Belles Finish Fifth at MIAA Championships as More Records Fall

Prelims (pdf)
Finals (pdf)

NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The Saint Mary's College swimmers set five new school records in the third and final day of the MIAA Championships as the Belles finished in fifth place with 375 points.

Heading into the three day tournament's final event, the Belles were tied with Olivet College for fourth place as the two teams were seeded in adjacent lanes for the 400 freestyle relay. The Comets, however, finished more than two and a half seconds faster in the event in the outside lane than the Belles to take fourth place with 377 to the Belles' 375. In spite of finishing behind Olivet, that relay team of Barbara Beidler, Meredith Lierz, Katie Donovan, and Meg Price finished in 3:40.00 to break the school record of 3:43.90.

Keeping in form with Thursday and Friday, the Belles set five more next school records in the final day of the conference championships. In the consolation finals of the 200 backstroke, Casey Niezer set a new College record with a time of 2:11.69 to improve upon the old mark of 2:12.74.

Barbara Beidler, Audrey Dalrymple, and Eva Cavadini also set new school records in their respective events. Beidler and Dalrymple each set new marks in the morning session before breaking their own record in the evening finals. Beidler put up a 54.74 in the morning heat of the 100 freestyle before swimming a 54.43 in the final. Dalrymple earned a provisional B cut for the NCAA finals with a school-record 2:22.52 in her morning swim in the 200 breaststroke. She then finished second in the final in 2:21.16, which was not only a school record and a B cut qualifying time, but at the time of reporting, the result is also among the top five fastest times in NCAA Division III this season. Cavadini, meanwhile, finished the 200 butterfly final in 2:13.32 to take the school record by .43 of a second.

Overall, in the three day championships, the Belles set a remarkable 15 new school records out of 20 events.

School Records Set on Saturday (previous school record in parentheses)
100 Freestyle - Barbara Beidler 54.43 (Maureen Palchak 55.06 in 2001-02)
200 Breaststroke - Audrey Dalrymple 2:21.16 (set a new school record earlier this season)
200 Backstroke - Casey Niezer 2:11.69 (Caitlin Fitzpatrick 2:12.74 2003-04)
200 Butterfly - Eva Cavadini 2:13.32 (Megan Ramsey 2:13.75 2000-01)
400 Freestyle Relay of Beidler, Meredith Lierz, Katie Donovan, and Meg Price - 3:40.00 (3:43.90 in 2002-03)