Seniors Lead Miami to 162-98 Win Over Sharks
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami swimming team cruised to a 162-98 dual meet victory over Nova Southeastern on Senior Day at the Whitten University Center Pool Saturday.
Miami’s four seniors – Angela Algee, Cameron Davis, Christina Leander and Julia Schippert – were recognized in pre-meet festivities for their outstanding careers, then led the way in the team’s third dual meet win of the season in their home pool.
“They were who they are,” head swimming coach Andy Kershaw said. “I told the team before the meet that they were going to lead us, and that if the team did what the seniors did, we would have big performances. That’s exactly what happened.”
Three of the four seniors were members of Miami’s top entry in the 200 medley relay that opened the day with a first-place finish. Leander, Schippert and Algee teamed with freshman Iliana Oikonomou to win the event in a time of 1:43.15.
The Hurricanes picked up the top-two finishes in each of the first three individual events of the meet.
Davis earned her first win of the afternoon with a time of 10:08.24 in the 1000 free, while freshman Claire McGinnis took second in 10:15.75. Junior Julie Suarez then won one of her top events, the 200 free, in a time of 1:48.69 and sophomore Ianire Casarin finished second. (1:50.17).
Leander earned her first individual win on Senior Day with a time of 54.51, with sophomore Roxanne Yu ending in second (57.22).
Algee kept the momentum going for the Hurricanes with a win in the 200 fly (2:00.18), and freshman Iliana Oikonomou won the 50 free (23.34) before the first intermission of the day.
“I go back to what we talked about before the meet – getting the process down,” Kershaw said. “They’ve been practicing the process, and when they focus on that part, it comes together. I think we saw that today and I think the previous meets have helped us pinpoint some things that they needed to work on specifically.”
Already out to a commanding lead, Miami earned top-three sweeps in the first two events after the break. The Hurricanes pulled off their first sweep in the 100 free, with Suarez (50.35) winning the event and Oikonomou and freshman Manon Viguier finishing two-three.
Leander (2:00.11), Yu (2:01.64) and freshman Katie Sickinger (2:05.19) would capture the top three finishes in the 200 backstroke.
“We told them not to worry so much about what time comes on the board – worry about doing this part right,” Kershaw said. “Turns out the times that came out on the board were good based on that.”
Schippert, who finished second earlier in the day in the 100 breast, earned her first individual win of the day in the 200 breast (2:17.72). She narrowly topped Malin Westman of Nova Southeastern, who finished in 2.17.78. Sophomore Ianire Casarin took third (2:21.72).
Another sweep – this one in the 500 free – was led by Davis (4:56.68, first), Suarez (4:57.62, second) and McGinnis (4:58.31, third). Algee then picked up another win in the 100 fly (54.30) with sophomore Sophia Dal Porto (58.75) taking third before the second break.
Miami finished strong, with Sickinger taking second in the 400 IM (4:32.95) and an all-senior entry in the 200 free relay – Algee, Schippert, Davis and Leander – finishing second with a time of 1:36.56 in the final event of the day.
The Hurricanes now begin preparations for the ACC Swimming & Diving Championships in Atlanta. Action begins Feb. 13 from the Georgia Tech Aquatics Center and will continue through Feb. 16.
“They certainly should have confidence,” Kershaw said. “Confidence is one of the keys for any athlete, but especially for a swimmer as you go into these last couple of weeks leading into conference championships and NCAA Championships. They should have tons of confidence, because they’ve earned it. They’ve done the work all year.”
