The Hurricanes women’s swim team concluded their final home meet of the season by setting records on Friday before heading to Greensboro, North Carolina for the Atlantic Coast Championships (ACC) next week.
Personal-bests, career-bests and school records were broken in the morning races at the Normal Whitten Pool.
Freshman Celina Kuehne, graduate student Tara Vovk and redshirt senior Zorry Mason raced the 200-yard medley relay in 1:37.05, breaking the school-record. Mason also set a career-best in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 59.91, and Vovk raced a personal-best in the 100-yard fly with a time of 53.83.
The ‘Canes were impressive heading into the ACC Championships, with head swimming coach Andy Kershaw saying that he’s looking for “a lot of fast swimming, great diving, a lot of success, and a lot of personal bests” in Greensboro next week.
The afternoon races were also bright for UM, as it earned a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) ‘A’ cut time in the 200-yard medley relay.
For the races in the afternoon, there is an extensive list of wins for the ‘Canes. Redshirt sophomore Savannah Barr placed first in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 50.4. Senior Aino Otava also took home a win in the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 2:00.76, and freshman Kate Sommerstad won the 200-yard backstroke in 2:00.76.
Redshirt junior Adrianna Cera won the 100-yard backstroke in 56.14, Vovk won the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 53.83 and Mason won the 100-yard breaststroke in 59.91. The final four wins of the day for the canes included sophomore Giulia Carvalho in the 50-yard freestyle (22.63), sophomore Ariana Brattoli in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:06.07), senior Nicole Sowell in the 100-yard freestyle (52.56) and junior Lucy Ho in the 50-yard freestyle with a 24.25.
Sophomore Jacey Hinton and Kuehne followed closely behind Carvalho in the 50 free, and Emily Grasso finished just over a second behind Brattoli in the 100-yard breaststroke.
Emotions ran strong and tears were shed in the final moments of the meet as the team celebrated the bittersweet final home meet for the senior ‘Canes before leaving for North Carolina next week. Races begin on Feb. 14.