2018 NAIA Women’s National Championships – Day 3 Prelims

2018 NAIA National Championships – Women’s Meet

• Dates: Wednesday, February 28 – Saturday, March 3; prelims 9 am, finals 5 pm
• Location: Columbus Aquatic Center, Columbus, Georgia (Eastern Time Zone)
• Defending Champions: Olivet Nazarene University (results)
• Psych Sheet
• Live Results: Available here
• Live Video: Available here
• Championship Central

Women’s 200 Yard Medley Relay – Prelims

• Meet Record: 1:41.40, 2012, Fresno Pacific, Fresno Pacific (Coffman/Malthaner/Swanson/Brown)

1. Olivet Nazarene 1:48.56
2. SCAD 1:48.87
3. Keiser 1:49.04
4. College of Idaho 1:49.06
5. Lindsey Wilson 1:49.36
6. Cumberlands 1:49.44
7. Loyola 1:49.62
8. Asbury 1:49.96

ONU earned the right to choose the walkout music for the women’s 200 medley relay, putting up a 1:48.56 in morning heats. Senior Deirdre Gerke (28.65), junior Andrea Vega (29.12), senior Kara DeLong (26.05), and sophomore Susan Stelmar (24.74) contributed to the effort. Second out of heats was SCAD Savannah (Julie Henninger, Alle Ragland, Lydia Reinhardt, and Anne Weber Callahan), who qualified just a tick ahead of Keiser (Varvara Klyueva, Maria Barrera, Anna Lofton, and Kodi Cabral).

Loyola New Orleans improved by 3 seconds to vault into the A final, while Indiana Wesleyan and Life University both had nice drops to make the B final. But the biggest improvement of the morning came from Arizona Christian (Amber Montoya, Jacy Green, Sarah Mossman, and Emma Stevens), who took 6.6 seconds off their seed time.

Women’s 400 Yard Individual Medley – Prelims

• Meet Record: 4:24.03, 1993, Laurette Hakansson, Drury

1. Karla Islas, Olivet Nazarene 4:29.76
2. Rebecca Justus, SCAD 4:31.90
3. Paige Carter, Loyola 4:34.43
4. Christina Klouda, Cumberlands 4:34.78
5. Annamaria Zombai, Keiser 4:37.29
6. Nikoletta Alvanou, Brenau 4:37.63
7. Kiana Molina, Thomas 4:41.44
8. Alina Geck, Lindenwood-Belleville 4:42.67

ONU freshman Karla Islas dropped nearly 10 seconds to post the top time of the morning with 4:29.76. 2017 runner-up Rebecca Justus of SCAD was 4:31.90 in heats and will occupy lane 5 in tonight’s final. Loyola sophomore Paige Carter, 5 seconds faster than her seed time, qualified third ahead of 2017 bronze medalist Christina Klouda of Cumberlands.

Women’s 100 Yard Butterfly – Prelims

• Meet Record: 53.70, 2017, Lisa Tixier, Biola

1. Amanda Moran, Olivet Nazarene 56.87
2. Alexis Kessler, Lindsey Wilson 56.99
3. Lydia Reinhardt, SCAD 57.02
4. Mendy De Rooi, Cumberlands 57.23
5. Madison Kelly, College of Idaho 57.33
6. Kara DeLong, Olivet Nazarene 57.47
7. Cadie Crow, SCAD 57.58
8. Amelie Essman, Lindenwood-Belleville 58.27

2017 runner-up Amanda Moran of ONU stopped the clock at 56.87 to lead the qualifiers in the women’ 100 fly. Lindsey Wilson’s Alexis Kessler was second with 56.99, a mere .03 ahead of last year’s third-place finisher, Lydia Reinhardt of SCAD. ONU’s Kara DeLong dropped an impressive 2.8 seconds to make the A final. SCAD had a second swimmer as well; senior Cadie Crow qualified seventh.

