Miami Swimmers Post Season-best Times at Virginia Tech
Nov. 7, 2009
Blacksburg, Va. – The University of Miami swimming team claimed 16 top five performances, including three individual wins, and registered several season-best marks on Saturday as part of a tri-meet with Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) schools Virginia Tech and Duke at War Memorial Pool in Blacksburg, Va. Once again, the Hurricanes were without the services of All-American divers Reuben Ross and Brittany Viola in the diving events.
Under the direction of fourth-year head coach Christie Shefchunas, the Hurricanes continue to increase speed and potential every time they enter the pool. Though falling to Virginia Tech (L, 208-86) and Duke (L, 184-104) on Saturday, Miami has several student-athletes beginning to show their ability as top-level swimmers recruited by Shefchunas.
The 2009-10 University of Miami swimming team is considered by Shefchunas to be one of the strongest in her tenure in Coral Gables, Fla.
Junior Annika Saarnak collected a victory-seizing time of 51.16 in the 100-yard freestyle, and followed that up with a second place performance in the 200 freestyle, finishing at 1:51.97. Redshirt sophomore Lauren Jacoby came in fourth in the 200 free with a mark of 1:54.37.
Freshman Sofia Johansson, a native of Ramlösa, Sweden, took one of her two victories on the day, the first coming in the 100-yard breaststroke, recording a time of 1:03.72–a season-best for the Hurricanes. Fellow freshman Christine Anderson was third in the 100 breast as she finished in 1:06.46, respectively.
“Annika [Saarnak] and Sofia [Johansson] kept with their winning ways on Saturday,” said Shefchunas. “This was a big day for us. It gave us an opportunity to race against some of the best in the ACC. We started out a little weak, but we got better as the meet went along.”
Kayla Smith had a sixth place finish in the 50-yard freestyle, posting a time of 25.02, while teammate Hagar Elgendy finished the race at 25.31.
UM went “3-4-5” in the 200 backstroke as junior Deidre Novotny led the charge for the `Canes with a third place performance of 2:04.88, a season-best performance for the Hurricanes and Novotny. Behind her was freshman Hannah Kling (2:04.88) and sophomore Roxanne Meyer (2:05.60). The time for Kling, a Miami native, was a season-best mark for her, personally.
The Hurricanes’ Johansson staked her second win of the day when she toughed the wall at 2:19.09 in the 200-yard breaststroke, setting a new season-best time in the event for Miami. Anderson collected a top five time for the `Canes as well, coming in at 2:24.76.
“This is such a young team, and they’re still learning and still gaining confidence,” expressed Shefchunas. “I think they learned a lot at this meet. One of the main things they learned is that when they come together, they can gain strength and confidence from each other. They really started coming together during the meet, and when they did that, we got better individually and as a team.”
Junior freestyle specialist Ryann Labreche added to UM’s top five performances, picking up a fifth place time of 5:06.83 in the 500-yard freestyle, while Saarnak took a third place finish in the 100-yard butterfly. Saarnak completed the event with a time of 56.46, and teammate Novotny placed fifth at 57.77.
Novotny wasn’t finished on the day, however, as she placed third in the 400-yard individual medley, securing a time of 4:31.20 in order to set a new season-best mark in the event for the Hurricanes. Not to be outdone was teammate Anderson who finished fourth in the 400 IM, touching the wall at 4:32.17. Meyer was seventh (4:34.51).
The last event of the day was the 200-yard freestyle relay, and Miami took fourth place in the race turning in a performance of 1:37.94. Saarnak swam leadoff for the `Canes, as it then went Jacoby (second), Kling (third) and Kayla Smith (anchor). The time for the Hurricanes was yet another season-best mark–one of six on the day in both individual and team events.
“We keep learning; we keep gaining confidence; and we keep moving forward,” praised Shefchunas. “It’s nice to see that Miami has two of the best in the ACC with Annika and Sofia. I’m excited about the rest of the season.”
The season continues for Shefchunas and the Hurricanes next month when they travel to the well-respected Ohio State Invitational in Columbus Ohio, scheduled to run Dec. 4-6.
For more information on the University of Miami Swimming & Diving team, please log on to www.hurricanesports.com. Once there, you will find up-to-date news, results and information regarding the Hurricanes Swimming & Diving program.
