GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Virginia Tech women's swimming and diving team wrapped up competition on Saturday at the 2020 ACC Championships. Sophomore Loulou Vos led the way with an eighth-place finish in the 1650 free.
Vos opened the evening session in the 1650 freestyle, swimming an NCAA B standard of 16:25.99. Her time improved her standing with fifth-highest mark in the Virginia Tech record book. Freshman Brooke Travis finished just behind with a ninth-place 16:27.47 to move into sixth on the Hokies record list.
Tech had a strong event in the 100 free with three Hokies making the finals. Sophomore Abby Larson led the way, turning in an NCAA B cut of 49.00 to finish 14th overall. Her time also gave her the No. 4 spot on the Tech top times list. Joelle Vereb finished 49.15 (B) while freshman Sarah Shackelford was 17th with a cut of 49.14, moving her to sixth on the Tech list.
In the 200 back, Emily Meilus claimed 10th with a 1:55.00 (B) while Margarita Ryan was 20th in a time of 1:57.92. Freshman Morgan Miller posted a B cut of 1:58.31 in the 200 fly to finish 13th. Her morning prelim time of 1:57.80 moved her to fourth on the top-10 times list.
The Hokies wrapped up the swim events with the 400 free relay. Vereb, Larson, Shackelford and Kayla Purcell finished sixth with a time of 3:17.34, claiming the fourth fastest time in the Tech record book.
Teagan Moravek scored for the Hokies on platform, finishing 18th with 194.45.
The Tech men's swim team will be in Greensboro next weekend for the 2020 ACC Men's Swimming & Diving Championships at the Greensboro Aquatic Center.
FINAL STANDINGS
1. Virginia – 1492.5 | 2. NC State – 1333 | 3. Louisville – 1105.5 | 4. North Carolina – 839 | 5. Notre Dame – 784 | 6. Duke – 675.5 | 7. Florida State – 555 | 8. Virginia Tech – 469 | 9. Georgia Tech – 407.5 | 10. Pitt – 359 | 11. Miami – 298 | 12. Boston College - 164
HEAD COACH SERGIO LOPEZ MIRO
"I think overall we had a very good meet. I think good in the sense that things can always be better. We got eighth place, and as a coaching staff we thought that would be our place. It is the place we were last year. In that sense, people probably will think that we haven't improved, but it's like that movie Moneyball that talks about numbers and understanding what you have. For example, the disqualified relay put us 46 points behind and if we have that we are only 15 points behind Florida State. We don't lose a whole lot of points off of this year's team and our class next year is a pretty good class. In that sense, it shows that the future is pretty bright for us. We just need to be patient."
"With everything that we've done here, I am pretty happy with the way we finished. People are stepping up and today we had Joelle [Vereb] who had a very hard meet. Joelle has had an issue with her Achilles tendon over the years and she hasn't been able to train. The first part of the season she had a hard time training, so maybe if she doesn't swim as many events and this and that, she probably can do better. But she's a fighter and I think she is one of those true leaders that you have on your team. I'm very proud of her, she showed a lot of heart. Hopefully she will get invited to NCAA's with her fly and get to swim her events there as well."
"Today our milers were awesome. Brooke Travis and Loulou [Vos], they did a great job. Then we had the 100 freestylers who did awesome. Abby Larson hadn't had a meet like this. She broke her hand at the Ohio State meet and was out for a while, but stayed the course. But she was so impressive through the season dealing with her injury. She has had a great meet, but came out today on a mission in the 100 freestyle and did a very good job. Sarah Shackelford is the same thing with the 100 freestyle, on a mission."
"In the 200 backstroke, Emily Meilus did a great job. She's also had some injury problems this season and Coach Steve had to manage that a lot with her, but they did a great job with it. She was very close to her best time in the 200 back. Very proud of her."
"Margarita [Ryan] and Sophia [Ryan] also did a very good job. I think Margarita is the example of a kid that every coach wants. I wish she had swum better because she has trained at a higher level, but I think she is such an important part of the team. She has improved a lot over the last four years she has been here. I am very proud of her, but sad that I only got to coach her for two years. Sophia has had some best times this season. She didn't have the best meet here, but like Margarita, you have a person who works very hard and is passionate about being a Hokie and has talent. So I'm excited to have her."
"Our breaststrokers did well too. Erin Scott, she just made the ACC squad at the last chance meet we had, and she swam her best time. Baillie Cameron also had a best time. So I think overall our breaststroke was a good thing."
Finally, we only had one person in the 200 fly with Morgan Miller the freshman. She trains so well and during the season has had some hard 200 flys this year, but this morning she came out on a mission. She didn't hesitate and dropped a second off her best time to qualify tenth for the final and did an awesome job."
"I think our 400 free relay to finish up was excellent. I thought we had a chance to break the school record. The kids were very tired. It's not an excuse and they did a very, very good job. All those guys are returning. Plus we'll have Reka [Gyorgy] back and Abby Andrusin returning. We're going to be pretty good in that relay the next few years."
"Overall the coaches are pretty excited about what has happened."Gallery: (2/22/2020) 2020 ACC SWIMMING & DIVING SATURDAY
