Williams Wins 2011 Women's Swimming & Diving Championships

Courtesy Williams Sports Information

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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – Williams College won its 11th consecutive conference title on Sunday as the Ephs posted 1,923 points over the three-day NESCAC Women's Swimming & Diving Championships at Muir-Samuelson Pool. Following Williams was Amherst, which finished as the runner-up for the third year in a row with 1,603 points.

Swimmer of the Meet honors went to Amherst senior Kendra Stern, the third time she has won the honor. Stern tied Williams' Lindsay Payne for the most all time Swimmer of the Meet awards. Stern also was the senior high point award winner for her four years of excellence. Diver of the meet was Amherst senior Meggie Meisinger, who came in first place in both the 1-meter and 3-meter springboard events. Meisinger was also the senior diving high point award winner.

The first event of the evening, the 1650-yard freestyle, saw the reigning national record holder, Williams sophomore Caroline Wilson, competing alongside three of her teammates in the final heat. Wilson would win the event in 16:54.11, a new pool and NESCAC championship record.

Hamilton first year Maggie Rosenbaum continued her dominance in the backstroke events in the morning preliminary heats of the 200-yard backstroke, shattering a 21 year old pool record with her time of 2:03.16. Rosenbaum would significantly lower even that record with her finals swim of 2:01.72, which earned her a third individual title in her first NESCAC championship meet.

In the 100-yard freestyle Amherst senior Kendra Stern captured her third individual title, having previously won the 200 and 500 freestyle events. Stern swam away from the 100 field early and maintain her lead until the end, finishing in 50.43, a new pool record.

Amherst first year Abby Hahn emerged from the pack in the 200-yard breaststroke in the final 50 yards to take the victory in 2:21.27.

The final individual swimming event of the meet, the 200-yard butterfly, saw another final heat stacked with swimmers from the host school. Williams placed five out of eight swimmers in the final heat, including the reigning national champion, Logan Todhunter. Todhunter was narrowly upset by Connecticut College senior Sarah Murphy, who placed first in a time of 2:02.98. Todhunter came in second, with a time of 2:03.60.

The finals of the 3-meter diving events opened up with Amherst senior Meggie Meisinger possessing a comfortable lead over second placed Taylor Stevens from Williams following the voluntary dives this afternoon. The order at the top would not shake itself up too much in the finals, with Meisinger coasting to a 20 point victory over Stevens. Meisinger posted a combined score of 451.

Williams capped the weekend in the 400-yard freestyle relay with a time of 3:29.14.

Following Williams and Amherst in the team scoring was Tufts in third with 1,192 points, while Connecticut College and Bates rounded out the top five with 1,114 and 883.5 points respectively. Hamilton was in sixth with 699 points; Colby seventh with 665 points; Wesleyan eighth with 595 point; Middlebury ninth with 593 points; Bowdoin 10th with 565 points; and Trinity 11th place with 469.5 points.

Connecticut College head coach Marc Benvenuti was named as coach of the year, while Kit Callahan-Koch of Williams was named as the diving coach of the year.