Now in her third season with the Hillsdale College women's swimming team, junior Elise Mason has never failed to win a distance freestyle race at the G-MAC/MEC Championships.
That didn't change on Wednesday night, as the decorated All-American won her third consecutive 1,000 yd freestyle title in dominant fashion to kick off the 2024 edition of the G-MAC/MEC Championships at the C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton, Ohio.
Mason cruised to the victory by nearly 10 full seconds over her closest competition, Lydia Nebiolo of Frostburg State, to win in 10:17.54, breaking the old meet record in the event set by Nathalia Silva of UNC Pembroke in 2020. It's the first of three threepeats the junior will try to accomplish this week, as Mason also looks to defend titles in the 500 freestyle and 1,650 freestyle as well later.
Along with Mason, freshman Isabel Ondracek took fourth for the Chargers in the 1,000 freestyle, in 10:34.36, fellow freshman Irene del Castro took 10th in 11:01.89, and sophomore Jamie Parsons placed 11th in 11:02.14.
Mason also led the Chargers to a runner-up finish in the 200 freestyle relay on Wednesday, one of two second place relay finishes on the night for the Chargers. Mason teamed with Megan Clifford, Callie Lucero and Lucia Ruchti to finish second behind Findlay with a time of 1:37.34, and Lucero and Ruchti also swam legs on the runner-up 200 medley relay for the Chargers, teaming with Joanna Burnham and Inez McNichols to finish in 1:47.03.
Hillsdale had solid placings in the other two contested finals on Wednesday as well. Senior Caroline Holmes took third in the 200 individual medley in a time of 2:07.63, a collegiate-best performance, while Burnham finished fourth in 2:09.20 and junior Emmalyse Dickhudt took seventh in 2:11.77. Freshmen Alyson Early (ninth), Lauren Kamp (12th) and McNichols (13th) scored solid points in the event as well for Hillsdale.
In the 50 freestyle, Clifford, whose specialty is the butterfly, had a strong performance in the sprint event for the Chargers, tying for fifth with a time of 24.26. Ruchti placed ninth and Lucero 14th to score points as well for Hillsdale.
The Chargers will look for more strong swims on Thursday as the G-MAC/MEC Championships continue with finals in the 100 butterfly, 400 IM and 200 freestyle, among other events.
Photo by Andy Smith, Malone Athletics