Miami (OH)
Behind three individual wins and a relay win, Miami’s women’s swimming and diving team cruised to victory at the Miami Invitational in the Nixon Aquatic Center.
The RedHawks finished with 2,332 total points after three days of competitive swimming. They defeated Illinois (1,704.5 points), Denison (1,388 points), Emory (1,374.5 points), Cincinnati (856 points), Ball State (711 points), Wright State (454 points) and Urbana (97 points).
Miami’s three individual wins came courtesy of freshman Elise Campbell, sophomore Aubrey Kluth and sophomore Emma Szczupakiewicz.
Campbell won the 100 freestyle with a time of 50.35, out-touching Emory’s second-place finisher. Campbell also was a member of Miami’s third-place finishing 200 medley relay team including freshman Stephanie LeMire, senior Cynthia Donovan and sophomore Betsy Zilch (1:43.00). Campbell was also the anchor leg of Miami’s first-place finishing 400 freestyle relay team of Campbell, junior Annie Marquiss, Donovan and sophomore Sara Krueger. Their time was 3:23.57, only twelve hundredths of a second before Illinois’ top relay team touched with a time of 3:23.69.
Kluth was victorious in the 200 IM, earning 36 points for the RedHawks with a time of 2:03.89. She also earned 16 points in the 500 freestyle with a thirteenth-place finish (4:59.65).
Szczupakiewicz swam the 200 backstroke with a time of 2:00.64, which earned her a first-place finish. She also contributed 23 points with a ninth-place finish in the 100 butterfly (57.12).
Other notable finishes were turned in by LeMire, who finished second in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:15.01.
Junior Stephanie Pearce also had a second-place finish in the 500 freestyle with a time of 4:54.08.
Friday December 6th.
A couple first-place finishes by the RedHawks have the women’s swimming and diving team in first-place following the second day of the Miami Invitational at the Nixon Aquatic Center.
The women have 1275 points as a team, followed up by Illinois (960.5), Denison (814), Emory (709), Cincinnati (527), Ball State (343.5), Wright State (275) and Urbana (59).
The relay team of senior Cynthia Donovan, sophomore Sara Krueger, sophomore Natalie Rohr and junior Annie Marquiss began the evening finals session with a win in the 200 freestyle relay and a time of 1:32.87.
Donovan went on to win the 50 freestyle (23.27), just out touching a Denison swimmer and Marquiss (23.44). Donovan also contributed to the 400 medley relay that finished in fifth (3:47.11) with senior Brianna Fujan, freshman Stephanie LeMire, sophomore Betsey Zilch.
Junior Aubrey Kluth was another RedHawk who pulled off a first-place finish with her’s coming in the 400 IM. Sophomore Shannon Ahearn, junior Stephanie Pearce, Fujan, sophomore Katie Blodgett and Kayla Scott finished ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth respectively.
Sophomore Emma Szczupakiewicz took first-place in the 200 butterfly with a time of 2:01.43. Freshman Kathleen Dodson was the seventh-place finisher with a time of 2:05.09.
Freshman Elise Campbell finished second in the 100 backstroke (55.51) and placed fourth in the 200 freestyle (1:50.30). Campbell also finished sixth in the 50 free with a time of 23.80.
Other notables include Fujan, who finished fourth in the 100 backstroke (56.22) and LeMire, who took third in the 100 breaststroke (1:02.77).
Thursday December 5th.
A dominating team effort in the 1650 freestyle has the Miami women’s swimming and diving team in first place following Thursday night’s session of the Miami Invitational at Nixon Aquatic Center.
Miami is currently leading with a team score of 278. Illinois is second with 195 points, Denison is third, Cincinnati is fourth and Wright State, Emory and Ball State round out the team rankings.
Junior Stephanie Pearce turned in a time of 16:35.64 and placed first in the 1650 freestyle, earning the RedHawks 36 points. Pearce was only five seconds slower than the Miami record of 16:30.70.
Junior Courtney Collett finished the 1650 freestyle in third with a time of 16:50.63. Sophomore Aubrey Kluth (17:00.17), freshman Julia Campbell (17:02.77), sophomore Kelly Rogers (17:04.08) and sophomore Shannon Ahearn (17:04.50) were seventh through tenth earning Miami 93 points combined. Junior Emma Craig also finished twentieth (17:46.59) earning the RedHawks another eight points.
The relay team of Julia Campbell, freshman Elise Campbell, sophomore Sara Krueger and seniorBrianna Fujan placed third in the 800 freestyle relay with a time of 7:26.38. Junior Whitney Mitchell, sophomore Natalie Rohr, sophomore Betsy Zilch and Pearce earned 54 points by finishing fifth (7:29.75).
Illinois
The Fighting Illini swimming and diving team completed the final day of competition at the Miami (OH) Invitational finishing second out eight teams with 1704.5 points. Host team Miami (OH) finished in first with 2332 points, followed by Denison (1388), Emory (1374.5), Cincinnati (856), Ball State (711), Wright State (454) and Urbana (97).
"The team stepped up and had another strong day in the pool," head coach Sue Novitsky said. "I was impressed with the ladies overall level of toughness mentally and physically each session. The athletes continued to make adjustments from race to race and that is a big improvement for us and shows that we are maturing as athletes and as a team."
