Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, February 24
Oxford, Ohio
11 a.m.
Eastern Michigan University
at
MAC Championship
Photo by: EMU Athletics/Chloe Smith
EMU Rewrites the Record Books at MAC Championships
2/24/2017 11:10:00 PM | Swimming & Diving
Delaney Duncan and Alexis Mitcheltree each secured individual MAC titles
Complete Results (PDF)
OXFORD, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – Two Mid-American Conference champions highlighted Eastern Michigan University's third day of competition at the MAC Championships Friday night Feb. 24. The Eagles wrapped up MAC titles in the 100 Breaststroke and 100 Backstroke, and currently sit in third-place overall after a record breaking day.
Sophomore Nicole Swartz (Dayton, Ohio-Centerville) got the Eagles started on a high note, placing fifth in the 400 Individual Medley. After posting a butterfly split of 1:00.08, Swartz's late push of a 58.42 in the freestyle leg, solidified her top-five finish and the fourth-fastest race in EMU history.
The Green and White added points in the 100 Butterfly, where sophomore Michal Liberman (Rosh Haayin, Israel-Begin) matched Swartz's start with a fifth-place finish of her own. Liberman clocked in with a career-best time of 54.22, a mark that also ranks second in Eastern Michigan laurels. In the 'B' consolation, senior Carly Jackson (La Porte, Ind.-La Porte) bested the field by a touch over a half of a second to win the heat with a season-best time of 54.53.
Senior Mary Grace Van Allen (Indianapolis, Ind.-North Central) kept things rolling in the 200 Freestyle, posting EMU's third consecutive top-five finish. Van Allen edged out a charging Ohio Bobcat, touching in with a career-best time of 1:48.21, more than a second faster than her preliminary time. Van Allen's time also ranks as the fourth-fastest by an Eagle all-time. Fellow senior Sierra Wagner (Huntsville, Texas-Huntsville) reeled in a 10th-place finish, taking second in the consolation heat. Wagner clocked in with a time of 1:50.54, out-touching Toledo's Maggie Hack by three hundredths of a second.
Sophomore Delaney Duncan (Galesburg, Ill.-Galesburg) defended her MAC title in the 100 Breast, winning the event with a season-best time of 59.89. Duncan is the first Eagle to win the event in back-to-back years since 2002-03, when Ellen Borgo repeated as MAC Champion. Senior Genna Worthley (Portland, Maine-Deering) also shaved time off of her prelims time, finishing in fifth with a season-best time of 1:02.51.
The 100 Backstroke was arguably EMU's most impressive event of the night, as the Eagles posted four top-10 times and secured a total of 50 points. In addition to setting the school record with a time of 52.70, senior Alexis Mitcheltree (Moon Twp., Pa.-Moon Area) became just the second Eagle to claim the MAC title in league history. The Moon Twp., Pa. native notched the Green and White's first win in the event since the inaugural MAC Championships back in 1981, when Rena Cox accomplished the task, and crushed the previous MAC and meet records. Mitcheltree was the tip of what was an exceptional race for Eastern Michigan, as freshmen Claire Young (Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich.-Grosse Pointe South) and Casey Gavigan (East Setauket, N.Y.-Ward Melville) turned in the second and third-best times in EMU annals, respectively. Young's career-best time of 54.09 locked up a fourth-place finish, while Gavigan secured eighth with a career-best time of 54.59. Returning to the pool after an impressive showing in the 100 Fly, Liberman notched a 14th-place finish, taking sixth in the consolation finals. Liberman touched in with a time of 55.70, the seventh-ranked time in EMU history. Meanwhile, fellow sophomore Erika Guenther wrapped up a 16th-place finish for the Eagles.
The relay team of Mitcheltree, Duncan, Jackson, and Van Allen claimed second-place in the 400 Medley Relay, turning in a program record time of 3:36.33, breaking the record set by last year's squad to close out the session.
Eastern completes competition at the MAC Championships tomorrow, Feb. 25, beginning at 11 a.m.
Team Standings
1. Akron 510
2. Miami 385
3. Eastern Michigan 383
4. Buffalo 356.5
5. Ohio 205
6. Bowling Green 196
7. Toledo 166
8. Ball State 115.5
EMU Individual Results
*Denotes season-best
#Denotes career-best
%Denotes program record
$Denotes meet record
@Denotes MAC record
400 IM
5. Nicole Swartz 4:21.21#
100 Fly
5. Michal Liberman 54.22#
9. Carly Jackson 54.53
200 Free
4. Mary Grace Van Allen 1:48.21#
10. Sierra Wagner 1:50.54
100 Breast
1. Delaney Duncan 59.89
5. Genna Worthley 1:02.51
100 Back
1. Alexis Mitcheltree 52.70#%$@
4. Claire Young 54.09
8. Casey Gavigan 54.59
14. Michal Liberman 55.70
16. Erika Guenther 55.97
OXFORD, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – Two Mid-American Conference champions highlighted Eastern Michigan University's third day of competition at the MAC Championships Friday night Feb. 24. The Eagles wrapped up MAC titles in the 100 Breaststroke and 100 Backstroke, and currently sit in third-place overall after a record breaking day.
