Eastern Michigan Athletics
Women's Swimming and Diving Voted Runner-Up in MAC Preseason Poll
10/1/2015 5:08:00 PM | Swimming & Diving
The Eagles were voted to finish behind 2015 MAC Champion, Akron
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – After posting its best finish since the 2006-07 season, the Eastern Michigan University women's swimming and diving team was selected to finish second in the Mid-American Conference, the conference announced, Thursday, Oct. 1. Akron was tabbed as the preseason favorite, earning all eight first place votes.
With the Zips and Eagles voted to take first and second respectively, Miami, Buffalo, and Bowling Green round out the top five. Voted to finish in second place as they did last season, the Eagles will be led by a cohort of returners with 11 newcomers looking to make an impact.
Head Coach Peter Linn returns for his 27th season at the helm with reigning MAC Diving Coach of the Year, Buck Smith, alongside him.
SPRINTS - MIDDLE DISTANCE FREESTYLE
Seniors Mary Kate MacLean (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-Detroit Country Day) and Becca Detro (Carmel, Ind.-Carmel), and junior Grace Van Allen (Indianapolis, Ind.-North Central) highlight the Eagles returners in the sprints and mid-distance free events, while freshmen Dora Vrcic and Michal Liberman will add depth. An All-MAC second team selection last season, MacLean posted career bests in both the 100 and 200 free at the MAC Championships last year. Over the course of her career, Detro has proven to be an elite option in the 100, 200, and 500 free. In the 200 free, Detro was a force to be reckoned with last year, winning the race four times over the course of the 2014-15 season. The Carmel, Ind. product swam the fastest time of the preliminaries at the MAC Championships, giving her the top seed in the finals. With a preliminary time of 1:48.45, Detro turned in the fifth-fastest mark in program history, before taking fourth place in the event. Swimming in eight meets for the Eagles, Van Allen took first place in the 500 free four times and second twice.
DISTANCE
The Eagles lack experience in distance events from seasons past. Sophomore Sarah Dombkowski (Canton,Mich.-Plymouth) returns for her second season with the Green and White with hopes of improving on a personal-best mark at last year's conference meet. With limited experience in the event, newcomers could make the greatest impact swimming alongside Dombkowski.
BUTTERFLY
Juniors Carly Jackson (La Porte, Ind.-La Porte) and Mackenzie Garringer (Napoleon, Ohio-Napoleon) look to build upon last year's finishes at the MAC Championships, to lead the Eagles in the 100 and 200 fly. An All-MAC first team selection, Jackson, played an important role in the Eagles' second place finish at the conference championships last year. Swimming in the 100 fly at the MAC Champhionships, Jackson shattered the EMU record to put her in consideration for a place at nationals. The La Porte, Ind. native become the first EMU swimmer to swim a pair of sub-55 second marks in the event, to close out the season with a seventh place conference finish. Competing in nine meets for the Eagles, Jackson posted five victories in the 100 fly and six victories in the 200 fly. Garringer provided depth in the fly last year and is expected to do the same this sesaon behind the lead of Jackson.
BACKSTROKE
In the 100 back, the Eagles return junior Alexis Mitchelltree (Moon Twp., Pa.-Moon Area), the program's record holder in the event. Mitchelltree took fifth in the 100 back, posting the top-time in EMU laurels before following her impressive performance up with a top-10 finish in the 200 back.
BREASTSTROKE
CSCAAA All-American Honorable Mention, Monica Dorszewski graduated, leaving the Eagles without their top swimmer in breastroke from a season ago. Looking to step in the footsteps of Dorszewski, junior Genna Worthley (Portland, Maine-Deering) will take the reigns. Worthley capped a stellar sophomore season with two top-10 finishes at the MAC Championships, including the second fastest mark in EMU history in the 100 breast. Worthley's mark in the 100 breast put her in NCAA consideration, an accomplishment the Eagles hope she can build upon this year.
INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY
With the loss of All-MAC first team selection Jessie Godlewski to graduation, the Eagles will count on Worthley and junior Haley Shaw (Fenton, Mich.-Fenton) in the 200 IM. Worthley turned in her top-time at the MAC Championships while Shaw finished inside the top-20. While the experience of Shaw and Worthley will be looked to heavily to lead the Eagles in the IM, plenty of newcomers may earn a lane in competition.
RELAYS
The loss of Dorszewski, Godlewski, and Sarah Ghaffari leave the Eagles relay teams in question as the trio took part in a majority of last season's relays. Worthley, Jackson, MacLean, Detro, Van Allen and others earned time last season and will likely be apart of this season's relays.
DIVING
Last year's youth return with a year of experience under their belt, with a combination of divers looking to make an impact on the springboard. Sophomore Emily Tubbs (Monroe, Mich.-Monroe), Alli Shereda (Fraser, Mich.-Fraser), and Becky Deacon (Sherwood Park, Alberta-Vimy Ridge Academy) hope to improve on their showing's at last year's MAC Championships and provide the Eagles with consistent scoring.
The Green and White Meet, Saturday, Oct. 3, opens competition for the Eagles at Jones Natatorium. Competition is set to begin at 1 p.m.
2015 MAC Women's Swimming & Diving Preseason Coaches' Poll (First-Place votes in parentheses)
1. Akron
2. Eastern Michigan
3. Miami
4. Buffalo
5. Bowling Green
6. Ohio
7. Toledo
8. Ball State
With the Zips and Eagles voted to take first and second respectively, Miami, Buffalo, and Bowling Green round out the top five. Voted to finish in second place as they did last season, the Eagles will be led by a cohort of returners with 11 newcomers looking to make an impact.
