Hayley Booher competes in the opening session of the MIAC Championships. (Photo courtesy of Matt Higgins, MIAC)
SESSION ONE RESULTS | SESSION TWO RESULTS
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The Gustavus women’s swimming & diving team compiled 205.5 points to sit in second place through the first two sessions and 11 events of the three-day MIAC Championships at the University of Minnesota Jean Freeman Aquatic Center.
The Gusties got off to a good start in the first event of the championships, in the 500-yard freestyle. Sydney Hallmark (So., Cedarburg, Wis.), Haley Pesik (So., Eagan, Minn.), Megan Boonstra (Jr., Oakdale, Minn.), and Linnea Rizzo (So., Woodbury, Minn.) each placed for Saturday’s championship heat.
Hayley Booher (Sr., Warren, Vt.) began her final run at the MIAC Championships on a good note, putting herself in position for a three-peat in the 200-yard individual medley with a preliminary top time of 2:10.23. Booher holds the MIAC 200-yard IM record with a time of 2:05.84, set last year.
In the 50-yard freestyle, Kate Reilly (Jr., Hastings, Minn.) and Maggie Webster (So., Apple Valley, Minn.) were strong in Thursday morning’s preliminary heat. Reilly’s time of 23.55 is a 2016 NCAA Selection time along with Webster’s time of 23.68 being a NCAA B-cut time.
Gustavus rounded out the day with the first finals session of the championships, earning four all-conference (top-three) times.
Kate Reilly finished third in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 23.54 to meet the NCAA Selection time. In the 500-yard freestyle finals, Sydney Hallmark finished finished in third place, clocking a time of 5:07.64. Hayley Booher also had a third place finish in the 200-yard individual medley final with a time of 2:08.57.
Two relay teams also earned top-three finishes. The 200-yard freestyle relay team of Kennedy Holwerda (Jr., Willmar, Minn.), Reilly, Nicole Lohman (Sr., North Mankato, Minn.), and Webster turned in a NCAA Selection time of 1:34.29 for a second place finish. The 400-yard medley relay team of Holwerda, Pesik, Reilly, and Lohman finished third at 3:56.74.
“The team swam great today,” said Head Coach Jon Carlson. “They created such a great atmosphere on deck and it carried over to the pool. You can really tell that they’re swimming for each other and trying to accomplish something as a team. There was inspiring swim after inspiring swim and they just fed off each other all day. I’m very excited for the next two days.”
Friday’s morning session is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m., followed by the evening session at 6:30 p.m.