University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
CCSA Championships
Bulldogs Wrap Up Best Ever Performance at CCSA Championships
02.21.2015 | Women's Swimming & Diving
ATHENS, Ga. – The UNC Asheville women's swimming team wrapped up its best ever performance at the CCSA Championships on Saturday at Gabrielsen Natatorium on the campus of the University of Georgia.
Asheville finished seventh overall in the competition and amassed 422 points in the event, topping its previous high of 135 total points set in 2013. The Bulldogs also avenged a dual-meet defeat to the University of North Florida by outscoring the Ospreys by 98 points.
“I am so proud of this team and this program,” said head coach Elizabeth Lykins. “We are very excited and see a bright future ahead of us. We saw multiple varsity records, freshman records and relay records set this weekend. It is very encouraging for the overall direction of the program.”
Over the course of the four day event, the Blue & White set 15 records. The Bulldogs topped 10 team records and five freshman records.
The morning prelims were very eventful for the Bulldogs, with seven lifetime bests, eight season bests and nine of the 18 competitors qualifying for the evening session.
In the 200-yard backstroke, Alejandra Sanchez (2:05.52) and Elizabeth Murray (2:06.95) posted lifetime bests in the event. Stephanie Smith (2:10.13), Reid Jackson (2:11.97) and Emily Werth (2:03.38) each topped their previous season-best marks in the event. Werth's time broke the previous Bulldog team and freshman record in the event. All five swimmers qualified for the evening session.
Four swimmers also set new career marks in the 100-yard freestyle. Morgan Dickie swam a 56.35, Rachel Van Noordt touched in 55.20, Elizabeth Murray posted a 53.85 and Ashley Ireland registered a 53.96. Additionally, Erin Riggs (1:01.04) and Jaymee Panian (57.43) tallied season bests. Alexandra van Dorsten qualified for the C final with a season-best 52.68 in the event.
Alesaandra Troncoso followed up her strong performance on Friday with a season-best 2:21.88 in the 200-yard breaststroke. Shannon Kennedy joined Troncoso in the evening session after posting a 2:27.25.
Emily Werth added her name to the record books in the 200-yard butterfly by swimming a 2:09.99 to top both the team and freshman record and qualify for the C final. Carly Emerson swam a 2:17.22 in the event, a lifetime-best.
During the evening session the long distance swimmers, Galen Broido (12th), Allie Snyder (16th) and Brittany Thomas (22nd) each scored for the Bulldogs in the 1650-yard freestyle. Broido finished the event in 17:32.16, Snyder's time was 17:37.72 and Thomas posted a time of 18:01.28.
Ireland, Murray, Sanchez and van Dorsten completed the clean sweep of record breaking relays by setting a new ream record in the 400-yard freestyle record by posting a time of 3:32.56. The Blue & White set new records in each of the five relay events at the CCSA Championships.
During the night session, Werth finished in 11th place in the 200 back finals with a time of 2:03.39. Sanchez finished three places behind Werth, touching in 2:05.73. Elizabeth Murray finished second in the C final with a time of 2:07.98, while Jackson and Smith also scored in the event.
Alexandra van Dorsten swam a 52.61 in the C final to best her morning qualifying time and finish fifth in the B final of the 100 free. Troncoso finished the B final with a time of 2:25.79, with Shannon Kennedy (2:27.50) finishing sixth in the C final. Werth capped her night with a 2:12.76 swim in the 200 fly C final.
In addition to their exploits in the pool, 15 Bulldogs were named to the CCSA All-Academic team on Saturday. Captains Ashley Ireland and Galen Broido received all-academic honors. They were joined by sophomores, Morgan Dickie, Reid Jackson, Erin Riggs, Emily Sawyer, Alexandra van Dorsten and Rachel Van Noordt. Freshmen Carly Emerson, Shannon Kennedy, Elizabeth Murray, Alejandra Sanchez, Stephanie Smith, Allie Snyder and Brittany Thomas also earned All-Academic honors.
The Bulldogs wrapped up their season saying farewell to senior Ashley Ireland. Ireland served as team captain this season and owns multiple team records.
Players Mentioned