Women’s 200 Yard Freestyle – Prelims

• Meet Record: 1:49.58, 2011, Alex Peters, Concordia

1. Suzanna Gonzalez, Morningside 1:53.66
2. Jessica Axford, Union College 1:53.92
3. Shayna Salzman, SCAD 1:54.07
4. Sarah Dostie, SCAD 1:54.34
5. Julie Henninger, SCAD 1:54.69
6. Jessica Macdonald, Lindsey Wilson 1:55.03
7. April O’Gorman, SCAD 1:55.33
8. Chloe Hui, SCAD 1:55.46

Just in case there was any doubt about SCAD’s determination to win back the national crown from defending champions Olivet Nazarene, the Bees showed up in force for the 200 free prelims. While the top two times of the morning went to Morningside senior Suzanna Gonzalez, who placed 5th last year, and freshman Jessica Axford of Union (1:53.66 and 1:53.92, respectively), SCAD put five swimmers in the A final. Junior Shayna Salzman led the Bees with the third-fastest time of the morning, 1:54.07. Her classmate Sarah Dostie dropped 3 seconds to qualify fourth, just ahead of another junior, Julie Henninger. Freshmen April O’Gorman and Chloe Hui both dropped time to qualify seventh and eighth, just behind Lindsey Wilson sophomore Jessica Macdonald.

Women’s 100 Yard Breaststroke – Prelims

• Meet Record: 1:02.09, 2012, Catherine Duquet, SCAD

1. Sara Lacusky, JR SCAD 1:04.09
2. Andrea Vega, JR Olivet Nazarene 1:04.50
3. Julia Hnidenko, Cumberlands 1:05.04
4. Caroline Yannelli, College of Idaho 1:05.75
5. Kendra Monnin, WVU-Tech 1:05.93
6. Alle Ragland, SR SCAD 1:06.44
7. Hannah Springer, FR Asbury 1:06.60
8. Emily Rozar, SO SCAD 1:06.63

Defending champion Sara Lacusky of SCAD topped the field out of heats with 1:04.09. Second to the wall was 2017 runner-up Andrea Vega of ONU. Julia Hnidenko of Cumberlands dropped 7/10 to qualify third with 1:05.04. SCAD managed another pair of A finalists, Alle Ragland and Emily Rozar, the latter of whom dropped 1.2 to qualify eighth. Ragland and Rozar were A-finalists last year as well. WVU Tech’s Kendra Monnin, Asbury freshman Hannah Springer, and Idaho’s Caroline Yannelli will also contest the championship final tonight.

Women’s 100 Yard Backstroke – Prelims

• Meet Record: 52.76, 2012, Cheyenne Coffman, Fresno Pacific

1. Amanda Moran, Olivet Nazarene 57.77
2. Kamy Alexander, Loyola 58.14
3. Lindsay Dowling, Brenau 58.25
4. Julie Henninger, SCAD 58.35
5. Kara DeLong, Olivet Nazarene 58.36
6. Margaret Halloran, Milligan 58.69
7. Sara Farmer, Milligan 58.85
8. Chelsea Merfol, Lindenwood-Belleville 59.59

ONU senior and defending champion Moran is poised to be a double-event winner on Friday night, after having notched the leading times in both the 100 fly and 100 back. Moran dropped a full second off her seed time to qualify 4/10 ahead of the field with 57.77. Second-fastest out of heats was Loyola freshman Kamy Alexander (58.14) who dropped 2 seconds to earn her spot in lane 5. Lindsay Dowling of Brenau (58.25), SCAD’s Julie Henninger (58.35), ONU’s Kara DeLong (58.36), Lindenwood-Belleville freshman Chelsea Merfol (59.59), and a pair of backstrokers from Milligan, Margaret Halloran and Sara Farmer, will also dispute the championship final. DeLong took more than 4 seconds off her seed time, Halloran dropped 1.5, and Farmer improved by 9/10 to qualify for the A final.

Women’s 3 Meter Diving

• Meet Record: 444.81, 1987, Cynthia Miller, Wisconson-Milwaukee

1. Andrea Adam, St Ambrose 239.95
2. Taylor Madison, St Ambrose 174.40
3. Vanessa VanOost, Olivet Nazarene 173.50

The divers from St. Ambrose posted the top 3-meter diving scores of the morning. Andrea Adam, who won 1-meter diving on Thursday, was the top diver with 239.95 over teammate Taylor Madison. Vanessa VanOost of ONU kept things close, scoring 173.50 points to trail Madison by only .90.

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In 2000, the NAIA reaffirmed its purpose to enhance the character building aspects of sport. Through Champions of Character, the NAIA seeks to create an environment in which every student-athlete, coach, official and spectator is committed to the true spirit of competition through five core values.”