Women's Swimming wins 15 of 20 events, sets 7 OAC and 9 ONU records in OAC Championships victory

Michelle Eggers

By Tim Glon

| Championships Site |

AKRON — The Ohio Northern women’s swimming and diving team won its second Ohio Athletic Conference Championships crown in the last three seasons by claiming the 2009 OAC Championships meet Thu.-Sat. at the University of Akron's Ocasek Nataorium.

The Polar Bears (8-7 overall, 4-0 OAC) won the title with 310 points, defeating second place John Carroll by 95.5 points.

ONU won 15 of the 20 events, setting 7 OAC records and 9 school records in the process.

Peggy Ewald and her staff were named the OAC Women's Coaching Staff of the Year.

Northern dominated the relays, winning the 200 free relay (1:40.31), the 400 free (3:38.17), the 800 free (7:55.71), the 200 medley relay (1:49.38) and the 400 medley relay (4:02.62).

All five relays set OAC records and all but the 400 free relay were ONU records.

Freshman Michelle Eggers (Leawood, Kan./Olathe) was named the OAC Women’s Swimmer of the Year, as she swept the distance events by winning the 200 free (1:56.94), the 500 free (5:10.69) and the 1650 free (18:04.16).

Eggers won five titles overall, as she was part of the 400 and 800 free relay teams.

Freshman Alison Garbash (St. Clairesville) also won five OAC titles. She won the 50 free in an ONU record and NCAA “B” Cut time of :24.08 and was part of the 200 and 400 free relay and 200 and 400 medley relay teams.

Junior Katherine Moore (Chicago, Ill/Marian Catholic) swept the 100 and 200 fly titles, winning the 100 fly in :58.84 and claiming the 200 fly in 2:13.98.

Her time of :58.40 in the prelims is an OAC and ONU record and NCAA “B” Cut time.

Moore is now a 12-time OAC Champion and a 17-time All-OAC swimmer in the free and fly events. She had previously won the 50 and 100 free in 2007 and the 100 fly in ’08.

Moore also set the ONU and OAC record in the 100 fly, swimming a :58.40 in the prelims

Sophomore Hannah Bukowy (North Canton/Hoover) also won four events, claiming the 200 breast in 2:29.37 and the 200 free, 200 medley and 400 medley relays.

She swept the 100 and 200 breast OAC titles last year. She is an 8-time OAC Champion and has earned All-OAC honors in 12 events.

Freshman Sarah Fiffick (Strongsville) won four events, claiming the 100 free in :54.37 and as a part of ONU’s 200, 400 and 800 free relays.

Junior Jillian Huber (Glandorf/Ottawa-Glandorf) won three events and defended her OAC title in the 200 IM, winning in 2:11.93.

She was also on the winning 400 and 800 free relay teams.

Huber is now a 7-time OAC champ and a 15-time All-OAC honoree.

Junior Lacey Shumate (Bucyrus/Colonel Crawford), who was the 2007 OAC Swimmer of the Year as a freshman, won the 400 I.M. for the third consecutive year, claiming thetitle in 4:46.38.

She was also on the winning 400 medley relay team and is now a 12-time OAC Champion and a 17-time All-OAC award winner.

Sophomore Cassandra Fennell (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) was on the winning 200 free and 200 medley relay teams.

She is now a 2-time OAC champion and a 5-time All-OAC honoree.

Freshman Kaitlin Early (Upper Arlington) was part of Northern’s winning 800 free relay squad.

Junior Terri Lynn Shigle earned All-Conference honors in thew diving events, finishing second in the 1-meter with 375.80 points and finishing third in the 3-meter diving with 325.40 points.

The NCAA III Championships field will be announced on March 2.