MAC Announces Men's and Women's Swimmer of the Week
MAC Women's Swimmer of the Week
Sarah Watson, Akron
Freshman, Winnipeg, Manitoba (St. Mary's Academy)
Freshman Sarah Watson broke the Mid-American Conference record and program record in the 100 butterfly with a personal best time of 52.21 at the Ohio State Winter Invitational. Her time is tied for 19th in the nation, while also falling under the NCAA "B" cut time standard. Additionally, she was a member of the 400 freestyle relay team that also set a new MAC and program record, finishing first in an NCAA provisional time of 3:16.44. The team broke their own record of 3:17.02, which was set just three weeks ago at the Shamrock Invitational. Watson swam the initial leg of the relay in a personal best time of 49.26. Her 100 freestyle time ranks fourth for Akron, all-time. The freshman owns the fastest times in the MAC in the 100 freestyle, 100 butterfly, and 200 IM.
MAC Men's Swimmer of the Week
Matthew Wehby, Miami
Sophomore, Nashville, Tenn. (Father Ryan)
Sophomore Matthew Wehby swam lifetime bests in every event he competed in during the Ohio State Invitational last weekend. In the 200 free, Wehby beat his previous lifetime best by over two seconds as he earned a seventh-place finish (1:43.47). He finished eighth in the 100 free (46.26), beating his previous best by 1.8 seconds. Wehby earned 11th in the 50 free (21.37). He capped off the invitational by swimming Miami's fastest split on the third-place 200 free relay team (1:24.85).
Other Female Nominees
Gracie Taylor, Miami
Sophomore, Edina, Minn. (Edina)
Sophomore Gracie Taylor made it to three A finals during the Ohio State Invitational this last weekend in addition to setting a lifetime best in the 500 free. Taylor finished eighth in the 500 free (4:58.27), beating her previous lifetime best by over three seconds. Taylor also finished fourth in the 200 free (1:52.00) and third as part of the 200 free relay (1:38.11).
Sydney Thomas, Eastern Michigan
Junior, Jamestown, N.Y. (Southwestern Senior)
Eastern Michigan junior Sydney Thomas (Jamestown, N.Y.-Southwestern Senior) brought home one of the Eagles’ two podium finishes at this weekend’s OSU Winter Invite, Feb. 16-17, inside McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion. She earned a third-place finish in the 400 Individual Medley with a personal-best time of 4:25.39 on Saturday, Feb. 16, besting her previous top effort set at the 2018 rendition of the OSU Winter Invite by over a second. Thomas also registered a career-best finish in the 500 Freestyle, tapping in at 4:58.34 in prelims, good for a spot in the A finals, where she placed 10th with a time of 5:05.52. She surpassed her previous best collegiate time in the event, also set at last year's OSU Winter Invite, by more than a second. Sunday saw Thomas mark her personal best 1650 Freestyle time, touching in at 17:25.50, good for ninth place. Overall, the Jamestown, N.Y. native recorded career-best efforts in all three events she performed in this weekend, as well as top-10 finishes.
