GENEVA, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University women's swimming and diving team finished in fourth place at the three-day OAC Championships hosted by John Carroll University at the Spire Institute.
BW was fourth of five teams with a three-day total points of 395. John Carroll University won its fifth straight title with 1,017 points.
The Yellow Jackets were led by junior All-OAC freestyler Bella Ratino (Mentor/Hawken), who earned two All-OAC accolades, was the runner-up in the 200-yard freestyle in a time of 1:56.08, the runner-up in the 1650-yard freestyle in a time of 18:04.53 and sixth in the 500-yard freestyle in a time of 5:23.87.
In addition, freshman stroker Tia Reed (Bluffton, S.C.) earned her first career All-OAC accolade as she finished third in the 200-yard breaststroke in a time of 2:31.81. Reed also was fourth in the 100-yard breaststroke in a time of 1:10.62 and 11th in the 200-yard individual medley in a time of 2:22.47.
Also for BW, junior All-OAC stroker Kayla McClintock (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) placed fifth in the 1650-yard freestyle in a time of 18:29.14, sixth in the 400-yard individual medley in a time of 4:54.92 and sixth in the 100-yard butterfly in a time of 1:02.55. Sophomore All-OAC stroker Julia Newbould (Strongsville) finished fifth in the 100-yard butterfly in a time of 1:02.50 and 11th in the 100-yard freestyle in a time of 56.07. Sophomore stroker Aubrey Syron (Dayton/Archbishop Alter) took sixth in the 100-yard butterfly in a time of 1:02.55 and 12th in the 100-yard backstroke in a time of 1:05.76. Freshman stroker Jami Melzer (Bradenton, Fla./Lakewood Ranch) finished sixth in the 200-yard breaststroke in a time of 2:44.68 and ninth in the 100-yard breaststroke in a time of 1:16.86. Sophomore diver Abby Casey (Wickliffe) placed fifth in the 1-meter and 11-dive event with 235.10 points. Sophomore diver LynnDee Popovich (Middleburg Heights/Reichelshelm Academy) was sixth in the 1-meter and 11-dive event with 232.55 points. Freshman stroker Lauren Slife (Westfield Center/Cloverleaf) took 11th in the 100-yard butterfly in a time of 1:05.08. Freshman freestyler Kate Wells (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) was 11th in the 200-yard freestyle in a time of 2:03.87.
In relay action, the 200-yard freestyle team of Newbould, junior stroker Emily Newcamp (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills), Wells and Slife took fifth in a time of 1:44.67. The 400-yard medley unit of Ratino, Reed, Newbould and Slife was fourth in a time of 4:21.02. The 200-yard medley squad of Ratino, Reed, Syron and Slife placed fourth in a time of 1:55.55. The 800-yard freestyle team of Ratino, Newbould, Wells and McClintock took fourth in a time of 8:17.86. The 400-yard freestyle squad of Newbould, McClintock, Wells and Ratino took fifth in a time of 3:50.27.