The Illini claimed two more event victories and added 11 more lifetime best swims on the day, totaling 31 lifetime bests accomplished by the Orange and Blue at the Nixon Aquatic Center.
Highlighting the day was a first-place finish in the 200 Medley Relay by Alison Meng, Erica Lynn, Lori Lynn and Courtney Pope. Their season best time of 1:42.71 was the third fastest in Illini history.
Alison Meng claimed her ninth event victory on the season, taking first in the 100 fly with a time of 55.25 - placing her second on Illinois' all-time fastest individuals list.
Continuing their relay success at the invitational, the Illini took second in the 400-freestyle relay with the seventh fastest time in Illini history (3:23.69) by Alison Meng, Courtney Pope, Jessica Holz and Megan Marchuk. The Orange and Blue claimed an impressive three victories and two second-place finishes in relay events at the invitational.
Jessica Holz also swam a second-place finish in the 200 back with a time of 2:00.64.
Third place finishers for the Illini included Gabbie Stecker in the 500 free, with at time of 4:55.45 that placed her sixth on Illinois' all-time fastest individuals list, and Courtney Pope in the 100 free with a time of 51.09.
Alison Meng took fourth in the 100 free with a time of 51.28, while prelim time of 50.81 moved into sixth on the all-time fastest individuals list. Other fourth-place finishers for the Illini included Lori Lynn in the 100 fly (56.21) and 200 IM (2:05.74).
Erica Lynn took fifth in the 200 breast with a time of 2:17.01 - improving her fourth place time on the fastest individuals list. Sarah Sykstus also had a fifth-place finish in the 100 fly (56.25).
On the boards, Olivia Kassouni led the Illini with a 12th place finish (240.75) in the 1-meter dive. Erika Murphy followed finishing 18th (226.40), while Emily Fun finished 21st (219.60).
"We are in a good place heading into the second part of the season," Novitsky said. "Now we will get back to work in the pool and continue to work on making improvements."
Seniors Bridgette Ruehl and Haley Richter finished first and second in their respective races to lead the Ball State women’s swimming and diving to a sixth place finish at the Miami Invitational. Several Cardinals claimed season-bests, lifetime bests and notched their names in the Ball State record book.
Ruehl remains undefeated in the event finals in the breaststroke. Saturday saw the senior clock a season-best time of 2:12.61 in the 200 breast for her sixth win in the event this season. Richter finished second in the 100 fly posting a time of 55.76 which ties her season best of the season.
Freshmen Katie Horn and Allie Kolz claimed lifetime best in their respective events. Horn swam a 55.62 in the 100 fly event finals to claim 18th place. The time marks the fourth-best time in Ball State history. Kolz made it to the event finals of the 200 back where she clocked a 2:05.91.
Junior Jordan VanWinkle added her name to the Ball State record book after posting a season-best time of 5:04.58 in the event finals of the 500 free. VanWinkle’s time ranks 10th in Ball State history.
The 200 medley relay of Kolz, Ruehl, Richter and VanWinkle posted the seventh-fastest time in BSU history with a 1:45.21.
Cardinals that advanced to the event finals include senior Emily Wisolek who clocked a 2:07.16 in the 200 back. In the 200 breast, senior Sumaiyah Ahmad posted a season-best time of 2:23.65 in the event finals.
In the 500 free event finals senior Cheyanne Jackson followed up her season-best preliminary time of 5:04.71 with a 5:05.58. Junior Kayla Hussey posted a season-best time in her preliminary heat (5:08.50) before clocking a 5:12.42 in the event finals. Junior Leighann Mattson improved on her season-best time by posting a 5:05.35.
Rodawig made it to the event finals in the 100 fly where she finished with a season-best time of 57.44. Freshman Jessica Extine also advanced to the evening finals where she clocked a season-best time of 58.56.
In the 100 free event finals, Rodawig and Richter clocked times of 52.31 and 52.38 respectively. Rodawig posted a season-best time earlier in the day after touching at 52.07 in the preliminaries.
The 400 free relay of VanWinkle, Rodawig, Extine and Richter finished eighth with a 3:31.05.
Other Cardinals who posted season-bests on Saturday include: freshman Kimberly Scott with a 2:12.39 in the 200 back and a 2:13.29 in the 200 IM, sophomore Larah Beaver with a 2:13.40 in the 200 back, freshman Genevieve Hayes with a 2:13.57 in the 200 back, junior Carlena Magley with a 52.80 in the 100 free, Extine with a 53.06 in the 100 free, junior Elaine Pitsas with a 53.31 in the 100 free, freshman Kara Berg with a 54.21 in the 100 free, freshman Courtney Mudd with a 56.36, VanWinkle with a 2:10.22 in the 200 IM, Horn with a 2:12.95 in the 200 IM and Kolz with a 2:14.76 in the 200 IM.
The Ball State women’s swimming and diving team will take a break for competition and will resume on Friday, Jan. 10 when it travels down to Indianapolis to battle IUPUI and Xavier. The meet is set for 6 p.m.
