History was theirs.
The athletes and coaches on the Hillsdale College women's swimming team have had countless practices, at ridiculously early times in the mornings. Lifts when no one was watching. Stressing over times that weren't quite falling fast enough. Faith that all this work would one day be worth it.
It's worth it.
The 2019-20 Chargers made history, winning their first conference championship in school history Saturday night in Canton, Ohio. Hillsdale captured the G-MAC/MEC Women's Swimming title with 1,691 points. Hillsdale bested Findlay, who was the defending champion, who finished second with 1,583.5 points. Malone was third with 836 points, less than half of Hillsdale's point total.
For the second consecutive year, Kurt Kirner was named the G-MAC Coach of the Year. And deservedly so. He lost last year's conference swimmer of the year Anika Ellingson to graduation. He and assistant coach Zoe tracey then went out and recruited a dynamite freshman class, a class that was key to this team's championship. The freshmen added depth and enough talent to score points at this level across nearly all events. And the class was headlined by a true standout.
Leah Tunney was named the G-MAC Freshman of the Year, the second time in three years a Charger has earned that title. Tunney scored 28 points and shattered records throughout an incredible four days in the pool.
Hillsdale led the meet from start to finish, holding onto first place at the end of every day of competition. On Saturday's final day, Hillsdale was able to maintain its lead over the Oilers, ultimately dethroning their rivals to write themselves into the history books.
Katherine Heeres, the 2017-18 G-MAC Freshman of the Year, highlighted Saturday's action for Hillsdale with a win in the 200 backstroke with a time of 2:04.03, bettering her prelim time by nearly two seconds.
The 400 free relay team of Tunney, Victoria Addis, Catherine Voisin and Marie Taylor set a school record with a time of 3:56.26. The team was a lethal combo of experience in seniors Addis and Voisin and freshmen Tunney and Taylor.
DAY 3
Day three of the 2020 GMAC/MEC championships proved to be the most successful day so far for the Chargers. They more than doubled their lead over Findlay, who remains in second place, 1294 - 1164.5.
Freshman Leah Tunney became the conference champion in the 500 with a new meet record, NCAA DII B-cut, and lifetime best (5:02.34). After prelims, Tunney was seeded fifth (5:09.30). Freshman Madison Pyhel finished prelims in third with season best (5:07.89) and finished finals in fifth (5:12.51). Senior Danielle Snell finished prelims in seventh with a season best (5:16.20), and finished finals in seventh (5:17.15). Freshman Anika Fassett finished prelims in 13th with a lifetime best (5:19.68), and in finals moved up to ninth with a new lifetime best (5:14.24), dropping 5 seconds in one day and moving up four places. Freshman Sarah Clark finished prelims in 12th (5:19.53) and finished finals in 12th (5:19.70)
The 800 freestyle relay of Katherine Heeres, Tunney, Madeline Breay, and Snell cruised into first place, because the new conference champions, dropping over 10 second off of their seed time (7:43.72)
Five Chargers placed in the top 8 in the 200 fly, earning critical points. Senior Catherine Voisin was the top seed after prelims (2:09.13) and finished finals in second, just .8 off of first place (2:08.64). Sophomore Anna Clark finished prelims in fifth (2:11.62) and finished finals in fourth (2:09.77) just missing third place by .01. Freshman Anika Fassett finished prelims in sixth (2:12.32) and finals in fifth with a lifetime best (2:10.54) her second lifetime best of the day. Freshman Madison Pyhel finished prelims in third (2:09.98) and finished finals in sixth (2:12.58). Senior Bailey Bickerstaff finished prelims in eighth with a lifetime best (2:16.23) and finished finals in eighth with a new lifetime best (2:16.05). Sophomore Stefanie Walker finished prelims in 12th with a season best (2:19.41) and moved up to 13th in finals with a new season best (2:18.58).
In the 100 backstroke, Heeres finished prelims in third with a season best (57.82), and finished finals in third (57.93). Freshman Sydney Slepian finished prelims in fifth with a lifetime best (59.77) and finished finals in seventh (1:00.35). Senior Bailey Bickerstaff finished prelims in eighth (1:00.67) and finished finals in eighth (1:01.31). Senior Allie Matti finished prelims in 11th with a season best (1:00.77) and finished finals in 10th (1:01.05). Sophomore Carissa Henderson finished prelims in 10th (1:00.72) and finished finals in 11th (1:01.11)
In the 100 breaststroke, senior Victoria Addis finished prelims in seventh with a season best (1:08.69) and finished finals with a new season best (1:07.17). Sophomore Taylor Boyle finished prelims in eighth with a lifetime best (1:08.25) and moved up to sixth in finals with a new lifetime best (1:07.50). Breay finished prelims in 10th (1:09.44) and finished finals in 10th (1:09.36). Freshman Marie Taylor finished prelims in 14th with a season best (1:12.01) and finished finals in 14th with a lifetime best (1:10.87). Sophomore Carissa Henderson finished prelims in 16th with a season best (1:12.84) and finished finals in 15th with a new season best (1:11.89). Junior Emma Rao finished prelims in 17th (1:13.85), and finished finals in 17th (1:14.60).
