Junior Elise Mason's total dominance of distance events at the G-MAC/MEC Championships is complete for another season after the Hillsdale College women's swimmer captured her third title of the 2024 event on Saturday at C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton, Ohio.
Mason led wire-to-wire in the 1,650 freestyle to win in 17:26.50, the third consecutive year she's won the 1,650 freestyle at the G-MAC/MEC Championship meet. In nine finals in the 500 freestyle, 1,000 freestyle and 1,650 freestyle, Mason has never lost in the G-MAC/MEC Championships, including prelims in the 500 freestyle. The All-American not only has a trifecta of three-peats, she's now earned herself the chance to return as a senior in 2025 and complete an undefeated career in those three races next season.
Freshman Isabel Ondracek also had a strong race for the Chargers in the 1,650, taking third in 17:41.73, while sophomore Jamie Parson placed eighth (18:32.54) and freshman Irene Del Castro took ninth (18:32.73).
Mason completed her night by swimming a leg for the Chargers on the runner-up 400 freestyle relay, which took second to Findlay in 3:32.87. Senior Caroline Holmes, freshman Alyson Early and junior Megan Clifford also swam on the relay team for the Chargers.
Clifford took fifth in the 100 freestyle for Hillsdale in 53.08 as well on SAturday, with Early placing 10th and Lucia Ruchti 11th for the Chargers in the event. Holmes placed fourth in the 100 backstroke for the Chargers in 2:06.37, with teammate and fellow senior Sarah Pataniczek taking sixth in 2:11.08, and Del Castro placing 15th.
Hillsdale also went 2-3-4 in the 200 breaststroke on Saturday, led by junior Joanna Burnham, who earned runner-up honors in 2:23.65. Junior Emmalyse Dickhudt took third for the Chargers in 2:25.88, freshman Lauren Kamp placed fourth in 2:26.72, Rotem Andegeko took 10th and Phoebe Johnston played 13th for the Chargers.
The Chargers finished runner-up in the team standings with 1,563 points, as Findlay earned a repeat title with 1,948 points. Hillsdale and Findlay have finished 1-2 in the final standings of the G-MAC/MEC meet every season dating back to both teams joining the league for the 2017-18 campaign.
Hillsdale now looks to the NCAA DII Championship meet at the Spire Institute in Ohio in March. Returning 2023 All-Americans Mason and Clifford both have the times that mean they will return to compete, while other Hillsdale College swimmers with B-cuts will wait for the announcement of the field on Feb. 28 to see if they will get a chance to compete.
Photo by Andy Smith, Malone Athletics