Eagles Host Zips in Final Fall Conference Bout

Swimming and Diving vs. Akron
Date	Friday, Nov. 20 \| 3:30 p.m.
Venue	Ypsilanti, Mich. \| Jones Natatorium
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	EMUEagles.com \| MeetMobile
Twitter	@EMUSwimDive \| @EMUAthletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - Coming off a season-opening win versus Toledo, Nov. 6, the Eastern Michigan University swimming and diving team hosts the defending Mid-American Conference champion, University of Akron, Friday, Nov. 20 at Jones Natatorium. The first event is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.
   Per Eastern Michigan University and Mid-American Conference policies, no spectators will be allowed. Fans can follow the results via MeetMobile. In addition, times will also be posted to the team's twitter, @EMUSwimDive, throughout the meet.

SERIES HISTORY: The Eagles lead the all-time series against the Zips, 16-1. The lone loss came last season, Jan. 18, 2020, in Akron, Ohio. Eastern holds a 9-0 mark at Jones Natatorium against Akron, with a 6-1 record on the road. This season also marks the fourth time EMU has faced Akron as its second conference opponent of the season, after previously doing so in 2013, 2014, and 2017 (EMU is 3-0 in those meets).

LAST TIME AGAINST AKRON: Eastern and Akron dueled Jan. 18, 2020, at Ocasek Natatorium in Akron, Ohio. The Zips came away with the win, 175-125. The Green and White saw individual wins from senior Bethany Berger in both the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events, while also adding wins from Casey Gavigan and Alyssa Shugarman.

SCOUTING AKRON: Friday's meet against Eastern Michigan marks the first regular season competition for Akron after competing in an intrasquad scrimmage, the Zips Only Classic, Nov. 6-7.
   The Zips finished the 2019-20 season by capturing the MAC Swimming and Diving Championship crown, beating the field with 811.5 points. The win marked the program's seventh consecutive MAC title.

BLASTING OFF AGAINST THE ROCKETS: The Eagles opened their 2020-21 slate with a 134-104, Mid-American Conference victory over Toledo, Nov. 6 at Jones Natatorium. The Green and White earned eight wins, led by sophomore Lainie Bell with two, in addition to helping EMU to a win in the 200 medley relay. Senior Abby Rapien won the 1,000 free, while sophomore Hannah White picked up the win in the 100 butterfly. Senior Meike Staffeldt finished at the top of the podium in the 100 free. In two rounds of 1-meter diving, EMU's senior diving duo of Bethany Berger and Micaela Schempf each picked up a win.
   With the win, EMU moves to 13-9 all-time in conference lid lifters, and 4-0 against the Rockets in those contests. The Green and White is 25-17 all-time in season-opening dual meets.

GET IN THE ZONE: Senior Bethany Berger wasted no time in securing her spot in postseason competition. In the season-opening meet versus Toledo, Nov. 6, Berger scored a 292.21 in 1-meter diving, exceeding the 265 standard needed to qualify for the NCAA Zone C Diving Championships. Following the completion of the regular season, Berger will compete at the Zone C Championships, scheduled to occur in March, in Ann Arbor, Mich.

HOME SWEET JONES: Eastern Michigan has called Jones Natatorium home since 1982, so it's no surprise it has found success when competing there. At 20 meets, Eastern Michigan currently holds the fourth-longest dual meet home win streak in NCAA Division I. MAC opponents Akron (12) and Buffalo (11) both hold streaks of their own, with both of their last home losses coming at the hands of the Green and White.

NCAA Home Meet Dual Win Streaks

Rank	School	Win Streak	Last Loss
1	Boise State	27	177-111, Oregon State (Feb. 7, 2009)
2	Stanford	24	156-144, Texas (Oct. 30, 2014)
3	Liberty	21	132-73, Gardner-Webb (Nov. 6, 2010)
4	Eastern Michigan	20	175-113, Ohio State (Nov. 14, 2015)
5	Yale	18	196-157, Penn State (Jan. 15, 2016)
6	Princeton	16	173.5-126.5, Yale (Jan. 31, 2016)
7	Michigan	15	188-165, Virginia (Nov. 1, 2015)
t-8	San Diego State	13	153-147, Colorado State (Jan. 8, 2018, tri)
t-8	Texas	13	155-145, Georgia (Jan. 9 2016)
10	Akron	12	147-136, Eastern Michigan (Jan. 23, 2016)
t-11	Buffalo	11	164-139, Eastern Michigan (Jan. 28, 2017)
t-11	Notre Dame	11	211-136, Texas A&M (Oct. 14, 2017)

REWRITING THE RECORD BOOK: Eastern Michigan saw nine entries on the top-10 all-time performance list get added or improved during the 2019-20 season. Joining the list for the first time was then-freshman Savanna Mouat, who currently sits seventh all-time in the 500 free (4:49.64) and fifth all-time in the 1,650 free (16:35.44). Then-junior Riley Hofmann also found herself on the list for the first time, currently ranking fifth in the 200 fly (2:01.02) and sixth in the 400 IM (4:22.53). Then-junior Ali Staver added her name to the top 100 back performances, swimming to fifth (54.89), while also improving her standings in the 100 fly from sixth to third (54.49) and 200 fly from eighth to fourth (2:00.02). Lastly, classmate Alyssa Shugarman posted quicker marks in the 500 free (4:44.51) to move from fifth to second all-time, and in the 1,650 free (16:27.88) to improve to third place from eighth.

ROSTER RUNDOWN: Eastern Michigan swimming and diving returns 21 members from the 2019-20 squad for the 2020-21 season. Swimming added three freshman and one transfer (Lainie Bell) in the offseason, while diving brought in four freshman to round out the roster.

FROM THE WAC TO THE MAC: Joining the Eastern Michigan roster for the 2020-21 season is Lainie Bell, the 2020 Western Athletic Conference (WAC) champion in the 100 and 200 backstroke. Bell comes to Ypsilanti from Northern Arizona University.

ON THE HORIZON: Eastern will return to action in 2021. The Eagles' spring 2021 schedule will be released in the coming weeks. Stay tuned to EMUEagles.com and the team's twitter, @EMUSwimDive, for updates.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Lainie Bell

Bethany Berger

Casey Gavigan

Riley Hofmann

Sav Mouat

Abby Rapien

Micaela Schempf

Alyssa Shugarman

Meike Staffeldt

Ali Staver

Hannah White

Eastern Michigan Athletics