Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, February 29
Buffalo, N.Y.
All Day
Eastern Michigan University
vs
MAC Championships
Swim and Dive Takes Third Place at MAC Championships
2/29/2020 10:25:00 PM | Swimming & Diving
Eastern finished with 485 points and two individual titles
BUFFALO, N.Y. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University swimming and diving team finished in third place at the 2020 Mid-American Conference Championships, Feb. 29, at the University at Buffalo Alumni Arena Pool. The University of Akron won the 2020 title with 811.5 points, while the University at Buffalo finished in the runner-up spot with 738.5 points. EMU ended with 485 points.
For the second time this meet, junior Alyssa Shugarman (Oswego, Ill.-Oswego) found herself at the top of the podium, this time in the 1,650 yard freestyle. The junior claimed her second individual MAC title of her career, with a time of 16:29.68.
Eastern Michigan has won at least two individual MAC titles at each MAC Championship since 2016, marking the fifth consecutive season the Eagles have accomplished the feat.
Also in the 1650 free, freshman Savanna Mouat (Tecumseh, Ontario-All Saints) posted the fifth-fastest time in program history at 16:35.44 and earned third place in the A final. Junior Abby Rapien (Cincinnati, Ohio-Taylor) also scored for EMU in the A final, earning seventh place with a career-best swim of 16:57.88.
In the diving well, senior Sophia Tsafantakis (Washington, Mich.-Romeo) earned her highest career finish at the MAC Championships, taking second place in 3-meter diving with a score of 302.22. Juniors Micaela Schempf (Bowling Green, Ohio-Bowling Green) and Bethany Berger (Batavia, Ohio-Glen Este) also earned career-best finishes in the event with scores of 285.96 and 279.36, respectively, for fourth and fifth place.
For the second consecutive day, senior Claire Young (Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich.-Grosse Pointe South) finished runner-up in backstroke, this time in the 200 yard event. Young finished with a time of 1:55.34, while classmate Casey Gavigan (East Setauket, N.Y.-Ward Melville) took eighth place in the A final at 2:00.54.
Following the meet, Eastern Michigan Head Diving Coach Buck Smith was named the MAC Diving Coach of the Year for the fourth consecutive season and the 11th-overall time in his career.
Final Team Standings
1. Akron – 811.5
2. Buffalo 738.5
3. Eastern Michigan - 485
4. Miami - 408
5. Bowling Green -293.5
6. Toledo - 283
7. Ohio – 262.5
8. Ball State - 223
MAC Women's Swimming Coach of the Year
Andy Bashor, Buffalo
MAC Women's Diving Coach of the Year
Buck Smith, Eastern Michigan
Most Outstanding Swimmer
Sarah Watson, Akron
Most Outstanding Diver
Talisa Lemke, BGSU
Most Outstanding Senior
Talisa Lemke, BGSU
Co-Freshman Swimmers of the Year
Weronika Goecka, Akron
Emma Fortman, Ohio
Freshman Diver of the Year
Tori Franz, Buffalo
All-MAC First Team
Jessica Bonezzi, Akron
Paula Garcia, Akron
Paulina Nogaj, Akron
Sarah Watson, Akron
Talisa Lemke, Bowling Green
Daisy Platts, Bowling Green
Brittney Beetcher, Buffalo
Toni Naccarella, Buffalo
Katie Pollock, Buffalo
Olivia Sapio, Buffalo
Nicole Roitenberg, Buffalo
Alyssa Shugarman, EMU
Claire Young, EMU
Camila Lins de Mello, Miami
Izzy Jones, Toledo
All-MAC Second Team
Andrea Fischer, Akron
Olivia Gardner, Akron
Weronika Gorecka, Akron
Sofia Henell, Akron
Brooke Lamoureux, Akron
Mackenzie Vargas, Akron
Morgan Waggoner, Akron
Katie Burns, Buffalo
Andrea Ernst, Buffalo
Tori Franz, Buffalo
Jillian Lawton, Buffalo
Ali Staver, Eastern Michigan
Sophia Tsafantakis, Eastern Michigan
Emma Fortman, Ohio
Hannah Fuchs, Ohio
Katie Garrity, Ohio
MAC Championships Results
February 29, 2020
200 Yard Backstroke (Prelims)
4. Claire Young – 1:58.18
7. Casey Gavigan – 1:59.11
17. Avrie Stewart – 2:01.76
Ex. Sydney Thomas – 2:01.88
Ex. Amelia Kinnard – 2:04.91
100 Yard Freestyle (Prelims)
9. Amelia Armstrong-Grant – 50.53
14. Meike Staffeldt – 51.12
19. Rachel Stark – 51.78
Ex. Carlin Hudson – 51.79
Ex. Arianna Ortiz – 54.15
200 Yard Breaststroke (Prelims)
18. Carlee Jones – 2:21.51
19. Elli Machado – 2:22.01
Ex. Aleida Wilkins – 2:22.12
200 Yard Butterfly (Prelims)
10. Ali Staver – 2:01.43
18. Marcella Da Costa – 2:04.95
19. Riley Hofmann – 2:05.17
25. Hannah White – 2:07.09
Ex. Kylie Sutherlin – 2:06.34
1650 Yard Freestyle (Finals)
1. Alyssa Shugarman – 16:29.68
3. Savanna Mouat – 16:35.44
7. Abby Rapien – 16:57.88
11. Morgan Booth – 17:12.67
17. Marcella Da Costa – 17:41.29
200 Yard Backstroke (Finals)
2. Claire Young – 1:55.34
8. Casey Gavigan – 2:00.54
16. Avrie Stewart – 2:07.97
100 Yard Freestyle (Finals)
12. Meike Staffeldt – 50.93
13. Amelia Armstrong-Grant – 51.01
200 Yard Butterfly (Finals)
10. Ali Staver – 2:00.02
3-meter Diving (Finals)
2. Sophia Tsafantakis – 302.22
4. Micaela Schempf – 285.96
5. Bethany Berger – 279.36
400 Freestyle Relay
5. Eastern Michigan – 3:24.45
For the second time this meet, junior Alyssa Shugarman (Oswego, Ill.-Oswego) found herself at the top of the podium, this time in the 1,650 yard freestyle. The junior claimed her second individual MAC title of her career, with a time of 16:29.68.
