The Eastern Michigan University women's swim and dive team had a strong performance in the MAC championships in the preliminary session on Thursday, Feb. 24 in Oxford, Ohio. The women ended with 12 members being qualified to the championship heats.
Sophomore Nicole Swartz clocked in at fifth place with her career-best timing of 4:22.53 in the 400 Individual Medley championship heat.
Sophomore Michal Liberman and senior Carly Jackson qualified to Friday night's session after completing the 100 Butterfly. Liberman came in with the fourth fastest time in prelims.
An EMU duo posted high scores in the 200 freestyle prelims. Mary Grace Van Allen was a top finisher with the seventh best prelims time, while Sierra Wagner was placed to swim in the consolation finals after touching in with the eleventh ranked prelims time.
Another duo in sophomore Delaney Duncan and senior Genna Worthley qualified for the 100 breaststroke finals. Duncan, the MAC Champion in the 100 Breast, had the top prelims mark, while Worthley's time ranked sixth.
The 100 backstroke was marked as the Eagles best event after five women were qualified for finals. Senior Alexis Mitcheltree clocked in first with a season-best time of 53.94, which was the second-fastest time of the session. Freshmen Claire Young and Casey Gavigan also placed for the championship heat after placing fifth and eighth-ranked prelims times.
Liberman and sophomore Erika Guenther later secured spots in the consolation finals. Liberman clocked in at 55.38 as the twelfth ranked time, while Guenther had a sixteenth ranked time of 55.92.
The three meter dive wrapped up the championship heat. The Eagles took MAC titles in the 100 Breaststroke and 100 Backstroke and are now in third place in the championship.
Sophomore Nicole Swartz placed fifth in the 400 Individual Medley. Swartz posted the fourth-fastest race in EMU history.
Sophomore Michal Liberman also placed fifth in the 100 Butterfly. Liberman clocked in with a career-best time of 54.22. In the 'B' consolation, senior Carly Jackson bested the field with a time of 54.53, winning the heat.
Senior Mary Grace Van Allen clocked in with a career best timing in the 200 Freestyle, placing him in the top five. Senior Sierra Wagner had a tenth place finish, taking second in the consolation heat.
Sophomore Delaney Duncan defended her MAC title in the 100 breaststroke, winning the event with a season best time of 59.89. Duncan is also the first Eagle to win the event in back-to-back for years since 2002-03.
During the 100 Backstroke the Eagles posted four top 10 times and earned a total of 50 points. Senior Alexis Mitcheltree became the second Eagle to claim the MAC title in league history. Liberman notched a fourteenth place finish in the 100 Fly, taking sixth in the consolation finals. Liberman also came in with the seventh ranked time in EMU history.
Mitcheltree, Duncan, Jackson, and Van Allen later claimed second place in the 400 Medley Relay, turning in a program record time of 3:36.33.
