Miami University
MAC Championships
Miami Women's Swimming and Diving Win MAC Championships
3/1/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving
March 1, 2003
The Miami women's and diving team defended their Mid-American Conference crown by winning the 2002-03 MAC Championships at Bowling Green State University's Samuel Cooper Pool on Saturday evening. Miami defeated Ohio, who was the closest opponent, by 87.50 points to go undefeated against every MAC opponent during the entire season.
In the first event of the finals and 15th event overall, junior Amy Miranda (Louisville, Ky./Sacred Heart Academy) started the evening off in splendid form by setting a pool record in the 1650-yard freestyle with a time of 16:45.30 for first place. The next swimmer to touch the wall was also a RedHawk as freshman Katie Forster (Centerville, Ohio/Centerville) would not be denied despite battling sickness, to place second in the distance event.
Sophomore Trisha Lamb (Oregon, Ohio/Notre Dame Academy) continued her incredible run throughout the MAC championships, by winning the 200-yard backstroke with an NCAA B-cut time of 2:00.31. Lamb had already won the 100-yard backstroke and placed second in the 400-yard IM on Friday.
Senior Jackie Hiltman (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West) and sophomore Andrea Hocevar (Richmond Heights, Ohio/Hawken School) also added points next to Miami's name by placing third and fifth in the 100-yard freestyle. Hiltman maintained her spot from the morning freestyles 0:51.77 while Hocevar moved up one slot from the prelims with a time of 0:52.20.
The RedHawk swimmers kept the pressure on in the 200-yard breaststroke with freshmen Katie Unger (Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead) and Laura Armbruster (North Royalton, Ohio/North Royalton) earning fifth and sixth place with times of 2:19.51 and 2:22.02, respectively.
The same was true in the 200-yard butterfly with sophomore Michelle Reynolds (Wyoming, Ohio/Wyoming) and senior Heather Kelly (Milwaukee, Wis./Divine Savior Holy Angels) taking sixth and seventh place by touching the wall in 2:06.32 and 2:06.94.
Finally, Miami was able to take home the hardware after they placed second in the 400-yard freestyle relay. Hocevar and Hiltman combined with senior Colleen Rambasek (Kettering, Ohio/Alter) and sophomore Christel Frantz (Westlake, Ohio/Westlake) for a time of 3:27.91.
In the post-meet awards, Unger, Hiltman, Lamb and Miranda earned all-MAC first-team honors while Cara Magee (Wauseon, Ohio/Wauseon) racked up an all-MAC honorable mention accolade.
The RedHawks will be returning from Bowling Green to Oxford between 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. on Sunday morning at the Recreational Center Parking Lot. Red and White fans are encouraged to welcome the MAC Champions back home.
Final Team Standings
1) Miami 715.50
2) Ohio 628
3) E. Michigan 498
4) Toledo 419
5) Ball State 312.50
6) BGSU 306.50
7) Akron 293.50
8) Buffalo 206
9) Marshall 180
Swimming Coach of the Year - Keri Buff (BGSU)
Diving Coach of the Year - Buck Smith (EMU)
Swimmer of the Year - Jennifer Brankovsky (Buffalo)
Diver of the Year - Anca Tilea (EMU)
All-MAC First Team
Heather Rennebohm - Ohio
Taryn Smyth - Toledo
Milla Kuurto - Marshall
Katie Unger - Miami
Jackie Hiltman - Miami
Trisha Kessler - Ohio
Trisha Lamb - Miami
Ellen Borgo - Eastern Michigan
Sheona Lottering - Toledo
Althea Lim - Eastern Michigan
Shannon Kelly - Ohio
Emily Frasco - Ohio
Amy Miranda - Miami
Anca Tilea - Eastern Michigan
Jennefer Brankovsky - Buffalo
All-MAC Honorable Mention Kelley O'Hara - BGSU
Andrea Gray - Akron
Cara Magee - Miami
Emily Aubie - Ball State
Angie Cheesey - Eastern Michigan
Erika Nilsson - Marshall
Sarah Agnew - BGSU
Samantha Pfaller - Ohio
Courtney Gould - Ohio