Eastern Michigan has won at least two individual MAC titles at each MAC Championship since 2016, marking the fifth consecutive season the Eagles have accomplished the feat.
Also in the 1650 free, freshman Savanna Mouat (Tecumseh, Ontario-All Saints) posted the fifth-fastest time in program history at 16:35.44 and earned third place in the A final. Junior Abby Rapien (Cincinnati, Ohio-Taylor) also scored for EMU in the A final, earning seventh place with a career-best swim of 16:57.88.
In the diving well, senior Sophia Tsafantakis (Washington, Mich.-Romeo) earned her highest career finish at the MAC Championships, taking second place in 3-meter diving with a score of 302.22. Juniors Micaela Schempf (Bowling Green, Ohio-Bowling Green) and Bethany Berger (Batavia, Ohio-Glen Este) also earned career-best finishes in the event with scores of 285.96 and 279.36, respectively, for fourth and fifth place.
For the second consecutive day, senior Claire Young (Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich.-Grosse Pointe South) finished runner-up in backstroke, this time in the 200 yard event. Young finished with a time of 1:55.34, while classmate Casey Gavigan (East Setauket, N.Y.-Ward Melville) took eighth place in the A final at 2:00.54.
Following the meet, Eastern Michigan Head Diving Coach Buck Smith was named the MAC Diving Coach of the Year for the fourth consecutive season and the 11th-overall time in his career.
Final Team Standings
1. Akron – 811.5
2. Buffalo 738.5
3. Eastern Michigan - 485
4. Miami - 408
5. Bowling Green -293.5
6. Toledo - 283
7. Ohio – 262.5
8. Ball State - 223
MAC Women's Swimming Coach of the Year
Andy Bashor, Buffalo
MAC Women's Diving Coach of the Year
Buck Smith, Eastern Michigan
Most Outstanding Swimmer
Sarah Watson, Akron
Most Outstanding Diver
Talisa Lemke, BGSU
Most Outstanding Senior
Talisa Lemke, BGSU
Co-Freshman Swimmers of the Year
Weronika Goecka, Akron
Emma Fortman, Ohio
Freshman Diver of the Year
Tori Franz, Buffalo
All-MAC First Team
Jessica Bonezzi, Akron
Paula Garcia, Akron
Paulina Nogaj, Akron
Sarah Watson, Akron
Talisa Lemke, Bowling Green
Daisy Platts, Bowling Green
Brittney Beetcher, Buffalo
Toni Naccarella, Buffalo
Katie Pollock, Buffalo
Olivia Sapio, Buffalo
Nicole Roitenberg, Buffalo
Alyssa Shugarman, EMU
Claire Young, EMU
Camila Lins de Mello, Miami
Izzy Jones, Toledo
All-MAC Second Team
Andrea Fischer, Akron
Olivia Gardner, Akron
Weronika Gorecka, Akron
Sofia Henell, Akron
Brooke Lamoureux, Akron
Mackenzie Vargas, Akron
Morgan Waggoner, Akron
Katie Burns, Buffalo
Andrea Ernst, Buffalo
Tori Franz, Buffalo
Jillian Lawton, Buffalo
Ali Staver, Eastern Michigan
Sophia Tsafantakis, Eastern Michigan
Emma Fortman, Ohio
Hannah Fuchs, Ohio
Katie Garrity, Ohio
MAC Championships Results
February 29, 2020
200 Yard Backstroke (Prelims)
4. Claire Young – 1:58.18
7. Casey Gavigan – 1:59.11
17. Avrie Stewart – 2:01.76
Ex. Sydney Thomas – 2:01.88
Ex. Amelia Kinnard – 2:04.91
100 Yard Freestyle (Prelims)
9. Amelia Armstrong-Grant – 50.53
14. Meike Staffeldt – 51.12
19. Rachel Stark – 51.78
Ex. Carlin Hudson – 51.79
Ex. Arianna Ortiz – 54.15
200 Yard Breaststroke (Prelims)
18. Carlee Jones – 2:21.51
19. Elli Machado – 2:22.01
Ex. Aleida Wilkins – 2:22.12
200 Yard Butterfly (Prelims)
10. Ali Staver – 2:01.43
18. Marcella Da Costa – 2:04.95
19. Riley Hofmann – 2:05.17
25. Hannah White – 2:07.09
Ex. Kylie Sutherlin – 2:06.34
1650 Yard Freestyle (Finals)
1. Alyssa Shugarman – 16:29.68
3. Savanna Mouat – 16:35.44
7. Abby Rapien – 16:57.88
11. Morgan Booth – 17:12.67
17. Marcella Da Costa – 17:41.29
200 Yard Backstroke (Finals)
2. Claire Young – 1:55.34
8. Casey Gavigan – 2:00.54
16. Avrie Stewart – 2:07.97
100 Yard Freestyle (Finals)
12. Meike Staffeldt – 50.93
13. Amelia Armstrong-Grant – 51.01
200 Yard Butterfly (Finals)
10. Ali Staver – 2:00.02
3-meter Diving (Finals)
2. Sophia Tsafantakis – 302.22
4. Micaela Schempf – 285.96
5. Bethany Berger – 279.36
400 Freestyle Relay
5. Eastern Michigan – 3:24.45
Players Mentioned
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