LANCASTER, Pa. – After cruising to a remarkable fifth straight Centennial Conference Championship over the weekend, the Ursinus College women's swimming team placed eight members on the All-CC Team.
All-conference status is handed out on the basis of placement at the conference meet. Event champions earn first-team laurels, while runners-up receive honorable mention.
The Bears swept the major awards – senior Sydney Gundersen was named Most Outstanding Performer, freshman Sophie May was the Most Outstanding Rookie Performer, and head coach Mark Feinberg was voted Coach of the Year for the seventh year in a row.
Six Ursinus swimmers earned first team all-conference laurels, and all of them captured at least four gold medals during a historic performance in which the Bears broke the all-time record for team points at the conference meet and posted the third-largest margin of victory. All four relay teams set new conference records, and Ursinus produced the first-place finisher in all but three events over the four-day championship.
Gundersen earned MOP honors on the basis of tallying the highest individual point total. She took home a whopping seven gold medals, which included the 200 IM, the 200 free, and the 100 free in addition to the 200 free relay, 400 free relay, 800 free relay, and 400 medley relay. Gundersen posted NCAA B cut clockings in both the 200 IM (2:06.60) and 200 free (1:52.49).
May was a five-time gold medalist and added a pair of silvers in her first taste of championship swimming. The freshman phenom won the 50 free and competed as part of the 200 free relay, 400 free relay, 800 free relay, and 200 medley relay. She also took second place in the 200 free and 200 back.
Junior Clara Baker won the 100 fly in a B-cut 55.93 and finished in second place in the 200 fly. She swam on the record-setting 200 free relay, 400 free relay, 200 medley relay, and 400 medley relay teams.
Senior Meggie Leitz took home gold with a B cut mark of 2:05.48 in the 200 fly and joined the victorious 400 free relay and 800 free relay units. She garnered a bronze medal in the 100 fly.
Junior Peyten Lyons, the Most Outstanding Performer and Most Outstanding Rookie Performer in 2016, won gold in both individual backstroke events. She broke her own conference standard with a 2:02.68 in the 200 back prelims, then posted a B cut in that event's finals (2:03.07) as well as the 100 back (56.57). Lyons also took part in the 200 free relay, 800 free relay, 200 medley relay, and 400 medley relay, and placed second in the 200 IM.
Senior Olivia Tierney was first in both the 200 breast (B cut 2:22.68) and 400 IM in addition to the 200 medley relay and 400 medley relay.
Senior Katherine Porter received honorable mention for her silver medal in the 100 fly, while junior Caroline Powell did so for her performance in the 400 IM.