John Carroll wins 11 of 20 events to grab second consecutive OAC Women's Swimming & Diving title
By Tim Glon
| OAC Championships Site | All-OAC Honorees by Event | Day 1 Recap | Day 2 Recap | Day 3 Recap |
AKRON — John Carroll successfully defended its team title, winning 11 of the 20 events, at the 2018 Women's Ohio Athletic Conference Swimming & Diving Championships Thursday-Saturday at the University of Akron's Ocasek Natatorium.
The Blue Streaks finished with 885 points, defeating second place Mount Union by 172.5 points. JCU edged MtU by 32 points to win the 2017 title.
Baldwin Wallace was third with 562 points, Ohio Northern was fourth 561.5 points and Wilmington was fifth with 267 points.
Four OAC records were set and four NCAA "B" Cut were surpassed in the meet.
Mount Union's Dana Lautenschleger became the first female athlete in OAC history to win four consecutive titles in the 1650 free. She touched in 17:02.29, just missing the OAC record and defeating the field by nearly a minute.
She also won the her fourth 200 free title, touching in 1:54.13, and won her third 500 free title in an NCAA "B" Cut of 4:58.22.
Ashley Cresap of John Carroll won the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events for the second consecutive season, scoring 373.20 points and 373.20 points, respectively.
Lautenschleger was named the OAC Women's Swimmer of the Year for the third consecutive year and Cresap was named the OAC Diver of the Year for the second straight championships.
John Carroll and Ohio Northern shared OAC Coaching Staff of the Year honors.
In all, five different women won multiple events at the Championships.
Gwyn Ledrick of JCU broke the OAC record in the 200 breast with a 2:20.76 clocking in the prelims on Saturday morning, then broke that record by winning the event in an NCAA "B" Cut 2:19.61 in the finals on Saturday night.
Ledrick also won the 100 breast in an OAC record and NCAA "B" Cut effort of 1:04.14.
John Carroll's Carly Adams shattered the OAC record in the 400 I.M. by nearly four seconds, touching in an NCAA "B" Cut 4:29.99, and has now won the event three consecutive seasons.
She also successfully defended her 2017 OAC crown in the 100 back by winning in :57.27.
Ohio Northern's Lauren Halle defended her 2017 title in the 200 fly, touching first in 2:08.28, and won the 200 I.M. in 2:08.26.
Wilmington's Samantha Glish won the 50 free in :23.99 and John Carroll's Olivia Talamo won the 100 free in :53.12.
Mount Union's Lauren Oktavec posted a mild upset to win the 200 back, touching first in 2:05.79.John Carroll's Olivia Talamo won the 100 free in :53.12.
Erika Nockengost of Baldwin Wallace led a 1-2 Yellow Jacket finish by winning the 100 fly in :57.83.
John Carroll also won four of the five relays, including its fourth consecutive title in the 400 medley relay in an OAC record 3:53.66.
JCU also won the 200 free relay in 1:37.63, the 400 free relay in 3:33.09 and the 200 medley relay in 1:45.76.
The Blue Streaks wrapped up the meet by winning the 400 free relay title in 3:33.09.
Mount Union won the 800 free relay title for the fourth consecutive season, finishing three seconds ahead of second place Baldwin Wallace in 7:51.45.
Final Team Standings
1. John Carroll 885, 2. Mount Union 712.5, 3. Baldwin Wallace 562, 4. Ohio Northern 561.5, 5. Wilmington 267.