Worcester, Mass. (January 17) — After breaking eight meet records, the Assumption College swimming and diving team earned its third-straight Worcester City Championship (WCC) on Saturday night at Holy Cross. In addition to taking the overall meet title, Greyhound freshman Niamh Morgan (Bettystown, Ireland / Sacred Heart School) was named Swimmer of the Meet for her exemplary efforts, which included three individual gold medals.
The Greyhounds notched an impressive 13 gold medals overall while earning 42 top-five finishes and breaking eight Worcester City Championship meet records. Assumption claimed the win with a final score of 1,063 points and was followed by Holy Cross (995), WPI (821) and Clark (526).
The first spot in the record book for Assumption went to Morgan in the 200 IM. The freshman finished the race in a time of 2:12.10, besting the previous WCC meet record of 2:12.29 in the process. Morgan was followed by junior Victoria Weber (Augusta, Maine / Cony) who claimed the bronze medal with her time of 2:16.27. Weber also holds the Assumption record (2:10.62) in the event.
The Hounds took the top-two spots in the 400 IM with Morgan leading the way. She touched the wall in a meet-record 4:40.86, nearly four seconds faster than the previous record, for first place. Sophomore McKenzie Johnson (Goffstown, N.H. / Goffstown) followed in second with her time of 4:54.72.
Morgan’s third victory came in the 200 backstroke. She finished in 2:09.43 to tally 20 points for the Hounds, followed by classmate Courtney Barr (Waltham, Mass. / Matignon) in second (2:12.99) and junior Janelle McDonald (Middleboro, Mass. / Middleboro) in fourth (2:16.30).
In the 100 breaststroke, sophomore Rachel Gagnon (Tolland, Conn. / Tolland) broke the WCC meet record with her time of 1:08.71. Gagnon, who also holds the Assumption record in the event, was followed by junior Rachel Ferris (Stephentown, N.Y. / Berlin) in third (1:11.66) and Johnson (1:12.33) in fourth.
Gagnon also nabbed the gold in the 200 breaststroke, touching the wall in 2:30.93. Johnson claimed the bronze in 2:34.04 while senior captain Elise Prayson (Dayton, Ohio / Archbishop Alter) touched in 2:34.39 for fourth.
The Hounds, led by Barr, claimed four out of the top five spots in the 100 backstroke. The freshman took the top spot with her time of 1:00.73 to put 20 more points on the board for Assumption. In second, Weber touched the wall in 1:00.94, followed by McDonald (1:02.50) and freshman Aerin Toskas (Douglaston, N.Y. / Archbishop Molloy) who finished in 1:03.57.
Assumption also notched four out of the top five places in the 50 yard freestyle event. Ferris led the Hounds with a 25.72-second performance and second place in the event. In third, senior captain Katherine Medeiros (Mattapoisett, Mass. / Bishop Stang) touched the wall in 25.81, followed by freshman Carylyn Waite (Tampa, Fla. / Tampa Prep) in fourth with a time of 25.83. Rounding out the top five in the event was sophomore Allie Wuerfl (Wayland, Mass. / Wayland) who touched the wall in 26.63 for 14 more points for the Hounds.
Waite also turned in an impressive performance on the weekend, collecting two individual gold medals while also helping three relay teams to the top of the podium.
The freshman swam a meet-record 1:57.95 in the 200 freestyle event and clocked 54.56 seconds in the 100 freestyle to finish atop the fields. Waite was followed in the 100 free by Medeiros in third (54.89) and sophomore Tricia Lee (Norwood, Mass. / Norwood) in fifth (56.30).
Waite helped two relay teams to WCC meet records including the 400 medley relay (4:03.12) and the 400 freestyle relay (3:39.69) while also turning in a first-place finish in the 200 freestyle relay.
The first-place 400 medley relay squad consisted of Waite, Weber, Gagnon and Mederios, followed by Morgan, Ferris, Lee and Prayson in third (4:13.58).
Waite, Weber and Medeiros teamed up again, this time with Prayson, for the victory in the 400 freestyle relay. Also performing well in the event was the squad of Wuerfl, Barr, Lee and freshman Bella Omobono (Chelmsford, Mass. / Chelmsford) which touched the wall in 3:49.48.
In the 200 freestyle relay, Waite, Prayson, Medeiros and Ferris earned another win, and 40 more points, for Assumption with their time of 1:41.97, less than a second shy of the WCC meet record. The foursome was followed by Barr, Lee, Wuerfl and Weber in 1:43.97, good for third.
Another relay squad that earned a win while notching yet another meet record was the 200 medley relay squad. The team, consisting of Weber, Gagnon, Medeiros and Prayson, touched the wall in 1:50.59 and was followed by Morgan, Ferris, Barr and Wuerfl who took home the silver in a time of 1:52.80.
Weber also earned an individual victory of her own in the 100 butterfly event. The junior added another meet record to the Hounds’ total with her time of 1:00.12.
Additional noteworthy individual performances include those of sophomore Rachel Lanam (Sebastian, Fla. / Sebastian River) who collected three top-five spots. She claimed third in the 200 butterfly (2:19.37), fifth in the 1650 freestyle (18:54.76) and also tied Lee for fourth in the 500 freestyle (5:26.94).
Lee and Lanam also helped the 800 freestyle relay team, along with Waite and Wuerfl, to a bronze finish with its time of 8:12.04. The squad was followed by Morgan, Barr, freshman Bryanna Veroneau (Belchertown, Mass. / Belchertown) and senior captain Sarah Pucci (North Haven, Conn. / North Haven) in fourth with its time of 8:22.50.
Above swim news courtesy Assumption College.
