By Courtney Bartholomew, Swimming World College Intern
This year’s Mid-Atlantic Conference Women’s Swim and Dive Championships will be held in Bowling Green, Ohio from Wednesday, February 24th– Saturday February 27th. The meet is being hosted at BGSU’s Cooper Natatorium.
The 2015 MAC champions were the University of Akron, coached by Head Coach Brian Peresie.
Starting with the 200 Medley Relay Wednesday evening, Akron is seeded first in a time of 1:40.02 ahead of Eastern Michigan University’s 1:40.97. Akron was the MAC Champion in this event last year and will look to repeat the win this year.
Also, Wednesday evening is the 800 Freestyle Relay. Seeded first is the University of Buffalo, the 2015 MAC Champion, followed closely by Akron and Bowling Green. Last year in this event, the relay came down to the final leg between Buffalo and Akron, with Jess Powers of Buffalo swimming a time of 1:46.77 to get the win.
500 Freestyle
Lauren Comer, the senior from Toledo comes into this event with the fastest time of a 4:50.64. However, Jess Powers, the senior from Buffalo will look to challenge Comer to repeat her title from last year’s championships. After Comer and Powers, the field is very packed. Look to see swimmers challenging for third, fourth, and fifth.
Top Four going into the event
- Comer (4:50.64)
- Powers (4:51.04)
- Spelman (4:55.97)
- Potinger (4:55.97)
200 Individual Medley
Madison Myers, the freshman from Akron will look to swim for her first MAC title. Myers comes into the event almost a two full seconds ahead of her teammate Paloma Marreo. However, Stephanie Lemire, a Junior from Miami of Ohio, could look to challenge in this event. After the Akron teammates and Lemire, the psych sheet shows a bunch of swimmers sitting around the 2:03 mark.
- Myers (2:00.18)
- Marrero (2:02.05)
- Lemire (2:02.14)
- Wohlert (2:03.19)
50 Freestyle
Sophomore Megan Burns from Buffalo will look to defend her title in this event. Last year she won the even in a 22.66, but this year has already been fast at a 22.55. Senior Hannah Raspopovich from Akron will chase Burns for the title, as Burns out-touched Raspopovich in last year’s final.
- Megan Burns (22.53)
- Hannah Raspopovich (22.71)
- Baxter 23.01
- Van Lanen 23.14
200 Freestyle Relay
The University of Akron will attempt to defend its conference streak in winning this event. Last year they won in a time of 1:31.22 and will look to better their time 1:31.54 from earlier this year. However, if Miami of Ohio has a great race, they could challenge Akron and snap their streak.
400 Individual Medley
This year’s 400 I.M. loks to be an exciting race. With the top three all within a second of each other, the race could go to anyone! While Holly Schuster, a sophomore from Miami of Ohio has the top time going in, look for Bowling Green Teammates Franziska Wohlert and Emily Verbrugge to challenge for the title.
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Schuster 4:21.76
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Wohlert 4:22.11
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Verbrugge 4:22.54
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Walters 4:23.36
100 Butterfly
Senior Erin Seiler of Akron, will be hunting for an individual title in this event. She comes in seeded at a 53.25, well over a second ahead of her teammate Ragen Engel. A freshman, Engel comes in at a 54.64. Seeded third will be Katrin Streicher the
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Seiler 53.25
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Engel 54.64
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Streicher 54.77
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Ferguson 54.99
200 Freestyle
If the 400 IM looks to be a race to watch, don’t miss this 200 Freestyle. The top five entries all are within a second of each other, and it seems as though this race will come down to the finish. Victoria Griffin of Bowling Green will be trying to hold off the dynamic duos of Sarah Baxter and Megan Burns from Buffalo and Brooke Edwards and Lauren Comer of Toledo.
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Griffin 1:48.99
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Baxter 1:49.17
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Burns 1:49.45
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Edwards 1:49.49
100 Breaststroke
The senior from Toledo, Sammy Richart will look to defend her breaststroke title from last year. Last year she won the event in a 1:00.84, and has already been fast this year at a 1:00.61. Behind her, the freshman from Eastern Michigan Delaney Duncan, will look to win her first MAC title.
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Richart 1:00.61
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Duncan 1:01.20
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Marrero 1:01.95
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Carrillo 1:02.33
100 Backstroke
Ludwika Szynal of Akron hold the number one seed coming into this even at a 53:58. Her teammate, Madison Myers comes in at second in a 54.24. Behind Myers seed there are a lot of swimmer sitting at the 54-mid mark. Look to see these girls challenge for a top three position.
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Szynal 53.58
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Myers 54.24
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Skorupski 54.26
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Mitcheltree 54.59
400 Medley Relay
With the University of Akron graduating only their breaststroker from this relay, they could once again take home the title. However, don’t count Bowling Green out of this race yet, as they come in only a tenth slower.
1650 Freestyle
Senior Jess Powers will look to reign as champion once more in this event. She comes into the meet only 8 seconds off the NCAA B-cut, so look to see her swim under that mark. Behind Powers are the teammates of Shay Spelman and Julia Campbell from Miami of Ohio.
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Powers 16:38.59
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Spelman 16:44.81
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Campbell 16:57.28
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Hester 16:57.28
200 Backstroke
Ludwika Szynal of Akron comes into this event as the heavy favorite in a 1:53.86. This time should be invited to this years NCAA Championships. Her teammate Laura Savariau sits in second at 1:57.56 and Laura Dawson of Ohio comes in a close third of 1:58.67
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Szynal 1:53.86
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Savariau 1:57.56
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Dawson 1:58.67
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Niznik 1:59.21
100 Freestyle
Three swimmers come into this event under the 50-second mark. Megan Burns, Ragen Engel and Victoria Griffin will race to the wall for the MAC Championship title. Burns won this even as a freshman last year in a 49.04 and will look to regain her title this year.
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Burns 49.02
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Engel 49.77
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Griffin 49.89
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Myers 50.04
200 Breaststroke
Daniela Carrilo the Senior from Bowling Green comes into this meet with the fastest time of 2:12.36. Last year Carrilo did not swim the event and Paloma Marrero from Akron won the event in a 2:13.34. Marrero will look to defend her title in this event .
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Carrillo 2:12.46
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Marrero 2;13.31
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Lemire 2:13.86
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Filby 2:14.68
200 Butterfly
Erin Seiler is seeded first coming into the meet this weekend at 1:59.11. However watch Jordan Bullock the senior from Bowling Green look to take her first MAC title in this event. This event could be a battle between the two seniors looking for a strong performance to end their careers. Julia Box, the freshman from Buffalo could challenge the two seniors and shake things up.
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Seiler 1:59.11
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Bullock 2:00.01
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Box 2:00.36
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Dawson 2:00.91
400 Freestyle Relay
Last year’s champions in this event, The University of Buffalo, sit at 3:21.49, just behind the University of Akron at 3:21.28. This event could also come down to the touch, making the last event of the meet very exciting.
This should be a very exciting meet to watch! Stay tuned for Prelims and Finals coverage throughout the weekend.
