Women's Swimming & Diving Primed and Ready for MAC Championships

Women's Swimming & Diving at MAC Championships
Date	Wednesday-Saturday, Feb. 22-25, 2017
Venue	Corwin M. Nixon Aquatic Center Oxford, Ohio
	Live Results \| Championship Schedule
	Championship Center

OXFORD, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's swimming & diving team travels to Miami University in Oxford, Ohio for the Mid-American Conference Championships this week, Feb. 22-25. There, the Eagles look to cap an incredible dual season with their first conference championship since 2007.

The Green and White return three of its six All-MAC selections from a season ago, after losing first team selections Becca Detro and Clarice Daniel, as well as second team honoree Mary Kate MacLean to graduation. Sophomore Delaney Duncan (Galesburg, Ill.-Galesburg) and seniors Carly Jackson (La Porte, Ind.-La Porte) and Mary Grace Van Allen (Indianapolis, Ind.-North Central) are primed to close the season on a high note. Duncan was an All-MAC First Team selection last season, after winning the 100 Breaststroke title. Meanwhile, Jackson and Van Allen picked up Second Team All-MAC honors.

At last year's conference meet, the Eagles claimed the top spot in three events. EMU won the 400 Medley Relay, its first relay title since 2008, and Duncan and Detro added wins in the 100 Breast and 200 Freestyle, respectively.

Eastern Michigan enters championship season, owning 31 top-20 times in the MAC this season, in addition to three top-three relay times.

In the 50 and 100 Free, the Eagles will rely heavily on senior Sierra Wagner (Huntsville, Texas-Huntsville) to score points, but also looks to get contributions from a number of others. Wagner, a MAC Swimmer of the Week honoree this season, ranks 13^th in the conference in both the 50 and 100 Free, owning the Eagles' top times of the season.

With the loss of MacLean and Detro, mid-distance freestyle will be anchored by Wagner and Van Allen, while several others will have the opportunity to contribute as well.

Sophomore Nicole Swartz (Dayton, Ohio-Centerville) leads EMU's deep distance trio. Coming off a third-place finish in the 1650 Free as a freshman, Swartz holds the fourth-best time in the MAC this season. Junior Sarah Dombkowksi (Canton, Mich.-Plymouth), who came in at 10^th last year, has the ninth-fastest time in the conference currently. Van Allen also scored points for the Eagles in the event in 2016, claiming eighth-place, and also expected to compete in the event.

EMU's backstroke group is led by program record holder Alexis Mitcheltree (Moon Twp., Pa.-Moon Area). Currently, Mitcheltree owns the fourth-best time in the 100 Back, and 10^th-best time in the 200 Back. She placed fourth in the 100 and sixth in the 200 a season ago, headlining the Eagles deepest event. Overall, Eastern is credited with four of the conference's top times in the 100 Back. Freshmen Claire Young (Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich.-Grosse Point South) and Casey Gavigan (East Setauket, N.Y.-Ward Melville), alongside sophomores Michal Liberman (Rosh Haayin, Israel-Begin) and Erika Guenther (Hudson, Wis.-Hudson) have the ability to nab big points for the Eagles.

The dynamic duo of Duncan and senior Genna Worthley (Portland, Maine-Deering) pace Eastern Michigan in the breaststroke events. Together, the duo earned lanes in both finals heats, and combined to score a total of 60.50 points in the 100 and 200 Breast last season. Duncan holds the EMU record in the 100 Breast, and currently ranks second in the MAC this season, while Worthley also ranks inside the top-15 after a fifth-place finish in 2016.

In the Butterfly, Eastern will rely on swims from Liberman, sophomore Emilie Desnoyers, and Jackson. Liberman boasts the conference's 10^th-fastest time in the 100 Fly this season, while Desnoyers 200 Fly mark ranks 14^th. Despite competing on a limited basis during the regular season, Jackson has made the most of it and is the lone Eagle ranked inside the top-15 in both events. She's slotted 15^th in the 100 Fly, while her time of 2:03.42 against Buffalo, Jan. 28, ranks fifth-fastest in the conference this season.

Van Allen is the Eagles' most experienced Individual Medley performer, placing fourth in the 200 IM last season. A 17^th-place finisher in the 400 IM as a freshman, Swartz could also make an impact for the Green and White, as could Worthley, as the Eagles aim to replace Daniel.

On the springboard, EMU Head Diving Coach Buck Smith's group is poised for a strong showing. Fueled by the fantastic performances of freshman Brielle Johnston (Ottawa, Ontario-Catholique Franco-Quest) and junior Alli Shereda (Fraser, Mich.-Fraser) the Eagles are prepped to score major points. Johnston, a MAC Diver of the Week award winner, has had a sensational freshman season, and currently ranks sixth on both the 1 and 3-meter. Shereda is not far behind, slotted seventh on both, and won the 'B' final on the 1-meter last year. She also posted a fifth-place finish on the 3-meter at the 2016 MAC Championships. Setting the Eagles divers apart from the rest of the league this season, may be their depth. In addition to Johnston and Shereda, the Green and White have freshman Sophia Tsafantakis, sophomore Gabrielle Mace, and juniors Emily Tubbs (Monroe, Mich.-Monroe) and Molly Miller (Farmington Hills, Mich.-Harrison).

The 2017 MAC Championships begin Wednesday night, Feb. 22, at 7 p.m. The first session of the four-day meet will comprise of two relays – the 200 Medley and 800 Freestyle.

Women's Swimming & Diving Primed and Ready for MAC Championships

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Players Mentioned

Clarice Daniel

Emilie Desnoyers

Becca Detro

Delaney Duncan

Casey Gavigan

Erika Guenther

Carly Jackson

Brielle Johnston

Michal Liberman

Gabrielle Mace

Mary Kate MacLean

Molly Miller

Alexis Mitcheltree

Alli Shereda

Nicole Swartz

Sophia Tsafantakis

Emily Tubbs

Mary Grace Van Allen

Sierra Wagner

Genna Worthley

Claire Young

Eastern Michigan Athletics