Women's Swimming & Diving wraps up fifth OAC crown with victories in four of the final seven events on Day 3
By Tim Glon
AKRON — The Ohio Northern women won their fifth consecutive Ohio Athletic Conference Swimming & Diving Championships team title at the University of Akron's Ocasek Natatorium on Saturday.
The Polar Bears finished with 865 points and set eight OAC records, 12 school records and seven NCAA "B" Cuts and won 12 of the championships' 20 events.
Mount Union was second with 714 points, John Carroll was third with 660 points, new OAC member Transylvania (Ky.) was fourth with 424 points, Wilmington was fifth with 290 points and Defiance was sixth with 133 points.
Senior Amy Elmer was named the OAC Women's Diver of the Year after winning the 3-meter event with an ONU record and NCAA "B" Cut score of 458.65 points.
Head coach Peggy Ewald and her staff were named the OAC Women's Coaching Staff of the Year for the fifth time in the last eight years.
Junior Lindsey Rayhill won her third consecutive title in the 200 fly, shattering her own OAC and ONU record and besting the NCAA "B" Cut with an effort of 2:06.97.
Freshman Lindsey Inkrott shattered the OAC record in the 200 back, winning in an ONU record and NCAA "B" Cut 2:02.04.
Freshman Allison Lohnes also earned All-Conference accolades in the event, finishing third in 2:07.04.
Sophomore Ashley Zoeller earned All-OAC accolades in the 1650 free, finishing second in 18:33.99.
Seniors Sarah Fiffick and Mackenzie Hoffman finished 2-3 in the 100 free to earn All-OAC honors. Fiffick was second in :54.06 and Hoffman was third in :54.35.
Junior Jennifer Hartsel and sophomore Taylor McCabe finished 2-3 in the 200 breast to grab All-Conference honors.
Hartsel was second in 2:27.71 and McCabe was third in 2:28.57. This marks the second straight year that McCabe was All-OAC in the event.
Northern capped the weekend by winning the 400 free relay in OAC and ONU record-setting fashion as Hoffman, Rayhill, Fiffick and Inkrott won in 3:34.46 in the final event of the meet.
The top three individuals and the top two relay teams in each event earn All-OAC kudos.
The Polar Bears will wrap up their regular season at the Kenyon Last Chance meet next Saturday.