2015 Mid-American Conference Championships
- Wednesday, February 25- Saturday, February 28
- Ypsilanti, MI- EMU Jones Natatorium
- Prelims/Finals Wednesday-Friday 11 AM/7 PM, Saturday 11 AM/5 PM (Eastern Time Zone)
- Championship Central
- Live Results
- Day 2 full results (PDF)
After the first day of the 2015 Mid-American Conference Championships in Ypsilanti, Michigan, there was a three-way tie for the lead.
After the individual swimming events on day 2, the tie was down to two, with diving ultimately leading to the separation.
In terms of swimming, the women of Buffalo will end the day on the biggest high, as they swept the three individual events.
That started with a 4:47.32 from junior Jessica Powers in the 500 free – which completes a total of 12 seconds improvement from her season-best coming into this meet.
Akron’s Ashley Drazkowski took 2nd in 4:49.63, holding right on Powers’ shoulder for the first 350 yards but falling off of the pace as the race neared its conclusion.
Eastern Michigan’s Carly Jackson took 3rd in 4:51.57.
Next up for the Bulls was senior Spencer Rodriguez, who won the 200 IM in 2:01.14. This race saw the top 7 all finish with 1.08 seconds of each other, and the racing was as exciting as the times showed.
Jessica Godlewski from Eastern Michigan very nearly ran down Rodriguez for the win, but came up just short in 2:01.57. Miami’s Elise Campbell took 3rd in 2:01.60, followed by Akron’s Erin Seiler (2:01.62), Miami’s Stephanie Lemire (2:01.71), and Bowling Green’s Franziska Wohlert (2:01.83).
Despite the Buffalo win, two swimmers in the A-final pushed Akron into a slight lead.
But a third-straight Buffalo victory, and two in the top four, in the session-closing 50 free, pulled Buffalo even again, led by freshman Megan Burns in 22.69. She and Akron’s Hannah Raspopovich (22.84) were the only two under 23 seconds in this race.
The scoring then broke wide open with three A-finalists for the Akron women, as compared to just one for Buffalo, in the women’s 1-meter final.
The win went in that event went to Miami’s Pei Lin in a new Meet Record of 334.00. Eastern Michigan made a big move into 2nd place as well with a 2-3 finish from Lauren Dark and Rebecca Deacon, followed by Akron’s Paige Kelkenberg.
That result moved Acron 25 points ahead of Buffalo and 11 clear of Eastern Michigan going into the session-ending 200 free relay, which the Zips won in another very exciting race
The top four teams were all under 1:32 and the old Pool Record, but it was Akron, willing to put a freshman Susan Franz on the anchor, who came through with a 1:31.22 victory. Franz anchored the relay in 22.89 to overcome Buffalo’s runner-up 1:31.28.
Buffalo’s Taylor Steffl had the fastest split of the relay, a 22.34.
Bowling Green placed 3rd in 1:31.56, with a pair of rolling 22.5’s from Victoria Griffin and Hannah Newman, while Eastern Michigan placed 4th in 1:31.78 to hold on to 4th in the team battle as well.
The old Pool Record of 1:32.77 was set by Ann Arbor – Pioneer High School in 2002. That was one of the state’s legendary high school teams that featured future Olympic medalist Kara Lynn Joyce.
Akron’s third leg, Ashley Niznik also had a 22.34 split.
Hey guys, love that our corner of the swimming world is getting some love. Just want to let you know that it’s Taylor “Steffl”. Only one vowel.
We’ll see if we can stay within striking distance of the Zips through Day 3. Also looking forward to incoming Men’s recruit Mason Miller winning some Ohio state titles this weekend.