The women’s swimming and diving team came in seventh in the NESCAC championships this past weekend, smashing several school records in the process.
With a final point total of 1972.5, Amherst won its first ever NESACAC women’s swimming championship, defeating long-time rival Williams. Finishing seventh, the Polar Bears had a final point total of 707.
Though not triumphant, the team ended its 2012-2013 season on a high note, breaking several long-standing school records and posting many season best times.
Katherine Foley ’13 had the best individual performances of the weekend for the team, coming in second overall in the 1000-yard freestyle with a time of 10:21.04 and fourth in the 1650-yard freestyle with a time 17:25.69. Both times broke school records, with Foley beating her own time of 10:33 in the 1000-yard freestyle and breaking a record in the 1650 that had stood since 1995. To round it out, Foley broke her own record that she set last year in the 500 freestyle with a time of 5:01.27.
The team set four records in the relay events, with the most striking being the 800 freestyle where Foley, Lela Garner ’16, Bridget Killian ’16 and captain Sarah Hirschfeld ’13 broke the previous mark by almost 10 seconds with a time of 7:39.65.
Other relay records included the 400 free, where the team of captain Kayley Kokomoor ’13, Killian, Garner, and Foley set a new mark with a time of 3:31.56; the 200 free, where Teri Faller ’15, Patty Boyer ’15, Garner and Kokomoor swam a new top time of 1:37.62; and the 200 medley, where Helen Newton ’14, Faller, Mariah Reading ’16 and Kokomoor set a program-best of 1:48.79.
Reading also set a school record in the 50 butterfly with a time of 26.50.
Foley said she is proud of her team’s showing in her final year as a Polar Bear.
“We’ve worked incredibly hard this season, and last weekend showed that our efforts paid off,” she said. “I couldn’t be more proud to finish my final season of swimming with this amazing team.”
Foley, Garner, Hirschfeld, Killian, and Kokomoor all received All-NESCAC honors this season.
The men’s swim team will compete this weekend at its NESCAC Championship at Wesleyan.