2005 Championship RecapThe Kenyon College Lords and Ladies domination of the North Coast Athletic Conference Swimming & Diving Championships continued, as the men’s team successfully defended its team title, while the women avenged their last year’s runner-up finish at the event which concluded this evening.
The Lords, who now own 20 NCAC titles, won 12 events and recorded 35 top-five finishes to total 1,640 points to best second-place Denison. Denison won five events to finish second with 1,492 points. Wabash placed third for the fourth time in six years with 927.50 points. Wooster placed fourth with 694 points, followed by Allegheny (685), Wittenberg, (664.5) Oberlin (596), Hiram (521) and Ohio Wesleyan (326) in positions five through nine, respectively.
The Ladies, who also have 20 crowns, won seven events and recorded 33 top-five finishes to total 1651.5 points to best last year’s winner, Denison. The Big Red women recorded nine first-place finishes to go with 30 top-five finishes on the way to 1,522 points and their 19th second-place finish. Wooster placed third with 948 points; Wittenberg compiled 862 points to place fourth, followed by Allegheny (722), Ohio Wesleyan (557.5), Hiram (532), and Oberlin (450) in positions five through nine, respectively.
Four NCAC records fell on the final day of competition. Kenyon sophomore Jessica Connors (Cedarburg, WI) turned in her second record-setting performance of the meet, winning the 200 breaststroke (2:20.02) and breaking her own record, set during prelims this morning (2:20.33). She also established a new mark in the 100 breast yesterday evening (1:04.89). Ladies junior Danielle Korman (Niskayuna, NY) broke a 17-year old record when she won the 200 butterfly prelim (2:05.34). The former record belonged to Amy Heasley, Kenyon’s current assistant coach. Korman narrowly missed matching her record as she won tonight’s final in 2:05.35.
Individually, Kenyon’s Eliott Rushton (Delta, BC, Canada) also added his name to the NCAC record book for the second time. The senior, who was named Male Swimmer of the Year, won the 1650 free in 15:20.94, breaking the previous mark he set last winter. He established a new mark in the 500 free on Thursday. Teammate Andrejs Duda (Jelgava, Latvia), a junior, won the 200 back in league-record time, touching the wall in 1:49.87. In addition to the win in the 1650, Rushton won the 400 IM (4:02.08) and anchored the record-setting 800 free relay (6:48.03).
Wooster senior Elizabeth Roesch (Oakland, MI/Lake Orion) was named Female Swimmer of the Year in balloting by the league coaches after earning titles in the 1650 free (17:16.22), the 500 free (5:01.20) and the 400 IM (4:31.94). All three times met the NCAA automatic qualifying standard.
Denison senior Nikki Weaver (Dayton, OH/Bellbrook) added the three-meter championship (323.70) to the one-meter title (317.80) she claimed yesterday. She was named the Female Diver of the Year for her efforts. Teammate Stephen Julka (Madison, WI/James Madison Memorial) finished third on the one-meter board (325.05) today and yesterday won the three-meter board (333.60) to earn Male Diver of the Year honors.
Kenyon’s Jim Steen and Wabash’s Peter Casares were voted Women’s and Men’s Swimming Coaches of the Year, respectively. Steen earned the award for the sixth time, while Casares earned his first honor. Denison’s Anne Gillie was named Men’s Diving Coach of the Year for the second time after her diver placed third on the three-meter board and won the one-meter board. Kenyon’s Andrew Campbell was named Women’s Diving Coach of the Year.
Final Standings