ROCKWALL, Texas - The Trinity University men's & women's swimming and diving teams each defended their SCAC titles as the men's team won its sixth overall conference championship while the women won its 10th straight and 13th overall SCAC title on Saturday at the Rockwall ISD Aquatics Center. Saturday Results | Team Scores | Official Site
The day began with a record-breaking performance from Trinity
diver Ruth Hahn on the 3-meter board. Hahn, a two-time All-American
who broke the school and SCAC 1-meter record on Thursday, scored
533.90 points to win the event. Teammate Ashley Heline was second
for the second time this weekend, and the Tigers took six of the
top eight spots in the competition. Hahn was recognized as SCAC
Female Diver of the Meet for the second consecutive year.
Earlier in the meet, Colorado College's Austin
Howlett successfully defended his SCAC title in the 3-meter
diving with a dazzling performance on Friday
afternoon. Howlett, who was named SCAC Male Diver-of-the-Meet
for the second consecutive year, became the first Colorado College
diver ever to eclipse the 500-point barrier with an 11-dive score
of 527.75. He shattered his own school record of 489.92 set a
little more than a year ago during his rookie campaign. After
winning the 1-meter board on Wednesday, the sophomore from Makawao,
Hawaii, has won three of four conference diving crowns during his
first two seasons.
The first event of the swimming finals on Saturday was the grueling 1,650 freestyle, which was won by Trinity. Melanie Gustafson and Sarah Miller took the top two spots in the women's race, while Andrew Thiesse won the men's event. Both Gustafson and Thiesse earned provisional qualifying times for the NCAA Championships in the process.
Colorado College first-year swimmer Olivia Dilorati won the women's 200 backstroke in NCAA B cut time of 2:06.79. On Friday, she won the 100 backstroke. Centenary College senior Ross Olivier, who was named the SCAC Men's Swimmer of the Meet, won the 200 backstroke as he clocked an NCAA B cut with a time of 1:49.86. Olivier also earned a victory in the 200 IM on Thursday and placed second in the 100 back on Friday.
Trinity senior Ana Price picked up a win in the women's 100 freestyle as she tallied the fourth fastest time at the SCAC championship with a 52.18. The time was good for NCAA B cut qualification. In the men's Stephen Culberson matched Price with an individual title and provisional qualifying time of his own, racing to the finish in 45.66 seconds - narrowly missing the Tiger record himself.
Trinity first-year swimmer Kara Beauchamp earned SCAC Women's
Swimmer of the Meet honors as she added to her individual title
count with a win in the 200 breast. She finished with a B cut time
of 2:22.26. It marked the first Trinity win in the event since
2004.
Earlier in the meet, Beauchamp earned a victory in the 200 IM
(Thursday) and she shattered the school record with a time of
4:28.49 in the 400 IM on Friday, earning a 'B' cut time for
nationals, and also breaking both the SCAC Meet and SCAC Open
records.
Continuing Saturday's results, the Trinity men completed the
program's sweep of the 200 breast as first-year swimmer Nikita
Chirkov picked up the win in a finishing time of 2:07.92.
Colorado College earned a sweep in the 200 butterfly as first-year swimmer Megan Gillespie won the women's race (2:08.16 - NCAA B Cut). She was then followed by classmate Colin Chupik who won the men's race (1:53.50 - B Cut).
Trinity's quartet of Leah Selznick, Jennifer Ince, Lydia Jones and Ana Price won the women's 400 free relay in SCAC championship and open record time of 3:30.85. The time was also good for an NCAA B cut. Centenary won the men's 400 free relay as Ross Olivier, Austin Butler, Michael Schwandt and Andrew Borel clocked a 3:06.68.
Southwestern University's coaching staff, led by head coach Jon Duncan, was named the 2013 SCAC Men's Staff of the Year while Colorado College (head coach Anne Goodman James) and Trinity (head coach John Ryan) were named the SCAC Women's Co-Staff of the Year.
