RICHMOND – William & Mary continued to distance itself in the men’s team standings and the Towson women impressed yet again to hold a steady lead on the women’s side as Day 3 of the 2015 Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Swimming Championship concluded at the Collegiate School Aquatics Center.
Friday’s Finals events featured the men’s and women’s 400-Yard IM, men’s and women’s 100-Yard Fly, men’s and women’s 200-Yard Free, men’s and women’s 100-Yard Breast, men’s and women’s 100-Yard Back and finally, the men’s and women’s 400-Yard Medley Relays.
Towson, which had four different women’s swimmers capture individual titles on Friday night, picked up speed early in the first race of the evening, the women’s 400-IM. The Tigers had two swimmers, Christine Hammond and Hannah Snyder, touch the wall first in 4:16.60 and 4:16.66, respectively, to earn a combined 37 points for their team. Delaware’s Madeline Maher finished third in 4:18.74.
The Tribe men benefited from another solid effort all around, highlighted by three individual titles as well as a win in the night’s lone relay event. Jeremiah O’Donnell captured the men’s 200-IM with a time of 3:48.84. That officially secured a sweep in the meet’s individual medley events for O’Donnell, who also won the 200 on Thursday. UD’s Cory Camp (3:50.90) and fellow Tribe swimmer Conrad Zamparello (3:51.68), a freshman, finished in second and third.
In the 100-fly, the Lady Tigers struck again when senior Victoria Oslund successfully defended her title from last year with a first-place time of 54.04. Tribe junior Jessie Ustjanauskas (54.24) and NU freshman Sarah Touchette-McGowan (54.36) rounded out the top three for the race in order.
The men’s 100-fly featured co-winners, as College of Charleston’s Buckley Powell and William & Mary’s Justin Barden touched the wall with identical 47.55 times. Barden captured the same title at last season’s championship meet in 47.83. Not far behind was Drexel’s Kyle Lukens, who clocked a 47.60 for third.
Macey Arnold of Towson won her second individual title of the championship meet in the 200 free and did it in stellar fashion. The sophomore set a new CAA Championship record with a time of 1:46.43. Her teammate, Charlotte Holz, placed in second with a time of 1:47.19 and James Madison’s Kristen Zielinski wrapped up third in 1:48.53.
Dominic Breschi of Towson grabbed the top spot for the men’s 200 free in 1:37.88. William & Mary’s Billy Russell and Drexel’s Alex Chialastri touched the wall in second and third.
Jenna Van Camp of Towson gave the Tigers another victory in the 100 breast. The junior helped her team with 20 points for first-place, with a time of 59.70. Drexel sophomore Rachel Bernhardt and JMU’s Sin Hye Won also medled in the race.
The Tribe men, meanwhile, also earned a win in the 100 breast. Matt Goetz came through with a top showing of 55.10, while UNCW’s Marc Brittain and CofC’s William Ryan followed in order.
The women’s 100 back saw the Tribe’s Sophie Rittenhouse earn gold (54.38), while NU’s Anna Schegoleva (54.77) and Drexel’s Katie Duggan (55.22) obtained silver and bronze. The men’s 100 back race was certainly one to remember, as all three podium winners notched times that bested the CAA Championship meet record.
Delaware’s Tim Ware headlined the strong showing with a first-place finish in 46.90. William & Mary’s Will Manion and Drexel’s Joel Berryman weren’t too shabby in second and third with respective times of 47.35 and 47.54.
The night’s final races didn’t disappoint. The women’s 400 medley relay was headlined by the Tigers, who set a new meet record. TU’s team of Kendall Krumenacker, Jenna Van Camp, Victoria Oslund and Amanda Barber were credited with the top time of 3:39.25. William & Mary and James Madison battled well enough for second and third to grab 34 and 32 points, respectively.
Fittingly, the final race also featured a new meet record in the men’s 400 medley relay. Will Manion, Matt Goetz, Justin Bardin and Taegan Clarke started slow but finished stronger with a blazing time of 3:13.83. UNCW and Towson finished behind in second and third to wrap up a busy day.
Women’s Team Scores – Day 3
1. Towson (465)
2. James Madison (421)
3. William & Mary (400)
4. Delaware (326)
5. Northeastern (224)
6. UNCW (205.5)
7. College of Charleston (144.5)
8. Drexel (142)
Men’s Team Scores – Day 3
1. William & Mary (508.5)
2. UNCW (371.5)
3. Towson (358)
4. Delaware (315)
5. Drexel (303)
6. College of Charleston (288)
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2015 Colonial Athletics Association, Day Three – Results