Last Saturday, the Emory women’s swimming and diving team earned two wins against Delta State University (Miss.) and the University of West Florida, while the men’s team earned seven individual first place wins, but fell as a team to Delta State 157-137 and Florida Southern University 151-94.
In addition to the women’s team win, they picked up seven NCAA ‘B’ cut times. Senior Ellie Thompson led the women to their victory, making two cut times, one in the 100-meter backstroke (57.01 seconds), and another in the 200-meter backstroke (2:04.36). Thompson finished second overall in both races. Sophomore Cindy Cheng registered a cut time with her first place finish in the 200-meter freestyle (1:52.61). Senior Elizabeth Aronoff also earned a cut time with her second place finish in the 200-meter breaststroke (2:22.40), as well as sophomores Ming Ong and Phoebe Edwards in the 400-meter individual medley with times of 4:33.94 and 4:34.93, respectively. The 200-meter medley team of Cheng, freshman Fiona Muir and juniors Marissa Bergh and Annelise Kowalsky earned a cut time with their second place finish time of 1:45.77.
On the men’s team, the Eagles were led by juniors Christian Baker and Mitchell Cooper and sophomores Oliver Smith and Henry Copses, who together gave Emory six individual wins. Baker’s time of 1:41.36 placed first in the 200-meter freestyle, and he finished first in the 500-meter freestyle (4:36.04). Cooper added two wins in the 100-meter freestyle (50.77), good for a NCAA ‘B’ cut time, and the 200-meter backstroke (1:52.84). Cooper picked up a second cut time in the 400-meter individual medley, where he placed second, with a 4:05.64 finish. Smith won the 50-meter freestyle, with a time of 20.66, which was also good for a qualifying NCAA time. Meanwhile, Copses took first in the 1,000-meter freestyle with his time of 9:41.06.
Smith, along with freshman Trey Kolleck and sophomores Aaron Schwartz and Alexander Hardwick, won the 200-meter freestyle relay, good for a cut time (1:23.05). The 200-meter medley relay team consisting of Cooper, Schwartz, Baker and Smith finished second with a time of 1:32.74.
Additional top finishers from the men’s team included senior John Galvin, who placed second in the 200-meter butterfly (1:56.08), Hardwick, who placed second in the 100-meter freestyle (47.23), sophomore Chandler Lichtefeld, who placed second in the 200-meter breaststroke (2:08.56) and senior Jared Scheuer, who placed second in the 200-meter backstroke (1:54.84).
The Eagles will return to action to host Sewanee: The University of the South (Tenn.) at 5 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 29. Before the meet starts, Emory will celebrate their 11 graduating seniors with the team’s annual Senior Day. The following day, the Eagles will travel across town for an 11 a.m. meet against Georgia Institute of Technology.
Elana Cates is a College junior from San Diego, California, majoring in English and History. She joined the Wheel's Editorial Board her sophomore year as sports editor. In addition to the Wheel, Elana is also a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority and the Student Alumni Board.
