Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, February 24
Athens, Ohio
10:30 a.m. / 6:30 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
at
MAC Championships
EMU Turns in Runner-Up Showing at MAC Championships
2/24/2018 10:32:00 PM | Swimming & Diving
The Eagles picked up two wins in the 1650 free and 200 back
Complete Results.
ATHENS, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's swimming and diving team finished runner-up at the Mid-American Conference Championships for the fourth consecutive year. After the four-day meet, the Eagles finished the final day of competition Saturday, Feb. 24, at the Ohio Aquatic Center with a final score of 590.5.
Eastern Michigan saw junior Nicole Swartz (Dayton, Ohio-Centerville) honored as MAC Co-Swimmer of the Year and Mikela Schempf (Bowling Green, Ohio-Bowling Green) named MAC Freshman Diver of the Year. Meanwhile, Head Diving Coach Buck Smith was awarded his ninth MAC Diving Coach of the Year honor. EMU also had five swimmers reel in All-MAC honors. Junior Delaney Duncan (Galesburg, Ill.-Galesburg), Swartz, and Casey Gavigan (East Setauket, N.Y.-Ward Melville) were named First Team All-MAC, while Claire Young (Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich.-Grosse Pointe South) and Brielle Johnston (Ottawa, Ontario-Catholique Franco-Quest) were Second Team All-MAC honorees.
The championship heats began with the 1650 freestyle where Swartz picked up her third championship this week and defended her 2017 mile MAC title. Swartz could not be touched as she took the lead in the opening laps and never relinquished it, finishing over six seconds ahead of the runner-up with a career-best time of 16:18.82. Freshman Kaitlynd Scanlan (Waukesha, Wisc.-Pewaukee) narrowly edged out senior Sarah Dombkowski (Canton, Mich.-Plymouth) as she clocked a seventh-place time of 16:40.31, while Dombkowski turned in a career-best time of 16:41.95.
The Eagles scored major points in the 200 backstroke as sophomores Gavigan and Young swept the top-two spots. Gavigan shaved nearly three second off her prelim time en route to her first MAC championship title. The East Setauket, N.Y. native etched her name in the record book as her career-best time of 1:55.93 is now the fastest 200 back time in program history. Young followed right on her heels with a career-best time of 1:56.65, the second-fastest time in EMU's laurels.
Sophomore Amelia Armstrong-Grant (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Saline) was the lone Eagle in the 100 free championship heat. Armstrong-Grant turned in a time of 50.36 to lock up a seventh-place finish. In the consolation heats, senior Chase Walker (Virginia Beach, Va.-Landstown) and freshman Meike Staffeldt (Niedersachsen, Germany) both racked up points as they notched 13th and 15th places, respectively.
After setting a new program record during the 200 breaststroke prelim session, Duncan followed it up with a faster time in the championship heat. Duncan clocked a career-best time of 2:11.13, good for a second-place finish. Freshman Carlee Jones (Edgewood, Ky.-Notre Dame Academy), who swam in the 'B' final, closed out the event with a 16th-place finish.
In the 200 butterfly, Emilie Desnoyers (St. Albert, Alberta) secured a top-10 finish, clocking in at 2:02.81 for an eight-place finish.
Eastern Michigan's talented diving squad displayed its depth on the 3-meter. As a group, the Green and White placed all seven of its divers inside the top-16. Senior Alli Shereda (Fraser, Mich.-Fraser) led the way, placing third with a career-high score of 326.50. Behind Shereda was Johnston, who scored a 301.70. Fellow sophomore Sophia Tsafantakis (Washington, Mich.-Romeo) wrapped up a sixth-place finish with a score of 281.50, while seniors Emily Tubbs (Monroe, Mich.-Monroe) and Molly Miller (Farmington Hills, Mich.-Harrison), and freshmen Bethany Berger (Batavia, Ohio-Glen Este) and Schempf also turned in impressive scores in the consolation final.
The Eagles closed out the meet with a fourth-place finish in the 400 free relay, where the Green and White clocked in at 3:22.71.
