The Middlebury women’s swimming and diving team hosted the NESCAC tournament this past weekend, finishing in a solid third place. The meet ran from Friday until Sunday, and the competition was tight throughout the three days. In the days leading up the meet, the ladies were working hard and staying focused.
“There is not much to say pre-meet except that we are on edge and hyped,” said co-captain Katie Remington ’10 and Emma Johnson ’10 the day before competition. The senior leaders on the team kept up their energy throughout the week leading up to the meet, and fed their younger compatriots’ minds with what competing in the NESCAC meet is really all about: competition, excitement and tradition.
Williams came in first place, compiling a tally of 1,954 points. Amherst snuck into second with 1,376 points and Middlebury fell right behind them with 1,148 points.
There were many notable individual accomplishments on the Middlebury squad. Diver Megan Collins ’12 won the three-meter event and received 442.35 points, just missing the pool record of 444.65 points. She also took second in the one-meter dive and received Diver of the Meet honors. Additionally, the Middlebury diving coach, Lisa Gibbs, was named NESCAC diving coach of the year.
Several rookie swimmers turned in standout performances in the meet. Jen Friedlander ’13 had an impressive first NESCAC appearance, seizing the NESCAC title in the 1000-freestyle, finishing in 10:18.30 and breaking the pool record. In addition to capturing that title, she also placed second in the 200-intermedley. Rookie teammate Nora Daly ’13 had a successful weekend as well, capturing second in the 200-freestyle, third in the 50-freestyle, and third in the 100-freestyle.
Audrey Tolbert ’13 also had an impressive meet, as she proved her endurance finishing fifth in the 500-freestyle and sixth in the 1,650-freestyle.
The relay teams upheld this pattern of success as well. Most notably, the 800-freestyle relay team, comprised of Katherine Loftus ’12, Annie Friedlander ’11, Daly and Tolbert, came out victorious with a time of 7:35.33, breaking the school record by six seconds.
“Audrey Tolbert did an incredible job holding off one of the fastest D-III swimmers (from Williams) in the country as the anchor leg of that relay,” commented co-captain Katie Soja ’10. Additionally, the 200-medley relay team, which included Salena Casha ’13, Remington, Yu Wang ’10 and Friedlander, finished in a solid fourth place. The 400-freestyle relay team, comprised of Daly, Tolbert, Remington and Casha, finished in third place, as did the 200-freestyle team made up of Daly, Tolbert, Loftus and Remington.
“It was really incredible,” said Soja of the weekend. “I think we shocked a lot of teams, and beat a lot of people who were beating us earlier in the season.” The women’s team is happy to have had a successful season, and looks forward to cheering on the men’s team who will be competing at Williams in the NESCAC tournament
Women’s swimming & diving host NESCACs
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