Records and a Ring (a Wedding Ring, that is!)

Saturday, February 27

11:00 AM/7:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

MAC Championships Day 4

Meg Richardson was propsed to following the 400-yard medley awards ceremony at the 2010 MAC Championships.

Photo by: Doug Sampson

February 28, 2010 | Women's Swimming & Diving

Meg Richardson sets third individual school record and gets engaged!

By: by Hannah Archer, Athletic Communications Intern

Day Four Preliminary Results

Day Four Finals Results/Rankings

Entire 2010 MAC Results/Rankings

OXFORD, Ohio—Head coach Keri Buff and the Bowling Green State University swim team wrapped up another season in the pool tonight (Feb. 27) with a seventh place finish at the 2010 Mid-American Conference Championships. On the fourth and final night of the MAC Championships, six Falcon swimmers compete in finals heats and post season-best times.

In the first event of the night, freshman Alexa Harris finished in 15th in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:05.51. Harris swam her fastest time on the season (2:03.03) during the preliminary portion of the day.

In addition to swimming her season-best time in the 100-yard breaststroke last night (Feb. 26), sophomore Amanda Rom posted another season-best time tonight in the 200-yard breaststroke. Rom captured sixth, with a time of 2:17.07, less than one second off of her career best time (2:16.75).

In the 200-yard butterfly, all three Falcons who competed in the preliminary portion of the day earned spots in the finals and swam their fastest times of the season in earning those spots. Finishing in fourth overall, Vicky Yu posted a season-best time of 2:02.05 (preliminary time), while teammates Sarah Burston took seventh (2:03.24—preliminary time) and Liz Harper, 13th (2:05.31—preliminary time).

Due to the 1650-yard freestyle being such a long event, only one round (as opposed to a preliminary and finals round) took place tonight. Emily Waller and Megan Bomicino finished back-to-back in the race taking 16th and 17th places, respectively. Waller took 16th, posting a time of 17:22.05, dropping 24 seconds off of her previous season best time, while Bomicino dropped 33 seconds off her previous fastest time on the season, finishing the 66 lap race in 17:27.82.

In the final event of the night and of the 2010 MAC Championships, the Orange and Brown relay squad of Meg Richardson, Sarah Reinink, Emily Bennet and Emily Waller captured fourth with a time of 3:25.78 in a nail-bitter of a race. The Falcons were just barely out-touched by the Eastern Michigan squad that finished the race in 3:25.71.

Senior captain, Meg Richardson, went three-for-three—in just as many nights—in individual events this year, breaking school records in every individual race she competed in. Richardson shattered her third school record tonight in the 100-yard freestyle, sprinting into sixth place for a time of 50.36. She now holds top times in the 50-, 100- and 200-yard freestyle events and has aided her team in each of the five Falcon relay records.

Watch the 100-yard freestyle race HERE

As if Richardson's three individual records and one relay record was not enough excitement for the Falcons, the bigger news for the senior swimmer tonight was a marriage proposal by her long-time boyfriend.

Following the 400-yard freestyle relay awards ceremony, Richardson was asked to remain on the stand for a surprise, when her boyfriend appeared from behind a curtain, went down on one knee, presented her with a ring and proposed—Meg said yes!

Congratulations Meg!

Able to maintain the lead on all four days of the contest, the Toledo Rockets became the 2010 MAC Champions, racking up a total of 670.5 points. 2010 MAC hosts, the Miami Redhawks, finished in second (572) with the Ohio Bobcats in third (527). The Eastern Michigan Eagles, Akron Zips, Buffalo Bulls Bowling Green Falcons and Ball State Cardinals rounded out the rankings in fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively.

Final Team Rankings:
1. Toledo—670.5
2. Miami—572
3. Ohio—527
4. Eastern Michigan—453
5. Akron—392.5
6. Buffalo—392
7. Bowling Green –241
8. Ball State University—166

Watch the 2010 Awards Ceremony HERE

2010 MAC Awards:
Swimmer(s) of the Year
Jacy Dyer, UT
Rachel Heim, OU

Diver of the Year
Meili Carpenter, UB

Swimming Coach of the Year
Lars Jorgensen, UT

Diving Coach of the Year
Buck Smith, EMU

First Team All-MAC
Jacy Dyer, Toledo
Carly Harter, Toledo
Annie Donovan, Ohio
Kelsey Vehr, Miami
Rachel Heim, Ohio
Meili Carpenter, Buffalo
Kendall Karchner, Akron
Caroline Simmons, Buffalo
Amanda Traylor, Ohio
Samatha Partridge, EMU
Chelsey Bower, Ohio
Megan Brunn, Miami
Kelsey Atchison, Toledo
Alie Schirmirs, Buffalo
Sarah Kowalski, EMU

Second Team
Steph Zielinski, Akron
McKenzie Bagan, Toledo
Briana Emig, EMU
Laura Lindsay, Toledo
Maegan O'Connor, Miami
Ashley Cusak, Toledo
Laura Heckroth, Toledo
Claire Leichty, Toledo
Katie White, Toledo
Katie Miles, Akron
Meg Richardson, Bowling Green
Leah Thornton, Miami
Danielle Hulvey, EMU
Kelsey Anagnos, Miami
Lindsay Hamilton, Ohio
Louise Smyth, Toledo