Lindsey Rayhill named OAC Swimmer of the Year as Women's Swimming & Diving wins sixth consecutive OAC Championship
By: Andrew Korba
AKRON -- Senior Lindsey Rayhill was named OAC Women's Swimmer of the Year, leading the Ohio Northern women's swimming & diving team to its sixth straight OAC Championship on Saturday evening at the University of Akron's Ocasek Natatorium.
The Polar Bears finished with 813 points, Mount Union was second with 672 points and John Carroll was third with 468 points.
In all, ONU won five individual titles and swept all five relay events.
"We swam outstanding throughout the weekend," said head coach Peggy Ewald. "We were even with Mount Union coming in and rose above. We challenged ourselves to race and I am proud of the effort that we gave."
Rayhill captured seven OAC championships over the weekend (four relays and three individual), breaking six ONU records, five OAC records and surpassing two NCAA "B" cuts.
She became a four-time champion in the 200 fly, touching in an OAC and ONU record time of 2:05.92. Her time also surpassed the NCAA "B" Cut.
Sophomore Allison Lohnes won the 200 back in an OAC record and NCAA "B" Cut time of 2:03.81 and sophomore Lindsey Inkrott finished in second in 2:05.00, to earn an All-OAC accolade and also passing the NCAA "B" Cut.
Inkrott also won the 100 back in an ONU record and NCAA "B" Cut time of 56.86. Lohnes finished second in an NCAA "B" Cut time of 57.00 for All-OAC honors.
The 400 free relay tandem of freshman Jill Chapman, Inkrott, Lohnes and Rayhill broke the OAC and ONU school record in 3:34.08.
Chapman garnered in All-OAC honors with a second place finish in the 100 free, touching in 53.45 and senior Jennifer Hartsel was third in the 200 breast, earning All-OAC honors in 2:26.78.
Freshman Brianna Tingley finished in the 1650 free in 18:27.95, which was good for a third place finish and All-OAC honors.
"It is a great feeling to win," added Ewald. "We broke a lot of records and set a lot of NCAA cuts. We faced the roadblocks that were presented to us this season and responded both in the pool and in the classroom."