Women's Swimmer of the Week
Sarah Watson, Akron
Junior, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Junior Sarah Watson (Winnipeg, Manitoba) set a second school record at the 2021 NCAA Division I Women's Swimming and Diving Championships as Watson flew to a 48.63 time in the 100-yard freestyle on Saturday at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, N.C. Watson's performance at the 2021 NCAA Division I Women's Swimming and Diving Championships included three finishes inside the Top 25 competitor in three events and two school records (*), placing 14th in the 200 IM (1:56.85*), 18th in the 100 Free (48.63*) and 22nd in the 100 Fly (52.30). Watson entered the NCAA Championships with a 40th best 48.87 time in the 100 Free. During the preliminary round, she cut 0.21 seconds off her seed time and established a new record at Akron. Watson's time of 48.63 stands as a program best, replacing her previous mark and current record of 48.87 she set earlier this season. With that performance, Watson finished the preliminary race 18th overall, just missing the NCAA Finals B by 0.06 seconds. On Friday, Watson competed in her second event at the NCAA Championships, the 100-yard butterfly, as she qualified for the NCAA finale with the 24th fastest time in the country, clocking a 52.07 time at the Akron Last Chance Meet on Feb. 27. During the preliminary round at the NCAAs, Watson stopped the timer at 52.30, placing 22nd overall. On Thursday, Watson opened the weekend with a record-breaking performance in the 200-yard individual medley, setting new standards for Akron and the MAC. In the 200 IM preliminary round. Watson flew to a 1:56.85 time, which was 2.43 seconds faster than her 59th ranked seed time of 1:59.28. The 1:56.85 time stands as a new record for the Akron swimming program as well as the Mid-American Conference, replacing the 1:56.92 record time set by Madison Myers in 2017 at Akron and the MAC.
Women's Diver of the Week
Maddie Folta, Miami
Senior, Fishers, Ind. (Fishers)
In the tri-meet with Ohio and Toledo, senior diver Maddie Folta collected two diving victories, winning the three-meter (280.05) and one-meter (272.25) events.
Other Nominees
Toni Naccarella, Buffalo
Junior, Rochester, N.Y. / Penfield
Toni Naccarella swam a great heat at the NCAA Championships last week in the 50-yard freestyle. She finished third in the heat as she beat swimmers from Virginia, Florida State and Alabama. Naccarella finished with a time of 22.70, good for 47th place overall. Naccarella then competed in the 100-yard freestyle on Saturday morning where she finished tied for 43rd in 49.22-seconds. She’s the first Bull to qualify for the NCAA Championships since Megan Burns in 2017.
Katherine Garrity, Ohio
Senior(Eagan, Minn.)
Senior Katherine Garrity (Eagan, Minn.) won the 1,000-yard freestyle in 10:17.76 and also placed second in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:04.49.
Nicole Maier, Miami
Freshman, Bottrop, Germany (Willy-Brandt-Gesamtschule)
Freshman Nicole Maier claimed three victories individually in the tri-meet against Ohio and Toledo,, winning the 500 freestyle (4:55.82), 200 IM (2:04.44) and the 200 freestyle (1:48.77).
