The following is a press release courtesy of Davidson Swimming & Diving:
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Davidson sophomore Elise Lankiewicz was named the Atlantic 10 Women’s Swimming Performer of the Week for the second time this season, while freshman Sarah Coats was recognized as the league’s top rookie, the conference office announced Tuesday morning.
The honor is Lankiewicz’s second of the season. Over three days (Thurs.-Sat.) at the Total Performance Invitational hosted by Kenyon College, the Wilmington, Del., native competed in 10 events (five individual and five relays) for a total of 14 races (including prelims), and placed in the top three in four of the five individual events with two victories. She opened the meet by breaking her own school 1,650 freestyle record (16:42.26), also posting a school-record 1,000 split (10:09.12) and the second fastest leadoff (1:48.0) in school history.
Additionally, Lankiewicz surpassed the 200 freestyle meet record (1:48.43) and nearly surpassed the pool record (1:48.33), touching second in 1:48.35. She also placed seventh (57.90) in the 100 backstroke. To conclude, Lankiewicz won the 500-yard freestyle in a convincing 4:51.70 and placed third in the 100 freestyle in 51.38 seconds.
All five of the relay teams she led placed in the top four.
Coats is the first Wildcat to earn an A-10 swimming rookie honor. The Atlanta, Ga., native reached the championship finals in the 200 breaststroke in her top performance of the weekend, placing 10th in 2:26.69. She also placed 16th in the 200 individual medley in 2:10.63 and 19th in both the 100 breaststroke (1:07.73, 1:06.61 in prelims) and the 400 IM (4:40.96, 4:34.45 in prelims.) Additionally, she swam in five relays, including Davidson’s third-place finishing 800 freestyle team (7:25.21).
Davidson will take nearly a month break from competition before returning to action Jan. 3 at the Deerfield Relays in Deerfield Beach, Fla. The Wildcats will compete in their final home meet of the season in Cannon Pool the following week Jan. 10 against William & Mary.