Women’s MAC Swimmer of the Week
Carly Harter, Toledo
Junior, North Huntington, PA (Norwin)
Junior Carly Harter set three individual meet and pool records, and was a part of three additional meet and pool record setting relay teams this weekend, as Toledo finished in second-place at the University of Akron’s Zippy Invitational. Harter produced first-place individual efforts in the 200 IM (2:01.40), 200 freestyle (1:47.40) and 100 freestyle (49.76). She led-off the 800 freestyle relay (along with Rachel Johnson, Claire Leichty and Beth Rogers), which won in a time of 7:26.34, as well as the 400 freestyle relay (with Rogers, Johnson and McKenzie Bagan), which took first in 3:24.35. Harter also anchored the 400 medley relay team (with Maria Bargardi, Laura Lindsay and Bagan), which won in a time of 3:42.75. The Rockets placed first in 14 of the 20 events at the Zippy Invitational, setting 13 meet records and 11 pool records.
Men’s MAC Swimmer of the Week
Matt Hogan, Buffalo
Junior, Birmingham, MI (Cranbrook)
Matt Hogan of the men's swimming and diving team won three individual events and was part of two winning relay teams at the Zippy Invitational. Hogan set a meet and pool record, earning an NCAA B cut, to win the 200-yard freestyle in 1:37.95 and took the 100-yard freestyle (44.60), setting meet and pool records, and the 200-yard individual medley (1:50.84). He also helped the Bulls set a meet and pool record in the 400-yard medley relay (3:18.70) and a meet record in the 400-yard freestyle relay (3:02.02).
Other Nominees:
Sarah Owen, Ohio
Senior, Hampshire, England (Portsmouth)
Sarah had a fantastic weekend for the Bobcats at the 2011 Zippy Invitational. She was an integral part of Ohio’s dominating run through the competition which saw the program pick up its sixth-consecutive Zippy Invitational title. Owen helped to earn 228 of Ohio’s 1,442 team points over the weekend, winning one event and finishing in the top three on four different occasions. A senior for the Green and White, Sarah finished first in the 100 backstroke, second in the 200 backstroke, was on the 400 freestyle relay team that took second place and was a part of the 800 free relay squad that finished third. Owen’s time of 56.10 in the 100 backstroke is the fifth-fastest time ever achieved in Ohio Swimming and Diving history.
Briana Emig, Eastern Michigan University
Junior, Sewickley, Pa.
Emig turned in a pool and meet record time of 16:03.51 in the 1,650 Freestyle Friday, Dec. 2, at the EMU Invitational at Jones Natatorium. The time was not only a career-best for the junior, but it is currently the second fastest time in NCAA Division I for the 2011-12 season. On day two of the invite, she set her second pool record of the weekend, this time in the 500 Freestyle event. Emig raced to a time of 4:44.75 to outpace all competitors. She later picked up her third first place finish of the weekend, leading the way in the 400 Individual Medley. The junior was the first to touch the wall in 4:15.87.
Jeffrey Craig, Eastern Michigan University
Junior, Kent, Ohio
Craig helped the Eagles capture their 15th consecutive EMU Invitational this past weekend thanks to his first place performances on both the one and three meter boards. He tallied an NCAA Zone Consideration mark of 371.31 in the three-meter dive to best all competitors. On the one meter board, Craig again captured first place with a 341.10 point performance.
James Beres, Miami University
Senior, Columbus, Ohio (Whetstone)
Beres finished second in the one-meter and first in the three-meter diving competitions at the Miami Invitational. The senior faced a field of 16 other divers on the one-meter, including competitors from the University of Michigan, West Virginia University, University of Cincinnati, Emory, MAC-foe Southern Illinois and three diving academies, including the Guangdong Diving Team from China. In that event he was runner-up to international competitor Chao He from Guangdong with a score of 361.40. Beres followed that up with a win on the three-meter, defeating 10 other divers with a score of 406.35.
Bekka Westrick, Miami University
Junior, Fairfield, Ohio (Fairfield)
Westrick won every individual event she entered and helped three relay teams to first-place finishes at the Miami Invitational, leading the RedHawks to victory over the seven visiting teams. The junior from Fairfield touched first in the 100-yard butterfly as well as the 50-, 100- and 200-yard freestyles. She sprinted to NCAA Championship “B” time standards with times of 22.77 in the 50 free, 49.97 in the 100 free and 53.53 in the 100 fly. Her time in the 100 fly broke the Miami record in the event and her 50 and 100 free swims were the second-fastest in Miami history. She also added a first-place time of 1:48.93 in the 200 free. All four times are the fastest in the MAC this season. She also earned wins as a member of the 200- and 400-yard medley and 800-yard freestyle relay teams, earning NCAA “B” cuts in the 200 medley and 800 freestyle relays. Westrick also helped the 400-yard freestyle relay team to a second-place finish and another NCAA “B” cut and the 200-yard freestyle relay team to a third-place finish.
Mallory Morrell, Buffalo
Rush, NY/Rush-Henrietta
Mallory Morrell of the women's swimming and diving team won the 50-yard freestyle at the Zippy Invitational in 23.29, setting a season-best mark. Morrell also was part of UB's winning 200-yard freestyle relay team (1:32.94) as she swam the anchor leg. She was also part of UB's third-place 400-yard freestyle relay team (3:27.80) and placed fourth in the 100-yard freestyle final (51.32), posting season-best times in both races.
Justin Wolfe, Southern Illinois
Senior, Bloomington, Ill. (Bloomington)
Justin Wolfe won two events in a busy two-day stretch on Dec. 2-3 at the Miami of Ohio Invitational. Wolfe set NCAA qualifying times while winning the 100 butterfly (48.61) and the 50 freestyle (20.25). He also got fourth in the 200 fly (1:50.29) and contributed to four relays that all finished third--the 200 medley relay (1:32.10), 400 medley relay (3:21.54), 200 free relay (1:21.94) and 400 free relay (3:01.76).