The Emory University swimming and diving teams positioned themselves for their 15th-consecutive University Athletic Association (UAA) Championships on Friday, taking commanding leads over the competition at the conference championships in Chicago, Illinois.
After entering the third day of the meet with 201.5 points and 192.5 points, respectively, the Emory men and women each firmed its position atop the UAA standings on Friday. The men ended Friday with 1301.5 points to lead second-place Chicago (893.5) and third-place Case (861.5). Meanwhile, the women totaled 1,314 points through the end of competition Friday, and lead second-place Chicago (987.5) and third-place Washington University (808.5).
Emory swimmers won championships in six individual events and three relays on Friday night, while setting conference records in five events and pool records in seven. In addition, the Eagles squads combined for 34 NCAA 'B' cut times on Friday.
The Emory men opened the day with a conference-record setting performance in the 200-yard medley relay, as junior Ross Spock, freshman Andrew Wilson, senior Stephen Czaja and junior Ryan Bass won the event with a mark of 1:30.92. The time also set a Myers-McLoraine pool record, and was good for an NCAA 'B' cut.
Spock also won an individual UAA title for the men, finishing first in the finals of the 100-yard backstroke. In the process, he broke his own conference meet record and recorded a 'B' cut time with a mark of 49.90 seconds. Meanwhile, Wilson set a new UAA and pool record in the 100-yard breaststroke, winning the championship with a time of 56.25 seconds, good for an NCAA 'B' cut.
Meanwhile, the bulk of the Emory women's success during the second day of competition came in individual events. Senior Leslie Hackler broke her own conference record in the 100-yard butterfly, winning the event with a pool record and 'B' cut time of 55.67 seconds.
The Emory women had a pair of all-UAA honorees, including the conference champion, in three other events during the day. In the 400-yard individual medley, sophomore Michelle York claimed the conference title with a pool record and 'B' cut time of 4:25.57, while senior Mia Michalak earned all-UAA honors with a third-place finish (4:29.45 , NCAA 'B' cut). Freshman Elizabeth Aronoff won the 100-yard breaststroke with a pool record and provisional qualifying time of 1:04.53, while junior Kylie McKenzie placed second with a 'B' cut time of 1:05.07. Also setting a pool record was senior Anna Dobben, who won the 100-yard backstroke with a 'B' cut mark of 56.16 seconds, while freshman Ellie Thompson came in third with a provisional time of 57.25 seconds.
Both the Emory men's and women's teams closed out competition on Friday with wins in the 800-yard freestyle relay. The women's relay of Dobben, freshman Mikayla Carnley, sophomore Nancy Larson and senior Ann Wolber won the event with a UAA and pool record time of 7:31.29, also good for an NCAA 'B' cut. The men's squad of senior Jeff Simpson, freshman Eagan Zettlemoyer, sophomore Andrew Dillinger and freshman Matt Kuhlik claimed the championship with a 'B' cut time of 6:46.28.
Adding on all-UAA finishes for the Eagles during day two were Carnley, who finished tied for second in the women's 200-yard freestyle (1:52.39), freshman John Galvin, who placed second in the men's 400-yard individual medley (4:03.40), sophomore Hayden Baker, who was the runner-up in the men's 100-yard butterfly (49.69 seconds), and Simpson and Zettlemoyer, who finished second (1:41.27 in the preliminaries) and third (1:41.47) in the men's 200-yard freestyle, respectively. All of their times were good for NCAA 'B' cuts.
Through two days, the Emory women have won UAA Championships in seven individual events and three relays, while compiling 18 all-UAA finishes, three UAA records and eight pool records. Emory's men have amassed UAA Championships in three individual events and all four relays, while setting five UAA records, three pool records and earning 16 all-UAA honors.
With each team eyeing its 15th-consecutive conference title, the Emory men's and women's squads will close out action at the UAA Championships on Saturday, with conference titles being decided in the women's one-meter dive, 1,650-yard freestyle, 200-yard backstroke, 100-yard freestyle, 200-yard breaststroke, 200-yard butterfly, and the 400-yard freestyle relay. Swimming preliminaries will begin at 11:00 AM ET, with diving preliminaries starting at 1:45 PM ET. Finals will be contested starting at 6:30 PM ET.
