Thursday, February 23
Akron, Ohio
All Day
Bowling Green State University
vs
MAC Championships
Photo by: BGSU Photography
Falcons Start MAC Championships In Record-Breaking Fashion
February 23, 2012 | Women's Swimming & Diving
DAY ONE PRELIMINARIES (.pdf)
DAY ONE FINALS (.pdf)
AKRON, Ohio -- The Bowling Green State University swimming team is still building, but the talent already in place gave Falcon fans reason to believe on the first day of the 2012 Mid-American Conference Swimming and Diving Championships. The three-day event is being held at the University of Akron's Ocasek Natatorium in Akron, Ohio.
On Thursday (Feb. 23), the Falcons established 13 career records, three season-best times, and broke two school records in relay events.
Falcon relay teams have exhibited a penchant for setting new standards at the MAC Championship meets. In 2009, new records were set in all five relays, and BGSU is now two-for-two in 2012.
In the 200 yard freestyle relay, Emily Bennet combined with Alexis Kain, Brittany Szekely and Sarah Reinink to finish in 1:31.50 to beat the old record of 1:32.37. That mark was set at last year's MAC meet by Bennet, Szekely, Reinink and then-senior Carrie Enright.
Kain and Reinink were also involved in the 400 yard medley relay. They teamed with Alexa Harris and Vicky Yu to earn a time of 3:42.98 and a new BGSU record. The old record was 3:44.47; it was also established in 2011, by Kain, Harris, Bennet and former Falcon Sarah Burston.
Both relay teams finished in fourth place and earned 30 points each for their efforts. Both also met the "B" qualifying standard for the NCAA Championships; the "B" standard is used for at-large consideration.
Individually, each of the 16 Falcons who competed on Thursday set new standards for themselves.
In the 50 freestyle, Bennet became the second-fastest sprinter in BGSU history when she posted a 23.25 mark in the finals. Her time tied for seventh-best in the evening session and second in the consolation heat.
Not to be outdone, Szekely and Reinink each established new career-best times in the 50 free. In the preliminary heats, Szekely finished in 23.34 seconds, while Reinink was even faster (23.27).
The trio of 50 free finalists earned 13.5 points for Bowling Green.
Although they did not make it past the morning round, Kain, Amanda Rom, Laina Reisenfeld and Allie Reynolds all posted career-best marks in the 50 free.
Emily Waller posted BGSU's best finish in the 500 yard freestyle (12th overall) and earned the Falcons' fifth-best time in school history in the process. She set a new personal record in the preliminary heat (4:57.03) then beat that time in the finals (4:56.46).
Megan Bomicino finished immediately behind Waller in 13th place. Bomicino, who owns the second-fastest 500 free time in Falcon history, swam the distance in a season-best 4:56.36 in the prelims.
Waller and Bomicino earned Bowling Green's final nine points of the evening.
Also in the 500 free, personal records were set by Erica Nieminen, Andrea Brown and Katie Womack.
Four Falcons swam in the preliminary heats of the 200 yard individual medley. Freshmen Stephanie Boyle (2:08.94) and Carmen Young (2:10.18) set season- (and career-) best times, while Alexa Harris (2:05.95) and Vicky Yu (2:09.81) posted season-best marks. Harris was the Falcons' top swimmer in the event and placed 20th overall.
Through six of 20 total events, Bowling Green currently resides in seventh place with 82.5 points. They lead Ball State by 6.5 and trail Akron by 12.5 points.
Ohio leads the pack with 239 points, while Buffalo is making an early charge. The Bulls are in second place, 77 points behind the Bobcats.
The meet resumes on Friday (Feb. 24) with eight scoring events scheduled. Action begins at 11:00 a.m. with preliminary heats in the 100-yard backstroke, 100 breaststroke and 100 butterfly, as well as the 200 freestyle and 400 individual medley. At 1:00 p.m., divers will have preliminary action in three-meter diving.
The night session begins at 7:00 p.m. and includes consolation and championship finals in the five swimming events listed above. There will also be consolation heats in the three-meter diving. The finals in the 200 yard medley relay and 800 yard freestyle relay will also take place in the evening.
Live video of the entire event can be found here.
Live stats can be accessed here.
A complete daily recap will be available at the conclusion of Friday's action on BGSUFalcons.com.
BG Swim/Dive : Ava Vial Postmeet 2.2
Monday, February 05
BG Swim/Dive : Coach Perkins Postmeet 2.4
Sunday, February 04
BG Ziggys : Daisy Platts
Monday, April 25
BG S/D : Coach Perkins Post-Mac's 2.26
Sunday, February 27