The Jackets placed No. 7 at the ACC Championships this past weekend at the Aquatic Center in the CRC.
“I think it’s the best one since I’ve been here. Pretty much everybody did best times. We placed really well,” said Elizabeth Stowe, the lead long-distance swimmer.
Several members reached peak times at the meet and the team set seven school records and one “A” and eight “B” NCAA qualifying times.
“Overall, I’m just really proud of everyone. I think the team really came together. We just really built off each other’s swim. Everyone was doing really well and got excited for each other,” Stowe said.
Senior captain Elizabeth Stowe finished the 500 free in 4:51.82 minutes and topped off her previous personal record by about six seconds. Stowe also finished the 1650 freestyle race with an automatic NCAA qualifying time and two new school records.
Agatha Kwasnik performed at a higher level than in the past and outpaced her previously set school & career records. The leading short-distance swimmer set a new school record in the 50-yd free.
“Taylor Flynn really stepped it up in the consolation heat [with a personal-best and NCAA “B” cut time] as we were really trying to step up to Duke. The breaststrokers, Lisa Pucci and Hen Pauker, stepped up; Thea Kromer also had an awesome meet in the butterflies. Everyone seemed to be swimming their best times and did really well in the relays as well,” Stowe said.
The relay teams included the talented team of Kwasnik, Flynn, Stowe and Jing Li, a squad that set a new school record in the 800 free. Furthermore, the team of Ryann Kopacka, Pucci, Kromer and Kwasnik set a new school record of 3:47.39 minutes in the 400 medley.
“I think Agatha and I are motivating the team really easily. Everybody’s pumped up and we’ve been setting a good example. In the first relay, we swam and set a new record and that just started off the meet really well,” Stowe said.
At the diving well, senior Stephanie England received a bronze-place finish in the three-meter event and a silver finish at the diving platforms. Both divers reached All-ACC’s honors and are training for the NCAA Diving Zone meet.