Miami Women's Swimmers Host Toledo
1/26/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving
Jan. 26, 2011
OXFORD, Ohio - Defending Mid-American Conference champion Toledo provides one of the biggest challenges of the season for Coach Dave Jennings' women's swimming and diving squad, with the teams facing off on Saturday, Jan. 29, at 1 p.m. at MU's Nixon Aquatic Center.
Top-ranked in the latest CollegeSwimming.com/CSCAA Mid-Major Division 1 Poll, the RedHawks (8-1 overall, 3-0 MAC) are coming off a narrow victory at Ball State last Saturday. In the final event, Miami's 400 freestyle relay team of Bekka Westrick (Fairfield), Maddie Kete (Bay Village), Katie Arlinghaus (Oxford) and Chelsey Bruington (Mission Viejo, CA) combined to post a meet-winning effort that resulted in a too-close-for-comfort five-point victory over the Cardinals.
Other top performances by the RedHawks last Saturday included a sweep of the 500 and 1000 freestyles by Miranda Kaltenborn (Memphis, TN), twin sprint victories in the 50 and 100 freestyle events by Westrick, and double triumphs by Megan Brunn (Mansfield) in the 100 breaststroke and the 200 individual medley. Each swimmer collected nine points per victory. Bruington's triumph in the 200 freestyle and Kelsey Mallon's (Wheaton, IL) win in the 200 butterfly rounded out the RedHawks' first-place finishes.
Jennings knows that his RedHawk troops need to have a much-improved performance this week against the 21st-ranked Rockets, coached by Liz Hinkleman.
"Toledo will provide a great challenge for our ladies this weekend," said Jennings. "They are the defending conference champions, so this will be a very competitive meet."
Senior captain Jacy Dyer, who demolished the MAC's 1650 freestyle record last weekend at the Rutgers Invitational, leads a talented Rocket roster. Dyer lowered the MAC record by nine seconds, a mark that now sets at 16:12.58). Dyer, Rachel Johnson and Claire Leichty rank 1-2-3 among MAC swimmers in the 1650. Other Toledo stars include breaststroker Laura Lindsay, winner of all 13 races she's swum in that stroke this season. Diver Nikki Schropp is a standout on both the one- and three-meter boards.
In this week's TYR/CSCAA Swimming Poll, Miami received eight points. The RedHawks, Ohio (8), Toledo (3) and Buffalo (1) were the only four MAC teams that earned votes in the national poll that's paced by Stanford.
There is no admission charge for Saturday's meet inside Miami's Recreation Center.
The RedHawks wrap up their dual meet schedule on Feb. 5 at Ohio. The Bobcats will host the 2011 MAC meet from Feb. 23-26.
--www.MURedHawks.com--
Players Mentioned
