MINNEAPOLIS, MN -- First year Caroline Wilson -- who set a national record -- and sophomore Logan Todhunter claimed national titles on the first night of the 2010 NCAA Div. III Swimming and Diving championships held at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center.
Led by those two titles, the Ephs sit third after Day One of the championships with 81 points, trailing only Emory University (135) and Denison (102). Keynon is fourth with 70 points and Amherst rounds out the top five with 41 points.
The meet got off to a thrilling start with a duel between Caroline Wilson and Amherst's Kendra Stern in the 500 freestyle. Stern went out to a quick lead, split 54.79 and 1:53.00 at the 100 and 200, but Wilson ate into her lead with every successive 50. Both battled into the last stretches of the race, well under national record pace. Wilson made a strong move at the 450, splitting 28.49 to grab the lead once and for all, and held off Stern’s incredible 27.28 tenth 50 split to demolish the national record in a time of 4:45.47, .06 ahead of Stern.
Williams coach Steve Kuster was excited about Wilson's record and win, as well as the day on a whole for his team.
"The women had a great morning session and followed it up with great swims this evening," he said. "Caroline Wilson’s swim in the 500 was as close to perfect a race as it could be, and she swam that just liked she had practiced all season long…. Tomorrow’s also a great day for us, and we look forward to another great morning.”
Todhunter's NCAA title in the 200 IM was no less thrilling albeit less dramatic as she led wire-to-wire, posting a strong fly split of 25.03 and backstroke split of 31.31, to win in 2:02.57. That time broke the Williams school record set last year by Amanda Nicholson.
Williams also picked up 32 points with a third-place finish in the 200-yard medley relay. The foursome of first-year KC Ha, senior Lisa Cucolo, Todhunter and sophomore Carolyn Geller finished with a time of 1:44.55, trailing only Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (1:43.09) and first-place Denison (1:41.92).
Ha's time in the 50 back, leading off the relay, set a new school record at Williams.
Todhunter's title in the 200 IM finished off an impressive event for the Ephs, as junior Ellen Ramsey also picked up points with a 12th place finish (2:06.45) and first-year Katharine O'Leary placed 14th in 2:06.89. Junior Jillian Hancock also picked up a point for Williams when she placed 16th in the 500 free with a time of 5:02.91.
