James Madison swimming and diving celebrated Senior Day at Savage Natatorium with a 202-90 dual-meet win over Georgetown Saturday afternoon. The Dukes honored the five seniors participating in their final home meet of their careers by winning 15 of 16 events in a dominating performance.
Prior to the meet, Madison honored seniors Addy Morrison (Williamsburg, Va./Bruton), Shannon Dubay (South Windsor, Conn./South Windsor), Morgan Johnson (Woodstock, Ga./Woodstock), Mary Gargula (Richmond, Va./James River) and Kelsey Holmgaard (Roanoke, Va./George Mason) with a recognition and flowers as part of the celebration.
JMU had 12 different people win individual events, including three by seniors. Junior Susanne Gingher (Boalsburg, Pa./State College Area) was the only swimmer to win multiple events as she claimed victories in the 100-yard backstroke and the 100-yard freestyle. She placed first in the 100 back with a career-best time of 57.46 which is good for the ninth-fastest time in school history. In the 100 freestyle Gingher paced the field with a time of 52.11.
Morrison, Johnson and Holmgaard all claimed event wins for the senior class with Morrison timing a 2:24.56 to win the 200-yard breaststroke. Johnson won the 500-yard freestyle by touching the wall first at 5:06.06 while Holmgaard won the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:54.13.
On the diving boards junior Alex Savage (Carrolton, Texas/Lewisville Hebron) picked up her first first-place showing of the season with a victory on the one-meter board. She scored a 293.77 to post an NCAA Zone Diving qualifying score. The Dukes had the top four finishers in the event with sophomore Taryn McLaughlin (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson), sophomore Carly Alexander (Plantation, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas) and freshman Olivia Lehman (Dayton, Ohio/Centreville) placing second, third and fourth, respectively. On the three-meter board, it was McLaughlin claiming first with a career-best score of 316.05. Alexander was second with 266.17 points with Lehman finishing third with a score of 254.40.
Other first place showings from Madison came from juniors Aimee Hooper (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) and Melissa Criscuolo (Point Pleasant, N.J./Point Pleasant) and sophomores Kacy Edsall (Roanoke, Va./William Byrd), Camilla Czulada (Sinking Spring, Pa./Wilson), Amanda Presgraves (Leesburg, Va./Tuscarora) and Kristen Zielinski (Chesapeake, Va./Grassfield (Nova Southeastern)). Hooper won the 1,000 freestyle (10:25.68) with Criscuolo claiming the 200 butterfly (2:08.71) and Edsall winning the 200 backstroke (2:08.69). Czulada was victorious in the 50 freestyle sprint with a time of 24.08. Presgraves won the 100 breaststroke (1:06.93) followed by Zielinski touching the wall first in the 200 individual medley (2:10.07).
In the relay events, the JMU team of Edsall, Gargula, sophomore Ashley Clark (Manassas, Va./Osbourn Park) and Czulada paced the field with a time of 1:46.48 to finish first in the 200-yard medley relay. The Dukes closed the meet with a win 400 freestyle relay led by Czulada, sophomores Jennifer Vieni (Mechanicsville, Va./Lee Davis), Cameron Martin (Holly Springs, N.C./Holly Springs) and Hooper recording a relay time of 3:37.03.
JMU’s senior class improve to 17-2 all-time in home dual meets and 39-12 overall.
The Dukes return to the pool next Saturday as they travel to Pittsburgh for a double-dual meet with Pitt and Denison.
