Women's Swimming and Diving Falls on Road to Ohio Northern

Bella Ratino (Photo Courtesy of Ed Hall, Jr.)

Posted: Feb 06, 2021

ADA, Ohio -- The Baldwin Wallace University women's swimming and diving team dropped an Ohio Athletic Conference road dual meet by a final score of 142-87 inside the ONU Sports Center.

BW (0-2, 0-2 OAC) had two individual champions in junior All-OAC freestyler Kayla McClintock (Venetia, Pa./ Peters Township)and junior All-OAC freestyler Bella Ratino (Mentor/Hawken).

McClintock won the 1000-yard freestyle in a time of 11:38.70 and was second in the 500-yard freestyle in a time of 5:39.07. Ratino won two events as she captured the 200-yard freestyle in a time of 2:01.28 and the 200-yard backstroke in a time of 2:14.41

Sophomore All-OAC stroker Julia Newbould (Strongsville), sophomore diver LynnDee Popovich (Middleburg Heights/ Reichelshelm Academy), freshman stroker Tia Reed (Bluffton, S.C.) and freshman freestyle Kate Wells (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) all had runner-up finishes. Newbould took second in the 50-yard freestyle in a time of 27.01 and was third in the 200-yard butterfly in a time of 2:47.35. Popovich placed second in the 1-meter event with a total of 133.90 points. Reed took home a pair of second place finishes as she was the runner-up in the 200-yard breaststroke in a time of 2:41.17 and the 200-yard individual medley in a time of 2:27.98. Wells took second in the 1000-yard freestyle in a time of 11:48.66 and was third in the 100-yard freestyle in a time of 59.50 seconds.

Also, for the Yellow Jackets, freshman stroker Jami Melzer (Bradenton, Fla. /Lakewood Ranch) was third in the 200-yard breaststroke in a time of 2:51.27.

In relay action, the 200-yard medley relay team of Ratino, Reed, Newbould and freshman stroker Lauren Slife (Westfield Center/Cloverleaf) finished second in a time of 2:02.99. The 400-yard freestyle unit of McClintock, sophomore stroker Aubrey Syron (Dayton/Archbishop Alter), Melzer and junior stroker Emily Newcamp (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) placed second in a time of 4:08.42.

BW closes out the home portion of its schedule on Saturday, February 13 when it hosts defending OAC Champion and crosstown rival John Carroll University on Seniors' Day in the BW Natatorium inside the Lou Higgins Center at 1 p.m.