Head Coach Peter Linn returns for his 27th season at the helm with reigning MAC Diving Coach of the Year, Buck Smith, alongside him.
SPRINTS - MIDDLE DISTANCE FREESTYLE
Seniors Mary Kate MacLean (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-Detroit Country Day) and Becca Detro (Carmel, Ind.-Carmel), and junior Grace Van Allen (Indianapolis, Ind.-North Central) highlight the Eagles returners in the sprints and mid-distance free events, while freshmen Dora Vrcic and Michal Liberman will add depth. An All-MAC second team selection last season, MacLean posted career bests in both the 100 and 200 free at the MAC Championships last year. Over the course of her career, Detro has proven to be an elite option in the 100, 200, and 500 free. In the 200 free, Detro was a force to be reckoned with last year, winning the race four times over the course of the 2014-15 season. The Carmel, Ind. product swam the fastest time of the preliminaries at the MAC Championships, giving her the top seed in the finals. With a preliminary time of 1:48.45, Detro turned in the fifth-fastest mark in program history, before taking fourth place in the event. Swimming in eight meets for the Eagles, Van Allen took first place in the 500 free four times and second twice.
DISTANCE
The Eagles lack experience in distance events from seasons past. Sophomore Sarah Dombkowski (Canton,Mich.-Plymouth) returns for her second season with the Green and White with hopes of improving on a personal-best mark at last year's conference meet. With limited experience in the event, newcomers could make the greatest impact swimming alongside Dombkowski.
BUTTERFLY
Juniors Carly Jackson (La Porte, Ind.-La Porte) and Mackenzie Garringer (Napoleon, Ohio-Napoleon) look to build upon last year's finishes at the MAC Championships, to lead the Eagles in the 100 and 200 fly. An All-MAC first team selection, Jackson, played an important role in the Eagles' second place finish at the conference championships last year. Swimming in the 100 fly at the MAC Champhionships, Jackson shattered the EMU record to put her in consideration for a place at nationals. The La Porte, Ind. native become the first EMU swimmer to swim a pair of sub-55 second marks in the event, to close out the season with a seventh place conference finish. Competing in nine meets for the Eagles, Jackson posted five victories in the 100 fly and six victories in the 200 fly. Garringer provided depth in the fly last year and is expected to do the same this sesaon behind the lead of Jackson.
BACKSTROKE
In the 100 back, the Eagles return junior Alexis Mitchelltree (Moon Twp., Pa.-Moon Area), the program's record holder in the event. Mitchelltree took fifth in the 100 back, posting the top-time in EMU laurels before following her impressive performance up with a top-10 finish in the 200 back.
BREASTSTROKE
CSCAAA All-American Honorable Mention, Monica Dorszewski graduated, leaving the Eagles without their top swimmer in breastroke from a season ago. Looking to step in the footsteps of Dorszewski, junior Genna Worthley (Portland, Maine-Deering) will take the reigns. Worthley capped a stellar sophomore season with two top-10 finishes at the MAC Championships, including the second fastest mark in EMU history in the 100 breast. Worthley's mark in the 100 breast put her in NCAA consideration, an accomplishment the Eagles hope she can build upon this year.
INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY
With the loss of All-MAC first team selection Jessie Godlewski to graduation, the Eagles will count on Worthley and junior Haley Shaw (Fenton, Mich.-Fenton) in the 200 IM. Worthley turned in her top-time at the MAC Championships while Shaw finished inside the top-20. While the experience of Shaw and Worthley will be looked to heavily to lead the Eagles in the IM, plenty of newcomers may earn a lane in competition.
RELAYS
The loss of Dorszewski, Godlewski, and Sarah Ghaffari leave the Eagles relay teams in question as the trio took part in a majority of last season's relays. Worthley, Jackson, MacLean, Detro, Van Allen and others earned time last season and will likely be apart of this season's relays.
DIVING
Last year's youth return with a year of experience under their belt, with a combination of divers looking to make an impact on the springboard. Sophomore Emily Tubbs (Monroe, Mich.-Monroe), Alli Shereda (Fraser, Mich.-Fraser), and Becky Deacon (Sherwood Park, Alberta-Vimy Ridge Academy) hope to improve on their showing's at last year's MAC Championships and provide the Eagles with consistent scoring.
The Green and White Meet, Saturday, Oct. 3, opens competition for the Eagles at Jones Natatorium. Competition is set to begin at 1 p.m.
2015 MAC Women's Swimming & Diving Preseason Coaches' Poll (First-Place votes in parentheses)
1. Akron
2. Eastern Michigan
3. Miami
4. Buffalo
5. Bowling Green
6. Ohio
7. Toledo
8. Ball State
Players Mentioned
Diving
/ Swimming & Diving
Free
/ Swimming & Diving
Free
/ Swimming & Diving
Breast/Free
/ Swimming & Diving
Fly/IM
/ Swimming & Diving
Free/Fly
/ Swimming & Diving
Back/Free/Fly
/ Swimming & Diving
Free
/ Swimming & Diving
Back/IM
/ Swimming & Diving
Diving
/ Swimming & Diving
Diving
/ Swimming & Diving
Free
/ Swimming & Diving
Free/Back
/ Swimming & Diving
Breast/IM
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