By Olivia Kiespert
Rice claimed the 2014 Conference USA Women's Swimming and Diving Championship, repeating as league-winner with 1,000 points and earning the school's third title in four years. The Owls won 11 of the meet's events and were a perfect 5-for-5 in the relays. FIU came in second with 740 points, while East Carolina took third place with a score of 700.
Junior Casey Clark of Rice was tabbed C-USA Swimmer of the Meet after earning a meet-best seven gold medals; three individual and four on relays. Clark recorded NCAA B provisional times in the 100-yard butterfly (53.15) and the 200-yard freestyle (1:46.98), as well as the 800-yard freestyle relay (7:12.29). She also claimed top honors in the 200-yard butterfly (1:59.20), the 200-yard medley relay (1:39.33), the 400-yard freestyle relay (3:19.32) and the 400-yard medley relay (3:39.00). Clark helped to accumulate 264 team points for the Owls.
FIU senior Sabrina Beaupre was selected C-USA Diver of the Meet after a pair to top-finishes. Beaupre dominated the competition in both the one-meter and platform diving events, winning by 32.95 points and 69.85 points, respectively. She took runner-up honors in the three-meter event, missing out on first place by six-tenths of a point.
Seth Huston of Rice was selected Swimming Coach of the Year for the fourth time in five years (2010, 2011, 2013). Diving Coach of the Year went to Rio Ramirez of FIU.
2014 Conference USA Swimming and Diving Championship Team Scores
1. Rice - 1000 points
2. FIU - 740 points
3. East Carolina - 700 points
4. Western Kentucky - 686 points
5. North Texas - 571 points
6. Tulane - 463 points
7. Florida Atlantic - 438.50 points
8. Old Dominion - 415 points
9. Marshall - 328.50 points
2014 Conference USA Swimming and Diving Specialty Award Winners
Women's Swimmer of the Meet: Casey Clark, Rice
Women's Diver of the Meet: Sabrina Beaupre, FIU
Women's Swimming Coach of the Year: Seth Huston, Rice
Women's Diving Coach of the Year: Rio Ramirez, FIU
2014 Conference USA Swimming and Diving Event Champions
200-yard medley relay - Rice (Shelly Patton, Rachel Moody, Casey Clark, Cora McKenzie), 1:39.33
800-yard freestyle relay - Rice (Casey Clark, Taylor Armstrong, Erin Flanigan, Karina Wlostowska), 7:12.29 (NCAA B)
500-yard freestyle - Erin Flanigan, Rice, 4:44.53 (NCAA B)
200-yard IM - Johanna Gustafsdottir, FIU, 1:57.94 (NCAA B), meet record
50-yard freestyle - Mia Schachter, Tulane, 22.90 (NCAA B)
3-meter diving - Rachel Eckert, Old Dominion, 294.30
200-yard freestyle relay - Rice (Cora McKenzie, Marissa Konicke, Chelsea Fong, Kimberly Steinhouse), 1:31.52
400-yard IM - Sonia Perez Arau, FIU, 4:12.11 (NCAA B), meet record
100-yard butterfly - Casey Clark, Rice, 53.15 (NCAA B)
1-meter diving - Sabrina Beaupre, FIU, 300.85
200-yard freestyle - Casey Clark, Rice, 1:46.98 (NCAA B)
100-yard breaststroke - Megan Sellers, ECU, 1:00.42 (NCAA B), meet record
100-yard backstroke - Nadine Laemmler, Western Kentucky, 53.68 (NCAA B)
400-yard medley relay - Rice (Casey Clark, Rachel Moody, Marissa Konicke, Chelsea Fong), 3:39.00
1650-yard freestyle - Erin Flanigan, Rice, 16:24.94 (NCAA B)
Platform diving - Sabrina Beaupre, FIU, 298.40
200-yard backstroke - Johanna Gustafsdottir, FIU, 1:55.05 (NCAA B)
100-yard freestyle - Cora McKenzie, Rice, 49.76 (NCAA B)
200-yard breaststroke - Claire Conlon, Western Kentucky, 2:11.42 (NCAA B)
200-yard butterfly - Casey Clark, Rice, 1:59.20
400-yard freestyle relay - Rice (Cora McKenzie, Casey Clark, Marissa Konicke, Karina Wlostowska), 3:19.32
Western Kentucky won the Men's Invitational with 1,225 points. East Carolina was second with 1,038 points, and Old Dominion came in third (1,034.50).
Hilltopper standout freshman Fabian Schwingenschloegl earned Swimmer of the Meet honors after nabbing three individual titles as well as three relay wins. Schwingenschloegl earned automatic qualification to the NCAA Championships in March in the 100-yard breaststroke, touching the wall with a time of 52.52. He also posted wins in the 200-yard IM, 200-yard breaststroke, 200-yard free relay, 200-yard medley relay and 400-yard medley relay. Schwingenschloegl factored in 216 of the Owls' total team points.
Junior Gregory Cox of Florida Atlantic was chosen as the Men's Invitational Diver of the Meet after collecting two first-place finishes as well as a silver medal. Cox won the three-meter event with 351.60 points and topped the field in the platform dive with a score of 269.75. He finished second in the one-meter dive (296.05).
Western Kentucky's Bruce Marchionda earned his second consecutive Swimming Coach of the Year honor, while Florida Atlantic's Michelle Davison-Sandelin garnered Diving Coach of the Year accolades.
Men's Invitational Team Scores
1. Western Kentucky - 1,225 points
2. East Carolina - 1,038 points
3. Old Dominion - 1,034.50 points
4. Florida Atlantic - 782.50 points
Men's Swimmer of the Meet: Fabian Schwingenschloegl, Western Kentucky
Men's Diver of the Meet: Gregory Cox, Florida Atlantic
Men's Swimming Coach of the Year: Bruce Marchionda, Western Kentucky
Men's Diving Coach of the Year: Michelle Davison-Sandelin, Florida Atlantic