Team Standings
1. Akron 827.5
2. Eastern Michigan 590.5
3. Buffalo 573
4. Miami 516
5. Bowling Green 333
6. Toledo 254
7. Ohio 253
8. Ball State 158
MAC Postseason Awards
Swimming Coach of the Year: Brian Peresie, Akron
Diving Coach of the Year: Buck Smith, Eastern Michigan
Co-Most Outstanding Swimmer: Paloma Marrero, Akron / Nicole Swartz, EMU
Co-Most Outstanding Diver: Pei Lin, Miami / Talisa Lemke, BGSU
Most Outstanding Senior: Pei Lin, Miami
Freshman Swimmer of the Year: Paulina Nogaj, Akron
Freshman Diver of the Year: Mikela Schempf, Eastern Michigan
All-MAC First Team
Delaney Duncan, Eastern Michigan
Nicole Swartz, Eastern Michigan
Casey Gavigan, Eastern Michigan
Paloma Marrero, Akron
Sadie Fasekas, Akron
Madison Myers, Akron
Paulina Nogaj, Akron
Ellie Nebraska, Akron
Jackie Pash, Akron
Mackenzie Vargas, Akron
Talisa Lemke, Bowling Green
Megan Burns, Buffalo
Hannah Miller, Buffalo
Ella Moynihan, Miami
Pei Lin, Miami
Corrin Van Lanen, Ohio
All-MAC Second Team
Claire Young, Eastern Michigan
Brielle Johnston, Eastern Michigan
Nicole Roitenberg, Buffalo
Brittany Beetcher, Buffalo
Morgan Waggoner, Akron
Holly Schuster, Miami
Andrea Ernst, Buffalo
Carolyn Junger, Miami
Izzy Jones, Toledo
Emma Bradley, Miami
Paula Garcia, Akron
Eve Kosten, Buffalo
Emily Zimcosky, Ohio
Anne Lochridge, Akron
Izzy Herb, Miami
Individual Results
*Denotes season-best
#Denotes career-best
1650 Free
1. Nicole Swartz 16:18.82#
7. Kaitlynd Scanlan 16:40.31#
8. Sarah Dombkowski 16:41.95#
12. Alyssa Shugarman 16:56.78#
200 Back
1. Casey Gavigan 1:55.93#
2. Claire Young 1:56.65#
11. Dora Vrcic 2:01.22#
100 Free
7. Amelia Armstong-Grant 50.36
13. Chase Walker 50.94
15. Meike Staffeldt 51.39#
200 Breast
2. Delaney Duncan 2:11.13#
16. Carlee Jones 2:23.93
200 Fly
8. Emilie Desnoyers 2:02.81
3-meter
3. Alli Shereda 326.50#
4. Brielle Johnston 301.70#
6. Sophia Tsafantakis 281.50#
10. Emily Tubbs 281.65
13. Bethany Berger 266.80
14. Molly Miller 261.45
16. Mikela Schempf 220.90
ATHENS, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's swimming and diving team finished runner-up at the Mid-American Conference Championships for the fourth consecutive year. After the four-day meet, the Eagles finished the final day of competition Saturday, Feb. 24, at the Ohio Aquatic Center with a final score of 590.5.
Eastern Michigan saw junior Nicole Swartz (Dayton, Ohio-Centerville) honored as MAC Co-Swimmer of the Year and Mikela Schempf (Bowling Green, Ohio-Bowling Green) named MAC Freshman Diver of the Year. Meanwhile, Head Diving Coach Buck Smith was awarded his ninth MAC Diving Coach of the Year honor. EMU also had five swimmers reel in All-MAC honors. Junior Delaney Duncan (Galesburg, Ill.-Galesburg), Swartz, and Casey Gavigan (East Setauket, N.Y.-Ward Melville) were named First Team All-MAC, while Claire Young (Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich.-Grosse Pointe South) and Brielle Johnston (Ottawa, Ontario-Catholique Franco-Quest) were Second Team All-MAC honorees.
The championship heats began with the 1650 freestyle where Swartz picked up her third championship this week and defended her 2017 mile MAC title. Swartz could not be touched as she took the lead in the opening laps and never relinquished it, finishing over six seconds ahead of the runner-up with a career-best time of 16:18.82. Freshman Kaitlynd Scanlan (Waukesha, Wisc.-Pewaukee) narrowly edged out senior Sarah Dombkowski (Canton, Mich.-Plymouth) as she clocked a seventh-place time of 16:40.31, while Dombkowski turned in a career-best time of 16:41.95.
The Eagles scored major points in the 200 backstroke as sophomores Gavigan and Young swept the top-two spots. Gavigan shaved nearly three second off her prelim time en route to her first MAC championship title. The East Setauket, N.Y. native etched her name in the record book as her career-best time of 1:55.93 is now the fastest 200 back time in program history. Young followed right on her heels with a career-best time of 1:56.65, the second-fastest time in EMU's laurels.
Sophomore Amelia Armstrong-Grant (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Saline) was the lone Eagle in the 100 free championship heat. Armstrong-Grant turned in a time of 50.36 to lock up a seventh-place finish. In the consolation heats, senior Chase Walker (Virginia Beach, Va.-Landstown) and freshman Meike Staffeldt (Niedersachsen, Germany) both racked up points as they notched 13th and 15th places, respectively.
After setting a new program record during the 200 breaststroke prelim session, Duncan followed it up with a faster time in the championship heat. Duncan clocked a career-best time of 2:11.13, good for a second-place finish. Freshman Carlee Jones (Edgewood, Ky.-Notre Dame Academy), who swam in the 'B' final, closed out the event with a 16th-place finish.
