Hokie ClubCOLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Virginia Tech H2Okie women’s swimming and diving team took part in its third day of competition at the Atlantic Coast Conference Championships. Tech continues to hold down the third spot just behind Virginia and North Carolina, respectively. The H2Okies have totaled 312 points after three days of competition.
Today, Tech competed in the 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breaststroke and 100 back, while the women divers competed in the 3-meter event, as the men dove in the 1-meter event.
In the 400 IM, freshman Erika Hajnal continues to impress in her first appearance at the ACC Championships. The freshman broke her second Tech record and made another NCAA “B” cut after crossing the line in 4:13.04 and finished in third place for 16 team points. Sophomore Lauren Ritter added an additional four points to the H2Okie score after finishing the race in 4:22.80.
The senior duo of Sara Smith and Megan Newell combined to score 30 points in their final ACC Championship appearance for the H2Okies in the 100 fly. Smith broke another school record and finished the race in 53.14 during the preliminaries. The McGaheysville, Va., native came in third place in the final round, touching in at 53.28. Meanwhile, her running mate Newell, who completed the race in 53.32, placed fifth in the event. Both garnered an NCAA “B” cut in the race.
In the 200 free, junior Kelly deMarrais posted a seventh place showing and finished the event in 1:47.58, setting a new team record and an additional 12 points for Tech. Meanwhile, sophomore Sarah Losinger scored 12 points, as well, for the H2Okies after claiming seventh in the 100 breaststroke. The Marietta, Ga., resident crossed the line in 1:02.58. In the consolation final, junior Jessica Earl added four more points to the Tech team score and completed the race in 1:02.65.
Tech scored a total of 20 points in the 100 back, highlighted by the 14-point showing and fifth place finish by sophomore Steffi Drechsel. The sophomore touched in at 53.84, good for an NCAA “B” cut. Senior Jordan McHorney swam in the consolation final for the H2Okies, recording a time of 54.63 and scoring six points.
The foursome of Drechsel, Losinger, Newell and Smith teamed to finish second in the 400 medley relay. The squad shattered a previous top-Tech-time in the event, by crossing the finish line in 3:36.50 for 34 points.
In men’s diving, junior Mikey McDonald rewrote a new record in the 1-meter event for the H2Okies. The junior from Annandale, Va. posted a score of 397.90, while registering a third place finish.
In the final day of action at the ACC Championships the H2Okies will take part in the 1650 free, 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast and the 200 fly event. The relay team will look to score in the 400 free relay, while the men and women’s diving teams will compete in the platform event. Preliminary action begins at 11 a.m., with the finals taking place at 7 p.m. Live results can be viewed at http://www.theacc.com/livestats/c-swim.