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RESULTS:
Saturday |
Complete
GLVCSN:
Saturday Prelims |
Saturday 1650 |
Saturday Finals
CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. – The Truman State University women’s swimming program rallied in the final day of competition to earn its first-ever Great Lakes Valley Conference title at the GLVC Swimming and Diving Championships, held at the Crawfordsville Aquatic Center in Crawfordsville, Indiana.
Truman amassed 946.5 points in the win, followed by Drury in second with 910 points and Indianapolis in third with 603. William Jewell (419) and Lewis (348) placed fourth and fifth, respectively, while Bellarmine (215), Maryville (154), Quincy (145.5), and Missouri-St. Louis (108) rounded out the nine-team field.
The Bulldogs trailed two-time defending champion Drury 720-667.5 heading into Saturday’s competition, and quickly closed in on the lead during the 1,650-yard Freestyle as Truman placed swimmers second (Shannon Dague, 17:11.51), third (Jasmine Roghair, 17:17.57), fifth (Meghan Senne, 17:31.01) and eighth (Kortney Betz, 17:43.32) in the fastest heat. Drury notched the win with Megan Ouhl (17:10.98) and saw Laura Brasier (17:35.86) finish sixth.
In the second event of the night, Drury junior Wen Xu surpassed her own 2015 GLVC record of 49.83 in the 100 Free with a winning time of 49.07, which met the NCAA Division II “A” Cut standard. Truman, however, garnered the next four positions as Nikki Sisson (50.62), Evyn Spencer (51.43), Alison Strickler (52.04) and Jamie Fitzpatrick (52.32) placed second through fifth, respectively.
The Bulldogs then dominated the 200 Backstroke with junior Hannah Nicks placing first in 2:01.49, followed by Grace Fodor (2:02.87) in third, Emma Barnett (2:03.40) in fourth and Taylor Voelker (2:05.29) in fifth, while Drury’s best effort came from a 12th-place finish by Sarah Pullen.
Drury would turn the tables on Truman in the 200 Breaststroke, capturing the top two spots with Zuzanna Chwadeczko (2:17.52) and Sophia Nelson (2:17.96) leading the way, while Corinne Rinne (2:25.55) placed eighth. Truman’s Ally Neumann (2:22.30) was the Bulldogs’ lone finisher in the top heat, placing sixth.
Ultimately it would come down to the final race of the night – the 400 Freestyle Relay – that secured the victory for the Bulldogs. Both Truman (3:25.12) and Drury (3:25.43) eclipsed the Panthers’ GLVC record of 3:25.47 set in 2014, but the Bulldogs touched the wall first to clinch their first title.
At the conclusion of the GLVC Championship, Truman swept all postseason honors as voted on by the league coaches. Spencer was named GLVC Swimmer of the Year, while Barnett was tabbed Freshman of the Year, and mentor Ed Pretre was selected as Coach of the Year.
All first- and second-place finishers are awarded first- and second-team All-GLVC honors, respectively.
After 20 GLVC Championship records were set last year, a combined 18 league marks were broken in both men’s and women’s competition this week, all of which were seen during 24 hours of live and free coverage on the GLVC Sports Network.
Women - Team Rankings - Through Event 42
1. Truman State University 946.5
2. Drury University 910
3. University of Indianapolis 603
4. William Jewell College 419
5. Lewis University 348
6. Bellarmine University 215
7. Maryville University 154
8. Quincy University 145.5
9. University of Missouri-St. Louis 108
2016 GLVC Postseason Honors
GLVC Swimmer of the Year – Evyn Spencer, Jr., Truman State
GLVC Freshman of the Year – Emma Barnett, Truman State
GLVC Coach of the Year – Ed Pretre, Truman State