In the 200 butterfly, Emilie Desnoyers (St. Albert, Alberta) secured a top-10 finish, clocking in at 2:02.81 for an eight-place finish.
Eastern Michigan's talented diving squad displayed its depth on the 3-meter. As a group, the Green and White placed all seven of its divers inside the top-16. Senior Alli Shereda (Fraser, Mich.-Fraser) led the way, placing third with a career-high score of 326.50. Behind Shereda was Johnston, who scored a 301.70. Fellow sophomore Sophia Tsafantakis (Washington, Mich.-Romeo) wrapped up a sixth-place finish with a score of 281.50, while seniors Emily Tubbs (Monroe, Mich.-Monroe) and Molly Miller (Farmington Hills, Mich.-Harrison), and freshmen Bethany Berger (Batavia, Ohio-Glen Este) and Schempf also turned in impressive scores in the consolation final.
The Eagles closed out the meet with a fourth-place finish in the 400 free relay, where the Green and White clocked in at 3:22.71.
Team Standings
1. Akron 827.5
2. Eastern Michigan 590.5
3. Buffalo 573
4. Miami 516
5. Bowling Green 333
6. Toledo 254
7. Ohio 253
8. Ball State 158
MAC Postseason Awards
Swimming Coach of the Year: Brian Peresie, Akron
Diving Coach of the Year: Buck Smith, Eastern Michigan
Co-Most Outstanding Swimmer: Paloma Marrero, Akron / Nicole Swartz, EMU
Co-Most Outstanding Diver: Pei Lin, Miami / Talisa Lemke, BGSU
Most Outstanding Senior: Pei Lin, Miami
Freshman Swimmer of the Year: Paulina Nogaj, Akron
Freshman Diver of the Year: Mikela Schempf, Eastern Michigan
All-MAC First Team
Delaney Duncan, Eastern Michigan
Nicole Swartz, Eastern Michigan
Casey Gavigan, Eastern Michigan
Paloma Marrero, Akron
Sadie Fasekas, Akron
Madison Myers, Akron
Paulina Nogaj, Akron
Ellie Nebraska, Akron
Jackie Pash, Akron
Mackenzie Vargas, Akron
Talisa Lemke, Bowling Green
Megan Burns, Buffalo
Hannah Miller, Buffalo
Ella Moynihan, Miami
Pei Lin, Miami
Corrin Van Lanen, Ohio
All-MAC Second Team
Claire Young, Eastern Michigan
Brielle Johnston, Eastern Michigan
Nicole Roitenberg, Buffalo
Brittany Beetcher, Buffalo
Morgan Waggoner, Akron
Holly Schuster, Miami
Andrea Ernst, Buffalo
Carolyn Junger, Miami
Izzy Jones, Toledo
Emma Bradley, Miami
Paula Garcia, Akron
Eve Kosten, Buffalo
Emily Zimcosky, Ohio
Anne Lochridge, Akron
Izzy Herb, Miami
Individual Results
*Denotes season-best
#Denotes career-best
1650 Free
1. Nicole Swartz 16:18.82#
7. Kaitlynd Scanlan 16:40.31#
8. Sarah Dombkowski 16:41.95#
12. Alyssa Shugarman 16:56.78#
200 Back
1. Casey Gavigan 1:55.93#
2. Claire Young 1:56.65#
11. Dora Vrcic 2:01.22#
100 Free
7. Amelia Armstong-Grant 50.36
13. Chase Walker 50.94
15. Meike Staffeldt 51.39#
200 Breast
2. Delaney Duncan 2:11.13#
16. Carlee Jones 2:23.93
200 Fly
8. Emilie Desnoyers 2:02.81
3-meter
3. Alli Shereda 326.50#
4. Brielle Johnston 301.70#
6. Sophia Tsafantakis 281.50#
10. Emily Tubbs 281.65
13. Bethany Berger 266.80
14. Molly Miller 261.45
16. Mikela Schempf 220.90
Players Mentioned
Free
/ Swimming & Diving
Diving
/ Swimming & Diving
Free
/ Swimming & Diving
Free
/ Swimming & Diving
Breast
/ Swimming & Diving
Back
/ Swimming & Diving
Diving
/ Swimming & Diving
Breast/IM
/ Swimming & Diving
Diving
/ Swimming & Diving
Free/IM
/ Swimming & Diving
Diving
/ Swimming & Diving
Diving
/ Swimming & Diving
Free
/ Swimming & Diving
Free
/ Swimming & Diving
Free/IM
/ Swimming & Diving
Diving
/ Swimming & Diving
Diving
/ Swimming & Diving
Free/Back
/ Swimming & Diving
Free/Fly/Back
/ Swimming & Diving
Back/IM
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