Hurricanes Conclude Second Day at OSU Invitational
Dec. 5, 2009
Columbus, Ohio – After a stellar opening day, the University of Miami swimming team continued its success Saturday, collecting five season-best times during the second day of action in the Ohio State Invitational at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion Columbus, Ohio. The three-day annual event concludes on Sunday, December 6.
Miami picked up 118 points Saturday, moving up to fifth place out of 12 participating teams in this year’s field.
The Hurricanes began the day turning in a season-best mark of 1:46.21 in the 200-yard medley relay. The race for UM went Roxanne Meyer (leadoff), Sofia Johansson, Deidre Novotny and Annika Saarnak (anchor). The time posted in the finals was almost two seconds better than the performance posted by the `Canes in the Georgia Tech Fall Invitational earlier in the fall.
Freshman Christine Anderson produced a team season-best performance in the 400 individual medley, touching the wall at 4:24.78 to finish among the top 15 in the event. For Anderson, the time was eight seconds faster than her only other 400 IM of the season in Miami’s last race at Virginia Tech against the Hokies and fellow ACC foe Duke.
Deidre Novotny also had a season-best performance, individually, in the 400 IM, putting up a time of 4:29.97 on the board. That allowed her to finish third in the C finals.
Over in the 200-yard freestyle, junior Annika Saarnak made waves with a finishing result of 1:50.63–finishing sixth overall, collecting a team season-best mark for the event. Redshirt sophomore Lauren Jacoby finished third in the C finals with a mark of 1:52.05–a season personal-best for her.
Another team season-best time was achieved for Miami in the 100-yard breaststroke as freshman Sofia Johansson touched the wall at 1:03.65 for the `Canes, finishing fifth in the race. Sophomore Dana Hatic finished at 1:03.95–seventh overall, to gain her season-best mark for the event.
“These were breakthrough swims for my newcomers Kling, Anderson and Johansson,” stated UM head swimming coach Christie Shefchunas. “I think Sofia should be ranked in the top three of the ACC right now with that time turned in today.”
The fifth and final team season-best performance was gained in the 100-yard backstroke, where freshman Hannah Kling–another of Shefchunas’ star recruits for the 2009-2010 season, marked a time of 57.41, finishing second in the C finals.
The final event of the day for the Hurricanes was in the 800-yard freestyle relay, the first of the year for Miami. The race for the `Canes went Saarnak (leadoff), Jacoby, Kling and Ryann Labreche (anchor), as the achieved a time of 7:35.84.
In fact, Miami fielded two teams in the event, with the second squad collecting a time of 7:50.87 behind the swims of Hagar Elgendy (leadoff), Susan Smiddy, Anderson and Meyer (anchor).
“I think these performances today show the team how much potential they have, and that they’re really starting to believe they can be in the top of the ACC,” said Shefchunas.
For complete information on this weekend’s events/schedule and live scoring throughout the weekend, please locate your internet browser to www.OhioStateBuckeyes.com.
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.
