Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
MAC Championship
Swimming and Diving Prepped for MAC Championships
2/19/2018 9:59:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
The Eagles are in the hunt for their first conference title since 2007
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - Looking for its first Mid-American Conference title since 2007, the Eastern Michigan University women's swimming and diving team heads to Athens, Ohio for the MAC Championships this week, Feb. 21-24. The four-day event is hosted by Ohio University, and will take place inside the Ohio University Aquatic Center.
At last year's conference meet, Eastern won three events thanks to a trio to Eagles. Then-sophomores Nicole Swartz (Dayton, Ohio-Centerville) and Delaney Duncan (Galesburg, Ill.-Galesburg) posted first-place finishes in the 1650 freestyle and 100 breaststroke, respectively, while Alexis Mitcheltree won the 100 backstroke.
Swartz leads Eastern long distance as she owns an unblemished record in 1000 free this season, while placing in the top-three in the 500 free every meet. Swartz holds the second fastest 1650 free time in the conference, just one hundredth of a second behind a Buffalo swimmer. Senior Sarah Dombkowski (Canton, Mich.-Plymouth) has the ninth-fastest time in the conference currently, while freshman Alyssa Shugarman (Oswego, Ill.-Oswego) is also expected to compete in the event as she sits 15th in the conference.
EMU's backstroke group is anchored by a pair of sophomores in the form of Claire Young (Grosse Pointe Farms, Much.-Grosse Pointe South) and Casey Gavigan (East Setauket, N.Y.-Ward Melville). Currently Young owns the third best 100 back time in the conference, while Gavigan is currently ranked eighth. In the 200 back, she is slotted ninth in the conference with Young at 12th. Juniors Dora Vrcic (Dubrovacka, Split, Croatia) and Michal Liberman (Rosh Haarin, Israel-Begin) both have the ability to nab big points for the Eagles.
Behind the efforts of reigning event champion Duncan, the Eagles are poised for another excellent showing in the breaststrok. The Galesburg, Ill. native currently owns the fourth and fifth fastest times MAC times in the 100 and 200 breast, respectively and is still the current EMU record holder in the 100 breast.
In the butterfly, Eastern will rely on swims from junior Emilie Desnoyers (St. Albert, Alberta) and Liberman. Liberman boasts the conference's 17th-fastest time in the 100 fly this season, while Desnoyers' 200 fly mark ranks 16th.
The Green and White looks to Jones and Swartz in the 400 IM as both are represented in the MAC's top-20 times. Jones sits at 16th this season, while Swartz has turned in the 19th-fastest conference time.
On the springboard, EMU Head Diving Coach Buck Smith's group is set up for a strong showing. Fueled behind the outstanding performances by sophomore Sophia Tsafantakis (Washington, Mich.-Romeo), the Eagles are prepped to score major points. Tsafantakis owns the best scores in the 1-meter and 3-meter this season for the Green and White at 302.47 and 322.65, respectively. Setting the Eagles apart from the rest of the MAC is their depth. In addition to Tsafantakis, Eastern has seniors Alli Shereda (Fraser, Mich.Fraser), Emily Tubbs (Monroe, Mich.-Monroe), and Molly Miller (Farmington Hills, Mich.-Harrison), and juniors Brielle Johnston (Holland, Mich.) and Gabrielle Mace (Clinton, Mich.).
The 2018 MAC Championships begins Wednesday night, Feb. 21 at 6:30 p.m. The first session of the four-day meet will comprise of two relays - the 200 medley and 800 freestyle.
Players Mentioned
