Final Results
YPSILANTI, Mich. – The University at Buffalo women's swimming and diving team (5-0, 3-0 MAC) captured their fest ever Mid-American Conference Championship on Saturday evening. The Bulls earned a three-day total of 773 points edging out the seven-time reigning champion Akron Zips by seven points. This is the program's first conference title since winning the Mid-Continent four consecutive seasons in a row from 1995-98.
To start the day, Brittney Beetcher would finish fourth in the 1,650 freestyle, just missing the podium with a time of 16:41.40.
Maddy McDonough would claim the bronze medal in the 200 backstroke in a time of 1:57.40. Senior Nicole Roitenberg finished in fourth in 1:58.12.
The Bulls would gain momentum in the 100 freestyle as they had four swimmers make the championship finals. Toni Naccarella would win the event in 48.70-seconds with Jillian Lawton finishing right behind for second. Lawton's time was 49.18-seconds. Elinor Duley finished in fourth place in 49.94-seconds. Jenna Krull would round up the Bulls in the event for a fifth-place finish (50.73-seconds). The team earned 66 points from the event to take a slight lead over the Zips.
The Zips would then take a big lead over the Bulls after the 200 breaststroke. Katie Pollock was the lone Bull as she finished in fifth place with a time of 2:16.06.
Roitenberg would bounce back and claim the bronze medal in the 200 butterfly and finish in 1:58.73. Clarice Fisher would help the Bulls and finish in seventh place in 2:00.16.
In perhaps the most crucial event of the night, the diving team would come through. With the Bulls being down by 39 points before the 3-meter dive and 400 freestyle relay, the team would reclaim a slim lead after great diving performances by Victoria Franz, Patricia Arceri and Louise Bradley. Franz would take the silver medal with a score of 313.85. Arceri would find herself on the podium for third place (304.20). Bradley finished in fifth-place with a score of 254.40.
After diving, the team would lead by just three points headed into the final event, the 400 freestyle relay. The team of Lawton, Duley, Krull and Naccarella would capture the gold medal in 3:17.76. They edged out Akron by 1.25-seconds. That's all the Bulls needed, a win and they take home the MAC Championship trophy for the first time in program history.
"These women have work so hard for this [MAC Championship]," stated Head Coach Andy Bashor. "They deserve this moment so much. I am so fortunate to work with such an amazing staff. They get a lot of the credit for our success. o happy for Russ and what he has done with the diving program. This is the first MAC Championship in our history. It means everything. They have worked so hard to create a winning culture and be great teammates. We will enjoy this."
The Bulls would bring home additional awards as Brittney Beetcher was named MAC Outstanding Senior. For the third consecutive year, the Bulls earned MAC Freshman Diver of the Year as Louise Bradley had a fantastic championship. Diving Coach Russ Dekker earned his second MAC Diving Coach of the Year honor in his career, first as a Bulls. Dekker also had this honor in 2014 with Ohio. Head Coach Andy Bashor won MAC Swimming Coach of the Year making it a repeat for the head coach as earned this honor a season ago.
A program record 10 Bulls earned All-MAC honors. Marij van der Mast, Victoria Franz, Maddy McDonough and Clarice Fisher all took home Second Team All-MAC distinctions. Toni Naccarella, Katie Pollock, Brittney Beetcher, Nicole Roitenberg, Jillian Lawton and Olivia Sapio all earned First Team All-MAC honors.
Team Scores
1. University at Buffalo - 773
2. Akron - 766
3. Miami University (Ohio) - 436.5
4. Ohio University - 390
5. Ball State University - 320
6. Eastern Michigan University - 305
7. University of Toledo - 262
8. Bowling Green State University 252.5
MAC Outstanding Senior: Brittney Beetcher, Buffalo
MAC Freshman Swimmer of the Year: Nicole Maier, Miami
MAC Freshman Diver of the Year: Louise Bradley, Buffalo
MAC Diver of the Year: Bethany Berger, Eastern Michigan
MAC Swimmer of the Year: Sarah Watson, Akron
MAC Diving Coach of the Year: Russ Dekker, Buffalo and Buck Smith, Eastern Michigan
MAC Swimming Coach of the Year: Andy Bashor, Buffalo
All-MAC First Team
Nicole Maier, Miami
Sarah Watson, Akron
Toni Naccarella, Buffalo
Bethany Berger, Eastern Michigan
Katie Pollock, Buffalo
Daisy Platts, Bowling Green
Marcella Ribeiro, Ball State
Andrea Fischer, Akron
Brittney Beetcher, Buffalo
Nicole Roitenberg, Buffalo
Paula Garcia, Akron
Honor Foy-Brodie, Miami
Jillian Lawton, Buffalo
Rachel Sabotin, Akron
Olivia Sapio, Buffalo
Weronika Gorecka, Akron
Rachel Schiffli, Akron
Olivia Gardner, Akron
All-MAC Second Team
Lauren Cooper, Akron
Marij van der Mast, Buffalo
Emma Fortman, Ohio
Camila Lins de Melo, Miami
Brooke Lamoureux, Akron
Kayleigh Cannon, Miami
Gabrielle Brust, Ohio
Tori Franz, Buffalo
Katie Garrity, Ohio
Madelyn Gatrall, Akron
Ali Staver, Eastern Michigan
Jovana Duric, Toledo
Maddy McDonough, Buffalo
Kennedy Lovell, Toledo
Clarice Fisher, Buffalo
