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By: Dylan DeWitt
Email: DeWittd@findlay.edu
Twitter: dd_witt
As the season came to a close, it ended with a stellar performance from the four swimmers that represented the University of Findlay swimming and diving team.
At the National Championships the Oiler teammates Amanda Stiegel, Hanna Cedarholm, Christina McFarland, and Katy Kouvaris competed in the championships. Stiegel, McFarland and Cedarholm competed as individuals along with competing on a relay team together with Kouvaris in their respected events.
Stiegel, a standout senior with multiple GMAC Swimmer of the Week honors, earned her place in the championships from her time in the 50-yard freestyle along with qualifying with her teammates in the 200 and 400-yard medley. Her career was awarded with being a four time All-American and multiple conference championships. Stiegel also holds the school record in the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle.
Cedarholm earned All-American honors as well for her efforts in the 100-yard breaststroke. With her 16thplace finish, she adds to her multiple All-American awards to total her list to being a five-time honoree. McFarland competed in the 100-yard backstroke where she just missed out on All-American honors when she finished 18thin the preliminaries.
The team of the four swimmers finished the championship by competing in their events of the 200-yard medley and the 400-yard medley. In the 200-yard medley, the team would go on to set another school record with a time of 1:42.78 and finish in the standings at 13thplace during the finals. In the 400-yard medley, another school record was broken by Stiegel, Cedarholm, McFarland, and Kouvaris. They would not only break the previous record in the preliminary swim, but set a new record for their final swim in the relay. With a time of 3:44.73, the record breakers would finish 11thin the championships and were honored with the All-American award.
Overall, both the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams both would go on to have an outstanding year. Both teams repeated their Great Midwest Athletic Conference Championship along with having multiple swimmers gain All-American honors as well. To end the year, the women`s swimming and diving team would end up being ranked 17thin the College Swimming Coaches Association of America NCAA DII Poll.
