Emory's Swimming and Diving Teams Win 11th-Consecutive UAA Championships

The Emory University men's and women's swimming and diving teams continued their streak of success at the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championships, winning their 11th-consecutive conference team championships on Saturday night in Chicago, IL.

Emory swimmers amassed a total of 14 individual and relay championships and 39 all-UAA honors (top-three finisher in an event) during the meet. In the process, Emory's athletes set seven University Athletic Association records and 10 pool records. In addition, Emory freshman Paul Weinstein earned Men's Rookie of the Year honors after finishing third in the 1,650-yard freestyle, 11th in the 500-yard freestyle, and 14th in the 200-yard backstroke.

The Emory men finished with 1694.5 points during the three-day championship meet, besting Carnegie Mellon University by a margin of 163 points. Following the top-two teams on the men's side were Washington University in St. Louis (1072 points), the University of Chicago (1049), New York University (1023), the University of Rochester (759), Case Western Reserve University (756.5) and Brandeis University (416.5).

On the final day of competition, junior Tom DiMarco earned his third individual championship of the meet, winning the 200-yard butterfly in a time of 1:52.33. Earlier in the meet, DiMarco won the 200-yard individual medley, setting a pool record, and the 200-yard freestyle.

Besides Weinstein's first all-UAA honor in the 1,650-yard freestyle, other top-three finishes for the Emory men's squad in the final day of competition came from Neil Ringer in the 200-yard backstroke (second place), Mackenzie Perry in the 200-yard butterfly (third place), and the Eagles 400-yard freestyle relay team (second place). In addition, diver Patrick Brady finished second in the one-meter dive, marking his second all-UAA honor of the meet.

All together, the Emory men earned five UAA Championships (DiMarco's three, Keith Diggs in the 400 IM, and the 200-yard medley relay team), while setting three pool records (DiMarco in the 200 IM, Diggs in the 400 IM, and the 200 medley relay team), and two conference records (200 medley relay team and Diggs).

The Emory women scored 1878.5 points during the meet, winning by over 400 points over the next-closest team, New York University (1449.5 points). Following the top-two were Carnegie (1063 points), Chicago (1028.5), Rochester (1006.5), Washington (848.5), Case (659.5) and Brandeis (614).

Sophomore Marie Kim won the only individual championship for the Eagles on the final day, winning the 200-yard breaststroke in a conference- and pool-record time of 2:23.43. The Eagles' 400-yard freestyle relay team also finished first, setting a pool- and conference-record time of 3:28.39. The Emory women's squad totaled nine UAA Championships during the meet (Liz Horvat in the 500 free and the 400 IM, Ruth Westby in the 200-yard freestyle, Jennifer Aronoff in the 100-yard breaststroke, Kim in the 200-yard breaststroke, and the 200 medley, 400 medley, 400 freestyle and 800 freestyle relay teams.

Earned all-UAA honors during the final day were Horvat and Kate Gunning in the 1,650 freestyle, Westby and Lillian Ciardelli in the 100-yard freestyle, and Mary Tripp in the 200-yard butterfly. Diver Chelsea Murphy also finished second in the three-meter dive with a qualifying score of 395.50, her second all-UAA finish of the meet.

During the three-day meet, Emory's women set conference records in the 500 freestyle (Horvat), the 200 breaststroke (Kim), and in the 200 medley, 400 freestyle, and 800 freestyle relays.

The championship is 11th overall for the Emory men, while the women have now won 17 UAA titles. The Eagles will now begin to turn their attention to the NCAA Division III National Championships in March, but will first host the Emory Invitational Last Chance meet next weekend at the Woodruff Physical Education Center.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page