The University of Akron Athletics
Two Records Fell on Friday
February 17 | Women's Swimming & Diving
- Two school records were broken on Friday as the University of
Akron swimming and diving team completed the third day of the MAC
Championships. The Zips remain in fifth place with 262 points.
Freshman
Kendall Karchner (Maumee,
Ohio/Maumee High School) clocked in a record-best time of 56.60 in
the 100-yard backstroke to finish second overall. The new mark is
four tenths of second better then Michelle Thomas's time of 57.00
that was set back in 2002. Karchner also topped her previous
personal best (57.70) by over one second on Friday.
The rookie didn't stop there as she also swam the opening leg of
the 400-yard medley relay team that completed the course in 3:49.63
that shattered the old school record (3:51.53) by nearly two
seconds - finishing fourth in the race. Karchner started off of the
record-setting run with a split time of 56.71. Senior
Melissa Young (North
Canton, Ohio/Hoover HS/West Chester [Pa.]) followed with a split of
1:04.37 and
Danielle Beland (Ottawa,
Ontario/St. Peters HS) covered leg three in 55.8. Freshman
Cathryn Collins (Hilton
Head, S.C./Hilton HS) anchored the recording-setting team with a
time of 52.32.
Beland, the senior leader for the Zips, remained undefeated in the
100-yard butterfly as she clocked in a season-best time of
56.57.
Young, one of nine seniors on UA's squad posted a season-best time
of 1:04.79 in the 100-yard breaststroke, finishing in third place.
Sophomore
Cheri Baratto (Clinton,
Ind./South Vermillion HS) also notched a season-best time of
1:05.10 to finish in fourth place.
Collins won the B-final of the 200-yard free with a
personal-and-team-best time of 1:52.74. Senior
Rachel Ripley as tallied a
season-best mark of 4:34.91 in the 400-yard IM.
The fourth and final day of the Mid-American Conference swimming
and diving championships will get underway on Saturday with
preliminary action set for 11 a.m. EST. The finals will start at 7
p.m. with the awards ceremony slated for 9:15 from the Jones
Natatorium.
2007 MAC Championship Results After Day Three (13 events):
1. Eastern Michigan 421
2. Ohio 413
3. Miami 280 1/2
4. Toledo 270 1/2
5. Akron 262
6. Bowling Green 247
7. Ball State 206
8. Buffalo 139