DAY 2
After day two of the GMAC/MEC Women's Swimming and Diving Championships, the Chargers are still in the lead with 771 points, 51.5 points ahead of Findlay, who remains in second.
Senior Danielle Snell was the conference champion in the 400 IM. Snell finished prelims as the top seed with a season best (4:41.15). In finals, Snell dropped even more time for a lifetime best (4:37.57). Senior Allie Matti also had major success in the 400 IM. After prelims, Matti was seeded fourth with a lifetime best (4:48.24) and in finals Matti moved up to second place and a new lifetime best (4:41.75), dropping 7 seconds in one day.
Chargers scored critical points in the 200 freestyle. Junior Katherine Heeres finished fourth in prelims (1:55.29) and moved up to second in finals (1:53.71). Freshman Leah Tunney finished first in prelims with a season best (1:53.83) and finished fourth in finals (1:54.01). Freshman Marie Taylor finished eighth in prelims with a lifetime best (1:57.34) and moved up to sixth in finals (1:57.41). Sophomore Maddie Breay finished prelims in ninth with a season best (1:58.65), and finished ninth in finals with a lifetime best (1:57.05). Freshman Sarah Clark finished sixteenth in prelims (2:01.30) and finished fifteenth in finals (2:02.26).
In the 100 butterfly, senior Catherin Voisin finished fifth in prelims (58.62) and finished seventh in finals (58.41). Sophomore Anna Clark finished seventh in prelims (59.26) and finished eighth in finals (58.87). Freshman Anika Fassett finished tenth in prelims (59.55) and finished tenth in finals (59.39). Senior Bailey Bickerstaff finished tenth in prelims with a season best (59.55) and finished eleventh in finals with a new season best (59.44). Sophomore Stefanie Walker finished twelfth in prelims with a season best (59.70) and finished twelfth in finals (1:00.17). Junior Emma Rao finished fifteenth in prelims (1:02.42) and finished sixteenth in finals (1:03.86). Freshman Sydney Slepian finished eighteenth in prelims (1:03.71) and finished eighteenth in finals with a season best (1:02.51).
The 200 freestyle relay of Taylor, Addis, Rao, and Heeres finished third (1:36.33), just missing the school record by .02. The 400 medley relay of Tunney, Addis, Voisin, Taylor finished second (3:56.26).
DAY 1
After the first day, the Chargers lead the GMAC/MEC conference meet with 380 points, 37 points ahead of second place, Findlay University. Critical points were scored in the 1000 with 7 chargers in the top 16.
Freshman Leah Tunney earned her first NCAA DII B-cut and a new school record in the 1000 (10:17.98) finishing in second place by exactly .1 of a second. Freshman Madison Pyhel finished fourth with a lifetime best time (10:32.13), freshman Sarah Clark finished ninth (10:53.14), sophomore Maddie Breay finished tenth with a lifetime best time (10:55.98), freshman Anika Fassett finished eleventh with a lifetime best time by 13 seconds (10:57.74), sophomore Anna Clark finished thirteenth with a season best time (10:58.96), and sophomore Stefanie Walker finished sixteenth with a season best time (11:04.33).
For the first time since joining the GMAC, the Chargers had sprinters in the top 8 in the 50 freestyle. Freshman Marie Taylor finished second in prelims with a season best (24.16) and finished second in finals with a lifetime best (24.04). Junior Katherine Heeres finished third in prelims with a lifetime best (24.29) and then finished fourth in finals with a new lifetime best time (24.23). Junior Emma Rao finished seventh in prelims (24.44), and seventh in finals (24.40). Senior Victoria Addis finished eleventh in prelims with a lifetime best (24.76) and finished twelfth in finals (24.83). Sophomore Carissa Henderson finished twelfth in prelims with a season best time (24.79) and finished thirteenth in finals (24.90).
In the 200 IM, three seniors placed in the top 8. Senior Danielle Snell finished second in prelims with a season best time (2:11.96) and finished fourth in finals with a new season best time (2:11.45). Senior Allie Matti finished sixth in prelims with a lifetime best time (2:13.39), and finished sixth in finals with a new lifetime best time (2:12.60). Senior Catherine Voisin finished seventh in prelims with a lifetime best time (2:13.46) and finished seventh in finals (2:14.30). Freshman Sydney Slepian finished fourteenth in prelims (2:19.58) and finished fourteenth in finals with a lifetime best time (2:17.06).
The 200 medley A-relay of Bickerstaff, Addis, Voisin, Rao finished second (1:48.15).
PHOTO: Edward Smith
WORDS: Zoe Tracey