The women’s swimming and diving team ended the season on a high note, taking second place in the NESCAC Championships held last weekend at Bowdoin College. However, the season isn’t over for a few select swimmers who will move on to the National Championships, held this year from Mar. 18-21 in Minneapolis, Minn.
The second-place finish is even more impressive due to the circumstances under which it was earned.
“We didn’t go in[to] the meet strategizing for points,” said Kendra Stern ’11. “Since everyone picks the events they want to swim, getting second place was a really nice surprise.”
And what they wanted to swim, they swam well. Stern and a host of other swimmers put in top times, often in record-breaking or Nationals-caliber paces. Stern’s impressive performance began Friday when she won the 500 free in 4:57.65, while senior tri-captain Kara MacLaverty ’09 took third with a National “A” qualifying time of 5:00.60. K. Stern also successful defended her titles in the 200 and 100 free, with “A” times of 1:50.20 and 50.61, respectively. She then teamed with Meaghan Stern ’09, Alexandra Lee ’09 and Becca Thompson ’12 to take the 800 free relay in a pool record 7:31.93.
Friday’s 200 free relay team also earned an “A” time but took second to Williams College. Other top winners included Kendall Dacey ’10, who took third in the 50 fly and second in the 100 fly (with a “B” time of 57.51), M. Stern and Lee in the 200 free (third and fourth, respectively, with “B” times), and tri-captain Sabrina Dorman ’09, who took third on the one-meter diving boards. The team’s 200 medley relay took third in 1:47.93, a time which they improved in a time trial on Sunday to qualify for Nationals, and the 400 free relay team again took second behind Williams with a “B” time 3:28.65. The Jeffs finished the meet with 1429.5 points, second only to Williams’ 1827.5.
With so many qualifying times, Morrison and K. Stern expect a large Jeff contingent at Nationals.
“A lot of people made ‘B’ times for nationals and will be swimming individuals this year,” Morrison said. “The relays should be really fast too. I think it’s going to be an exciting meet for us.”
Although Morrison still has Nationals to look forward to, NESCACs was her last true team event with the Amherst women’s swim team, a fact of which she’s well aware.
“It’s a bittersweet feeling waking up knowing that NESCACs is done,” said Morrison. “It was a really fun weekend with many amazing swims and moments. Watching people’s hard work finally pay off is an unforgettable experience. And yet, for many of the seniors, it signifies the end of long swimming careers, a sport [in] which all 10 of us have invested countless energy and time. I’ve had an amazing four years swimming with the nine other girls in my class and it is sad to see it come to an end. It’s been an honor to lead this team this year; I’ve had so much fun with everyone.”