INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Junior Clara Baker became the most decorated swimmer in school history as the Ursinus College women's swimming team picked up six more points and another All-American relay on Day 2 of the NCAA Championships in Indianapolis.
With 14 total points, the Bears currently sit in 24th place in the team standings, well within reach of their goal of a top-20 showing.
Baker finished 13th in the 100 fly (56.09) and returned to the pool shortly thereafter to help the 400 medley relay squad – which featured junior Peyten Lyons, senior Olivia Tierney, and senior Sydney Gundersen – take 16th, giving Ursinus an All-American relay for the second time in as many nights. Baker now owns seven All-America certificates for her career, passing Jennifer Derstine (1991-93) for the most in program history.
Baker, Lyons, and Tierney all backed up last night's All-America placement in the 200 medley relay with another on Thursday.
Baker just missed out on a chance at first team All-America honors in the 100 fly, placing third in her heat and tying for ninth overall in prelims with a time of 55.77.
After posting a third All-America swim in the 100 fly in as many years, Baker played a huge role in helping the 400 medley team qualify for the finals and break another Centennial Conference record. The junior's butterfly split of 24.83 seconds was the second-best of the preliminary session, giving the Bears just enough to edge NYU by .05 seconds and Bowdoin by .25 ticks for the penultimate spot in the B final.
The quartet's prelims clocking of 3:49.58 was nearly half a second faster than its gold-medal performance from the CC championships. The Bears came back Thursday night with a time of 3:51.51.
Senior Meggie Leitz finished 31st overall in the 100 fly prelims (57.34).
