DURHAM, N.C. – Sophomore swimmer Leah Goldman was named the Ronald McDonald House Charities Duke-Student Athlete of the Week Wednesday after helping the Blue Devil women defeat Florida State in a dual meet format for the first time in program history. She earned first-place finishes in two individual events and swam on the winning 200-yard medley relay in Friday night’s victories over the Seminoles (184-110) and Queens University of Charlotte (206-81).
Goldman started off the meet by joining 200 medley relay teammates Mickayla Hinkle, Ashleigh Shanley and Maddie Rusch in resetting their own Taishoff Aquatics Pavilion record from earlier this month with a 1:40.62 clocking. After taking second in the 200 freestyle, the Burlingame, Calif., native returned to the water to break another pool record, a 37-year-old benchmark in the 100 butterfly previously held by Diane Johannigman of Houston. Her time of 53.77 earned her an NCAA provisional cut and was the first of her two wins on the day, as she also tapped the wall first in the 200 IM.
Goldman’s 100 butterfly mark of 53.77 currently ranks fourth in the country, while the Blue Devils’ 200 medley relay clocking comes in at ninth.
Following the wins over Florida State and Queens, the Duke women were ranked 22nd in the first 2015-16 poll released Tuesday by the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA).
The Blue Devils resume competition Saturday, Nov. 7 in a 1 p.m. tri-meet with Old Dominion and William & Mary at Taishoff Aquatics Pavilion.
Swimming news courtesy of Duke Swimming & Diving.
