Women's Swim/Dive in fifth after first night of SMU Classic

[PonyPride]

From SMUMustangs.com:

Mustangs Sit Fifth After Opening Night Of SMU Classic
Swimmers Post Four Top-Three Finishes

Oct. 16, 2015

LEWISVILLE, Texas (SMU) – A total of four meet records fell on a fast night one of the SMU Classic held at the Westside Aquatic Center on Friday evening. The Mustangs scored four top-three finishes, and head into night two in fifth place.

“This was an event that was started by Coach (George) McMillion back in the 1980’s, and when I first came to SMU I thought that would be a neat thing for our team to do too,” head coach Steve Collins said. “It took us a couple years to get it going and get the interest, but after 22 years it’s a very prestigious meet for people to come to and I like to keep that tradition going. It’s always one of the fastest meets in the country every year.”

In its 22nd year, the Classic features top competition from around the country, with each school sending eight swimming representatives and one diver to vie for the event title. Louisville leads after night one with 184 total points, while Missouri sits in the runner-up spot at 151. UCLA (145), Florida State (136), SMU (124) and TCU (97) rounded out the group.

Junior transfer Maddie Hoch swam an NCAA "B" cut 1:47.48 in the 200-yard freestyle championship final to help lead the Mustang effort. Hoch, who is the reigning American Athletic Conference Swimmer of the Week, competed against top competition in Mallory Comerford from Louisville, who finished just .05 off the meet-record. In the consolation final of the event, junior Ursa Bezan finished fifth at 1:51.62.

“Maddie was within a second of her personal best in her first individual race of the season,” Collins added. “I’m really proud of her and really excited for her.”

The 50-yard freestyle proved to be as fast as ever at the Classic, with the top two swimmers coming in under meet record time. Transfer Vicky Cunningham represented SMU in the event final, placing fifth and touching the wall in 23.42. Winner Kelsi Worrell placed third at last season’s NCAA Championship in the event. Junior Marne Erasmus was third in the consolation final at 23.67.

All-America Erasmus had her moment in the 100-yard butterfly touching the wall in 52.60 for an NCAA ‘B’ cut, and finishing behind only national champion Worrell, who set a second meet record. Hoch was SMU’s second swimmer, placing fifth in the other final.

“I was really excited for Marne,” Collins said. “She has continued to work hard and that’s what a champion does. To come back at the beginning of this season and post the time that she did tonight is just awesome. I think she’s got her spark back and that’s really a great thing.”

SMU also found success in the 100-yard breaststroke, as All-America Tara-Lynn Nicholas placed third behind fellow All-Americas Andee Cottrell (Louisville) and Abby Duncan (Missouri). In the second final, McLauchlan posted a career-best 1:04.27 for fourth.

The 400-yard individual medley competition featured junior Kirsty McLauchlan and sophomore Adri Santa. Santa placed 6th in the Consolation Final, while McLauchlan was fifth overall swimming in the championship final. Santa also occupied the same spot in the consolation final of the 100-yard backstroke, while senior Anna Volchkov was fifth in the championship final.

In relay action, the Ponies started the night in the 400-yard medley relay with Volchkov, Nicholas, Erasmus and Cunningham posting a fourth-place finish. The relay team from Louisville touched first, breaking the meet record in a time of 3:32.36. To finish the evening, Louisville (7:10.40) posted another meet record for the win, while SMU touched fourth.

Junior diver Lauren Lamb placed fifth in the one-meter with a total score of 226.30.

The Mustangs are back in action for night two of the Classic tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. CT.

“The 200 relay is going to be a tough one because teams were so fast in the 400 tonight,” Collins said. “We’ve got Maddie in the 500 free and 200 butterfly, and we’ve got breaststrokers who did very well tonight. We’ll have some surprises with the 200 fly and Marne. She looked pretty good tonight so we’ll see what she can do with the 200, and it’s great to have Vicky in the 100 free.”

Event Notes:

- This is the second year the Classic has been held at the Westside Aquatic Center in Lewisville after being moved from the SMU campus.

- The 2015 Classic is the third for Nicholas and Erasmus, second for Lamb, Santa, Bezan and McLauchlan and the first for Hoch, Cunningham and Volchkov.

- Four meet records were broken on night one (50 free, 100 fly, 800 free relay, 400 medley relay)

- Mustangs posted three "B" standard NCAA qualifying times on night one

- Kirsty McLauchlan posted a career best in the 100 breast (1:04.27)