers to the roster for even more added depth on the boards.
Players Mentioned
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Diving
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