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Ohio finished third overall in the final team standings with 510.5 points, while Bowling Green took fourth (390.5). Toledo (374) and Ball State (365.5) finished fifth and sixth, respectively, while the Zips (351) and Buffalo (180.5) rounded out the field.
EMU's Madeleine Pilchard was named the Outstanding Swimmer Of The Meet after sweeping the three Freestyle events, including Saturday night's 100 Free. EMU mentor Peter Linn was named Coach Of The Year for the second consecutive season, and diving head man Loren "Buck" Smith was tabbed Diving Coach Of The Year. Akron's Megan Walters was tabbed the league's 2005-06 Outstanding Senior Swimmer.
In the morning preliminary heats, the 200-yard Backstroke, 100 Freestyle, 200 Breaststroke and 200 Butterfly were the scheduled events. Ohio sophomore Emily Wylam, who set a new MAC record in the 100 Backstroke Friday, led off the session with the top time in the 200 Back with a pool record 2:01.21. In the ensuing 100 Freestyle, Toledo's Leah Woodard captured the Ocasek Natatorium record in the 100 Freestyle with a 50.96 mark, but held the record for just one heat, as Pilchard followed with a 50.56 to claim top-seed honors.
Miami sophomore Kristen Bezier set another pool record in the 200 Breaststroke in 2:20.30. Akron's Danielle Beland wrapped the session with the top time in the 200 Butterfly in 2:02.74.
The evening session began at 5 p.m. to accommodate the the opening three rounds of the 1,650-yard freestyle (one-mile). Miami's Jenn Flaherty garnered the top seed based on her regular season conference-best time, and was among the entries to the championship heat, which opened the 7 p.m. session. Ohio's Courtney Gallo captured the individual championship as part of the heat with a pool record time of 17:01.46. Flaherty finished second in 17:04.95, and Bowling Green's Caroline Keating touched the wall in 17:05.73 for a third-place showing.
Wylam clinched the backstroke event sweep with a win in the ensuing 200 back (2:00.98). Ohio sophomore Sigal Simsolo followed in second with a mark of 2:02.82, while Ball State's Brittany Sayler claimed third-place honors in 2:03.80.
Pilchard (50.48) narrowly edged Woodard (51.15) in the 100 Free. Miami's Margaret Patrick kept the RedHawks in the decisive lead with her third-place tally in 51.49.
Bezier secured the breaststroke sweep with a pool record 2:19.23 triumph in the 200 Breast, beating out Akron's Melissa Young (2:20.87) and Ohio sophomore Michaela Hahn-Lawson.
Top-seeded Beland ended the swimming portion of the championship with a pool record 2:01.04 victory in the 200 Butterfly, clinching the event sweep. Miami's Katherine Forster finished second in 2:04.33, while BGSU's Dana Schultz collected a third-place tally in 2:04.65.
Entering the ensuing diving portion of the meet (3-meter), Miami held a 561.5-531.5 lead over the Eagles. In the three-meter competition, EMU placed three divers in the top five, with freshman Becky Renkola leading the way with a meet second-best 320.85 score, good enough for second-place overall. Akron freshman Katie Carter set a school, pool and new MAC meet record 335.85 mark, taking home top honors.
Even with EMU's scoring depth in the three-meter, the Eagles held just a two-point edge (417.5-415.5) over second-place Miami heading into the final event, setting up one of the most anticipated endings to a championship in league history in the 400 Freestyle Relay. But Eastern answered the call, as the foursome of Catherine Lee Ha, Katie Benedict, Alissa Ricard and Pilchard clinched the team title with a pool record time of 3:24.97 to finish first, outpacing second-place Toledo (3:27.72) and the third-place RedHawks (3:27.78). In the end, the Eagles claimed the 11-point team victory.
Coach Of The Year: Peter Linn, Eastern Michigan Diving Coach Of The Year: Buck Smith, Eastern Michigan Swimmer Of The Year: Madeleine Pilchard, Eastern Michigan Diver Of The Year: Christin Eberst, Miami ALL-MAC FIRST TEAM Madeleine Pilchard, So., EMU Danielle Beland, Jr., Akron Ashley Marion, Fr., Ohio Emily Wylam, So., Ohio Michaela Hahn-Lawson, So., Ohio Kristen Bezier, So., Miami Leah Woodard, So., Toledo Caroline Keating, Jr., BGSU Mary Brinkoetter, Jr., Ball State Megan Walters, Sr., Akron Katie Forster, Sr., Miami Ilse Peterson, So., Ohio Addison Del Rio, So., Ball State Courtney Gallo, Fr., Ohio Katie Carter, Fr., Akron Sarah Chrzanowski, Jr., EMU ALL-MAC SECOND TEAM Brittany Sayler, Jr., Ball State Lauren Evonosky, So., Miami Stephanie Buckner, Sr., BGSU Melissa Young, Jr., Akron Margaret Patrick, Jr., Miami Lindsey Hayden, Fr., EMU Christin Eberst, Sr., Miami Ashley Tremblay, So., Toledo Claire Letendre, Jr., EMU Chantelle Lonsdale, Fr., EMU Malarie Schmidt, Fr., Miami Kara Ohngren, Sr., BGSU Gretchen Plamondon, Sr., EMU Dana Schultz, Sr., BGSU Sigal Simsolo, So., Ohio Catherine Lee Ha, Fr., EMU Becky Renkola, Fr., EMU Darcy Meek, Jr., Miami
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