AKRON, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University women's swimming and diving team claimed one Ohio Athletic Conference Champion, four All-OAC honors and set two school-records as it stands in third place after the first day of competition at the OAC Championships, which is hosted by BW, in the Ocasek Natatorium on the campus of the University of Akron.
The Yellow Jackets are third of five teams with 262.5 points and trails second place University of Mount Union by just a half point. Four-time defending OAC Champion and crosstown rival John Carroll University leads with 261.5 points.
The top three individuals and the top two relay teams earn All-OAC honors.
BW was led by sophomore All-OAC freestyler Bella Ratino (Mentor/Hawken), who had the fastest qualifying time with season-best 5:10.61, as she claimed her second straight OAC Championship and her third All-OAC accolade with a time of 5:09.87.
Also earning All-OAC honors was sophomore All-OAC freestyler Madeleine Pierce (Perry), who earns her second career All-OAC accolade, as she placed third in the 50-yard freestyle in a career-best time of 24.60 seconds.
In addition, senior All-OAC and Academic All-OAC performer Erika Nockengost (Cuyahoga Falls) touched the wall in fifth place in the 50-yard freestyle with a career-best time of 24.78. Senior All-OAC freestyler Allie Thorson (Amherst/Marion Steele) took sixth in the 500-yard freestyle in a season-best time of 5:19.79. Senior Academic All-OAC performer Marissa Kural (LaGrange, Ill./Lyons Township) was sixth in the 200-yard medley with a season-best time of 2:16.12. Sophomore stroker Kayla McClintock (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) came in seventh in the 500-yard freestyle in a career-best time of 5:21.40. Freshman freestyler Julia Newbould (Strongsville) was 10th in the 50-yard freestyle in a career-best time of 25.12.
In relay action, the 200-yard freestyle squad of Nockengost, Newbould, Thorson and Pierce earned All-OAC honors as they were the runners-up in a school-record time of 1:39.06. The 400-yard medley unit of Ratino, senior Academic All-OAC performer Ellie Clymer (Independence), Kural and Nockengost earned All-OAC honors as they were the runners-up in a school-record time of 3:59.97.
The Yellow Jackets are back in action for the second day of the OAC Championships on Friday, February 14. Preliminary action will begin at 10 a.m. and the finals will be contested at 6 p.m. The OAC Championships will be held on Saturday, February 15.
