MAC Women’s Swimmer of the Week (two honorees)
Madeleine Pilchard ? Eastern Michigan
Senior - Marietta, Ga. (Walton HS)
Pilchard recorded six first place finishes and a second place finish during the week. Against Ohio, Pilchard won the 200 freestyle (1:51.90), the 50 freestyle (23.75) and the 500 freestyle (4:59.89), as well as being part of the winning 200 freestyle relay team (1:36.43). In a double dual meet with Ohio State and Michigan State, she won the 200 freestyle with a NCAA 'B' time of 1:49.90. She also won the 50 freestyle with a time of 23.81 and also took second in the 500 freestyle (5:00.08).
Megan Reissig ? Toledo
Sophomore - Rochester, NY (Victor HS)
Helped the Rockets over the defending Big East champion Notre Dame in the biggest dual-meet win in school history,158.5-141.5. Reissig broke two school records in the 200 IM with a time of 2:03.21; and was on the school-record setting 200 medley relay with a time of 1:41.06. She also established a pool record in the 200 backstroke with a time of 2:02.54. Reissig made a NCAA 'B' standard time in the 200 IM. She also came in second in the 100 backstroke with a time of 57.07.
Additional Nominees
Emily Bulkowski ? Akron
Junior - Fostoria, Ohio (Fostoria St. Wendelin HS)
Bulkowski swam the 1,000 yard freestyle for only the second time of her career notching a win in a time of 10:29.45, her career best. She also swam a personal best in the 100-yard butterfly winning it in 59.55.
Maria Gramelspacher ? Ball State
Freshman - Jasper, Ind. (Jasper HS)
Gramelspacher helped the Cardinals to a 192 to 106 win over Illinois State on Saturday afternoon. Gramelspacher was a memeber of the 200 medley relay team that notched a time of 1:49.90 for a first place finish. Gramelspacher swam a 1:55.32 in the 200 free for her second win of the day. She then earned her third victory in the 200 IM with a time of 2:12.67.
Sam Palma - Buffalo
So. Lancaster, NY (Lancaster HS)
Palma set a season best with her victory in the 200-yard freestyle against Niagara. Palma touched the wall in 1:57.95, cutting five seconds off her previous best. The Bulls defeated the Purple Eagles, 155-76.
Kathryn Stephens ? Miami
Senior - Western Springs, Ill. (Lyons Township HS)
Senior Kathryn Stephens finished the week with three wins and a third place finish in a win over Cincinnati and a loss to Purdue. Stephens led a 1-2 finish in the 200 freestyle as she touched the wall in a time of 1:55.87. Stephens competed on the 200 free relay team that finished with the top time of 1:40.75, but did not receive points. Against Purdue, Stephens won a nailbiter in the 100 butterfly by one-tenth of a second, she was a part of the 200 freestyle relay that finished in first and she finished in third place in the 200 butterfly.
Amanda Cecere - Ohio
Freshman - Chelmsford, Mass.
Ohio freshman Amanda Cecere had an outstanding week, posting three wins, to lead the Bobcats to their first victory (161-139) against two-time defending MAC champion Eastern Michigan since the 2004-05 season. Cecere set a new personal best and established a MAC season-best time in the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 2:03.09. Cecere also took first in the 100-yard butterfly (58.02) and swam the third leg of Ohio’s first place 400-yard medley relay team to lift the Bobcats to an 8-1 overall record and a 4-1 record in the MAC.
Previous Women’s Swimmers of the Week
Women’s
Oct. 11: Kathryn Stevens ? Miami
Oct. 16: Andrea Lehner - Buffalo
Oct. 24: Jacy Dyer - Toledo
Oct. 30: Emily Wylam ? Ohio
Nov. 5: Alisha Yee ? Bowling Green
Nov. 11: Andrea Lehner - Buffalo
Nov. 20: Addison Del Rio ? Ball State
Dec. 4: Andre Lehner - Buffalo
Jan. 9: Leah Woodard ? Toledo
Jan. 15: Kylie Gamelier ? Toledo
Jan. 22: Madeleine Pilchard ? Eastern Michigan and Megan Reissig - Toledo