Rockets Close Out 2019 MAC Championships

Saturday, March 2

Akron, Ohio / Ocasek Natatorium

All Day

University of Toledo

Mid-American Conference

The University of Toledo women's swimming and diving team wrapped up the 2019 Mid-American Conference Championships tonight.

Photo by: Will Edmonds

3/2/2019 10:40:00 PM | Women's Swimming and Diving

FINAL RESULTS

Akron, Ohio - The University of Toledo women's swimming and diving team wrapped up the Mid-American Conference championships today, finishing in seventh place with 171 points.

Toledo recorded nine personal records and four season-best times on the final day of the tournament. In total, the Rockets broke 26 personal records over the four days of competition.

"I think we had a good meet," head coach Jonas Persson said. "We sort of had a bad-luck season but we finished off with a lot of positivity and a lot of things to look forward to. We have a young team and they stepped up this week. We had a lot of good swims from ouR freshmen and sophomores, and a lot of our relays are really young so that's a good sign going forward. If we're healthy next year I think we're going to move up."

The Midnight Blue and Gold started the day with the 200 back prelims where sophomores Kristen Straszacker, Gracie Storm and Emma Sampson all set PRs. Straszacker took 12th in 2:01.14, Storm took 16th in 2:02.20, and Sampson swam an exhibition in 2:05.66.

In the 100 free prelims, sophomores Alida Ramden (20th) and Jordyn Polderman (33rd) set season bests, finishing in 51.17 and 52.25 respectively.

The entire 200 breast squad of senior Jessica Avery (10th, 2:16.36), junior Bec Welke (22nd, 2:21.16), sophomore Ally Sperring (26th, 2:22.32) and junior Cami Cahill (29th, 2:24.95) set records; Avery set a season best, and the latter three all had PRs.

Junior Duda Sales rounded out the morning records with a 14th place 2:03.28 in the 200 fly.

The evening finals session featured Storm and Sales breaking their records again. Storm took a half second off in her 15th-place finish in the 200 back, and Sales took a few milliseconds off her 200 fly when she tapped in (13th).

UT's 400 freestyle relay squad of freshman Sophie Taylor, Polderman, sophomore Lisa Eriksson and Ramden closed out the meet with a season-best 3:26.23, taking eighth.

Up Next
The Rockets have elected to not send swimmers to the CSCAA National Invitational despite having qualifiers. Toledo's freshmen divers Joelle Gallais and Sydney Jackson will compete in the NCAA Zone "C" Diving Meet March 14-16 at Purdue.

Final MAC Championships Team Scores
1. Akron 867
2. Eastern Michigan 583
3. Buffalo 502
4. Miami (Ohio) 486
5. Ohio 421
6. Bowling Green. 305
7. Toledo 171
8. Ball State 148

Toledo Individual Finalists
Prelims
200 Back
12. Kristen Straszacker - 2:01.14 - PR
16. Gracie Storm - 2:02.20 - PR
17. Ashley Jeffreys - 2:02.39
20. Maureen O'Sullivan - 2:03.00
XX Emma Sampson - 2:05.66 - PR

100 Free
20. Alida Ramden - 51.17 - Season best
21. Lisa Eriksson - 51.26
33. Jordyn Polderman - 52.25 - Season best

200 Breast
10. Jessica Avery - 2:16.36 - Season best
22. Bec Welke - 2:21.16 - PR
26. Ally Sperring - 2:22.32 - PR
29. Cami Cahill - 2:24.95 - PR

200 Fly
14. Duda Sales - 2:03.28 - PR
23. Bailey Cahill - 2:10.28
24. Lauren Wegener - 2:10.29

Finals
1650
11. Jovana Duric - 16:55.53
18. Samantha Ekleberry - 17:23.76

200 Back
14. Kristen Straszacker - 2:01.42
15. Gracie Storm - 2:01.64 - PR

200 Breast
11. Jessica Avery - 2:16.08

200 Fly
13. Duda Sales - 2:03.11 - PR

400 Freestyle Relay
8. Sophie Taylor, Jordyn Polderman, Lisa Eriksson, Alida Ramden - 3:26.23 - Season best