By Cathleen Pruden, Swimming World College Intern
The Williams women continued their momentum from last night, grabbing the top seed in the 200 medley relay this morning. Katherine Bennett, Olivia Clark, Maia Hare, and Emma Waddell set a new pool record, and were just off the meet record (1:43.22) with their time of 1:43.68. Amherst earned the second seed (1:44.44) with the team of Stephanie Moriarty, Emily Hyde, Sarah Conklin, and Destin Groff. Tufts’ Caroline McCormick, Sarah Elghor, Jess Lee, and Sophia Lin combined for a third seeded 1:47.91.
2014 NCAA Champion Megan Pierce of Williams was back in top form in the 400 IM this morning, clocking a first seed, pool record time of 4:23.53. Bates’ Sara Daher earned second in 4:26.11. Teammate Hope Logan earned third with her 4:28.94.
Waddell was just off her own meet record in the 100 butterfly, stopping the clock at 54.13. Teammate Hare grabbed the third spot in 55.55. Conklin is tonight’s second seed in a time of 55.43.
More significant solid time drops were the story of the 200 freestyle. Williams’ Lauren Jones was first to the wall with a 1:50.59. Conn’s Sam Pierce swam a 1:51.20. The 500 freestyle champion Isabel Wyer stopped the clock at 1:51.35 this morning. All three earned the NCAA B cut.
Hyde recorded the NCAA A cut in the 100 breaststroke with a 1:01.56. This time is a second faster than her time at last year’s NCAA Championships, and would have won the 2015 National Title by over half a second. Bowdoin’s Mariah Rawding snagged second in a 1:04.65, just ahead of William’s Breanna Nguyen in 1:04.84.
Williams swept the top three seeds in the 100 backstroke. Bennett recorded a pool record 55.93, ahead of Olivia Jackson‘s 55.98 and Katherine Priest‘s 56.98.
The top heat of the 1,000 will swim tonight, though Middlebury’s Lucy Scott turned in the top time this morning (10:33.09). Timed finals of the 800 freestyle relay will also take place tonight.
Results available here: 2016 New England Small College Athletic Conference Women: Day 2 Prelims – Results
