The Randolph-Macon College women's swimming team hosted the 2005 Yellow Jacket Invitational Friday and Saturday, December 2nd and 3rd, at the Estes Pool in the Brock Sports and Recreation Center. In the women's team standings, the host Yellow Jackets placed first (500.50 points), Goucher College was second (328.50 points), and Hood College finished third (239.50 points). Meanwhile, on the men's side, Virginia Military Institute was the first-place team (548 points), Hood College placed second (354 points), and Goucher College was third (246.50 points).

Individually on the women's side, Randolph-Macon College senior Erin Ewalt and junior Kim Edmonds from Randolph-Macon Woman's College tied for first-place in high points with 48 each from three individual race wins. There was a three-way tie in the men's standings, also each with three individual victories for 48 total points - Virginia Military Institute junior Stuart Craft, Hood College sophomore Jason Kinder, and Hood freshman Jimmy Shea.

Three Estes Pool records were set, all on Friday evening. In the women's 200 medley relay, Randolph-Macon College's Ewalt joined with sophomores Maureen McLaughlin and Randi Smith and freshman Shafer Busch to break the record with a time of 1:54.23. Hood's Shea set the record in the men's 400 individual medley with a 4:39.44. Edmonds from Randolph-Macon Woman's College is the new pool record-holder in the women's 100 breaststroke, with a 1:09.23. In another race in Ashland just two weeks earlier, Edmonds had set the pool record in the 200 breaststroke (2:30.78).

For Randolph-Macon College, following Ewalt's first-place individual finish, several other swimmers did very well. Busch and sophomore Aimee Powell each tied for third place with 44 points. McLaughlin finished fifth with 40 points. Freshman Meredith Walters placed ninth with 37.50 points. Smith and junior Heather Porter each tied for tenth place with 35 points.

All five Randolph-Macon College relay teams placed first, including the pool record-setting 200 medley relay mentioned earlier in this story. In the 200 free relay, Busch, Walters, Ewalt, and McLaughlin had a time of 1:43.78. The 800 free relay tandem of Walters, sophomore Michelle Markwith, Porter, and Powell finished in 8:35.74. The team of freshman Laura Belch, sophomore Kim Schneller, Busch, and Powell had a time of 4:30.04 in the 400 medley relay. And finally, the 400 free relay team of McLaughlin, Markwith, Walters, and Ewalt finished with a 3:51.00.

Individually for Randolph-Macon College, Ewalt's first-place finishes included the 400 individual medley (4:46.10), the 100 backstroke (1:01.94), and the 200 back (2:10.81). Powell won the 200 freestyle (2:05.38) and 1650 free (19:00.23), and was third in the 400 IM (5:04.56). Busch was also first in two individual events -- the 100 butterfly (1:01.45) and the 200 fly (2:23.51) -- and was third in the 200 IM (2:21.45).

Meanwhile, McLaughlin was first in the 50 free (:26.27), second in the 200 IM (2:21.04), and fourth in the 100 breaststroke (1:14.12). Walters won the 100 free (:58.26), finished second in the 200 free (2:06.05), and was fifth in the 200 IM (2:28.30).

Also for the Yellow Jackets, Smith placed second in the 200 breaststroke (2:39.89), third in the 100 breast (1:13.27), and fifth in the 50 free (:27.08). Porter was second in the 500 free (5:48.98) and fourth in both the 200 free (2:09.10) and the 1650 free (20:27.12).

In addition for Randolph-Macon, Markwith finished fourth in the 200 back, seventh in the 100 back, and eighth in the 100 free. Belch was sixth in the 100 back and eighth in the 200 back. Schneller finished eighth in the 200 breaststroke.