Sophomore Nicole Swartz (Dayton, Ohio-Centerville) got the Eagles started on a high note, placing fifth in the 400 Individual Medley. After posting a butterfly split of 1:00.08, Swartz's late push of a 58.42 in the freestyle leg, solidified her top-five finish and the fourth-fastest race in EMU history.
The Green and White added points in the 100 Butterfly, where sophomore Michal Liberman (Rosh Haayin, Israel-Begin) matched Swartz's start with a fifth-place finish of her own. Liberman clocked in with a career-best time of 54.22, a mark that also ranks second in Eastern Michigan laurels. In the 'B' consolation, senior Carly Jackson (La Porte, Ind.-La Porte) bested the field by a touch over a half of a second to win the heat with a season-best time of 54.53.
Senior Mary Grace Van Allen (Indianapolis, Ind.-North Central) kept things rolling in the 200 Freestyle, posting EMU's third consecutive top-five finish. Van Allen edged out a charging Ohio Bobcat, touching in with a career-best time of 1:48.21, more than a second faster than her preliminary time. Van Allen's time also ranks as the fourth-fastest by an Eagle all-time. Fellow senior Sierra Wagner (Huntsville, Texas-Huntsville) reeled in a 10th-place finish, taking second in the consolation heat. Wagner clocked in with a time of 1:50.54, out-touching Toledo's Maggie Hack by three hundredths of a second.
Sophomore Delaney Duncan (Galesburg, Ill.-Galesburg) defended her MAC title in the 100 Breast, winning the event with a season-best time of 59.89. Duncan is the first Eagle to win the event in back-to-back years since 2002-03, when Ellen Borgo repeated as MAC Champion. Senior Genna Worthley (Portland, Maine-Deering) also shaved time off of her prelims time, finishing in fifth with a season-best time of 1:02.51.
The 100 Backstroke was arguably EMU's most impressive event of the night, as the Eagles posted four top-10 times and secured a total of 50 points. In addition to setting the school record with a time of 52.70, senior Alexis Mitcheltree (Moon Twp., Pa.-Moon Area) became just the second Eagle to claim the MAC title in league history. The Moon Twp., Pa. native notched the Green and White's first win in the event since the inaugural MAC Championships back in 1981, when Rena Cox accomplished the task, and crushed the previous MAC and meet records. Mitcheltree was the tip of what was an exceptional race for Eastern Michigan, as freshmen Claire Young (Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich.-Grosse Pointe South) and Casey Gavigan (East Setauket, N.Y.-Ward Melville) turned in the second and third-best times in EMU annals, respectively. Young's career-best time of 54.09 locked up a fourth-place finish, while Gavigan secured eighth with a career-best time of 54.59. Returning to the pool after an impressive showing in the 100 Fly, Liberman notched a 14th-place finish, taking sixth in the consolation finals. Liberman touched in with a time of 55.70, the seventh-ranked time in EMU history. Meanwhile, fellow sophomore Erika Guenther wrapped up a 16th-place finish for the Eagles.
The relay team of Mitcheltree, Duncan, Jackson, and Van Allen claimed second-place in the 400 Medley Relay, turning in a program record time of 3:36.33, breaking the record set by last year's squad to close out the session.
Eastern completes competition at the MAC Championships tomorrow, Feb. 25, beginning at 11 a.m.
Team Standings
1. Akron 510
2. Miami 385
3. Eastern Michigan 383
4. Buffalo 356.5
5. Ohio 205
6. Bowling Green 196
7. Toledo 166
8. Ball State 115.5
EMU Individual Results
*Denotes season-best
#Denotes career-best
%Denotes program record
$Denotes meet record
@Denotes MAC record
400 IM
5. Nicole Swartz 4:21.21#
100 Fly
5. Michal Liberman 54.22#
9. Carly Jackson 54.53
200 Free
4. Mary Grace Van Allen 1:48.21#
10. Sierra Wagner 1:50.54
100 Breast
1. Delaney Duncan 59.89
5. Genna Worthley 1:02.51
100 Back
1. Alexis Mitcheltree 52.70#%$@
4. Claire Young 54.09
8. Casey Gavigan 54.59
14. Michal Liberman 55.70
16. Erika Guenther 55.97
Players Mentioned
Free
/ Swimming & Diving
Back
/ Swimming & Diving
Back/Breast/IM
/ Swimming & Diving
Free/Fly
/ Swimming & Diving
Back/Free/Fly
/ Swimming & Diving
Fly/Back
/ Swimming & Diving
Free/IM
/ Swimming & Diving
Free
/ Swimming & Diving
Free
/ Swimming & Diving
Breast/IM
/ Swimming & Diving
Back/IM
/ Swimming & Diving2025 Swim & Dive MAC Championships Hype Video
Tuesday, February 25
2025 Swim & Dive Senior Extravaganza
Monday, February 10
Swim & Dive vs. Toledo Cinematic Highlights
Saturday, January 18
2024 EMU Swim & Dive Training Trip Highlights
Sunday, January 05