Sometimes, competition is fiercest with whom you’re most familiar. Eleven women’s swimming and diving squads from around the NESCAC converged at the Middlebury Natatorium from Feb. 13-16 for the conference championships. Middlebury, who hosted the event, placed seventh and compiled a score of 684 points. Williams took first with 1930.5 points, Tufts second with 1593.5 points, and Amherst third with 1369.
Some notable performances include a first-place finish by Frances VanderMeer ’20 in the 50-yard freestyle, a seventh-place finish by Haley Hutchinson ’23 in the 200-yard breaststroke, and an eighth-place finish by Olivia Rieur ’22 on the three-meter diving board.
Despite not finishing first as a team, the Panthers’ showing could still be deemed as successful.
“A lot of the younger swimmers on the team really stepped up and were able to suppress their nerves and get the job done,” said VanderMeer, who is also a captain. “At a meet of this size and with a high level of competition, it’s easy to be overwhelmed and let the nervousness take over. I’m really proud of how our team was able to focus on our races, both in terms of individual performance and supporting each other on deck.”
The championship also capped off many remarkable careers for the seniors.
“The meet was definitely an emotional one for the seniors,” said VanderMeer. “We’ve been looking forward to having NESCACs in our home pool since freshman year and we really tried to savor every moment of it.”
“I think I speak for us all when I say that we wouldn’t have wanted to go out any other way,” said VanderMeer.
Women’s swimming and diving takes fifth as NESCAC hosts
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