The Hillsdale College women's swim team got the 2023 G-MAC/MEC Championships off to a golden start on Tuesday, winning two of the five event titles up for grabs on the first night of the four-day meet.
Sophomore Elise Mason defended her title in the 1,000 yd freestyle, winning the event in a a personal best and NCAA B-cut time of 10:19.37 to take first overall. The 1,000 yard freestyle is one of three events Mason won in 2022, and the sophomore will compete in both the 1,650 freestyle and 500 freestyle later in the week.
Senior Sarah Clark took 10th in the 1,000 freestyle in a time of 10:55.30 as well, senior Madison Pyhel finished 12th in 11:05.91 and junior Sarah Pataniczek took 15th in a time of 11:17.21.
The Chargers also got a repeat title from senior Marie Taylor in the 50 freestyle. Taylor tied with Findlay's Troie Grubbs with an identical time of 23.93, with both touching the wall at the exact same time to share the crown. It's Taylor's third straight season of winning championships, her second 50 freestyle title with the Chargers, and also a NCAA B-cut time in the event.
Freshman Julianna Weir took sixth in the event in a time of 24.32, sophomore Lily Golladay took 10th in 24.81, senior Sydney Slepian finished 13th in a time of 25.15, and Pataniczek took 16th in a time of 25.53.
Hillsdale also had four athletes make the finals of the 200 individual medley, with sophomore Joanna Burnham finishing third in a time of 2:07.47. Junior Caroline Holmes finished fourth in a time of 2:09.76, senior Leah Tunney finished sixth in 2:11.10 and sophomore Emmalyse Dickhudt tied for seventh in a time of 2:14.67. Junior Amy Mills finished 12th (2:15.00) and freshman Rotem Andegeko took 13th (2:15.31) as well for the Chargers in the event.
The Chargers also took runner-up honors in the two relays that bookended the first day of the meet. Hillsdale's team of Tunney, Burnham, senior Anika Fassett and Weir took second in the 200 medley relay in a time of 1:46.26, and the Chargers' 200 freestyle relay team of Weir, Golladay, Tunney and Taylor also took second in a time of 1:37.32.
In the end, it was a solid first day for the Chargers, who trail Findlay 463 to 416.5 with three days remaining in the team race -- with ground to make up, but in striking distance with three-quarters of the events still to be contested. Hillsdale will be back in the pool tomorrow at 10 a.m. for another set of preliminaries, with finals to follow at 6 p.m. on Wednesday night.
Photo by Edward Smith