Lindsey Rayhill wins 500 free in record-setting effort to lead Women's Swimming & Diving into lead after Day 1 of OAC Championships
By Tim Glon
AKRON -- Senior Lindsey Rayhill won the 500 free title in ONU record-setting form to lead the Ohio Northern women's swimming & diving team on the first day of the three-day Ohio Athletic Conference Championships on Thursday at the University of Akron's Ocasek Natatorium.
The Polar Bears are in first place out of seven teams after five of 20 events with 237 points. Mount Union is second with 149 points, John Carroll is third with 133 points and Transylvania (Ky.) was fourth 125 points.
Northern set three school records and one OAC record in the finals Friday evening.
Rayhill won the 500 free in 5:09.97, breaking the previous record of 5:09.69 set by Michelle Eggers in 2009.
She also combined with sophomore Allison Lohnes, senior Jennifer Hartsel and freshman Jill Chapman to the 400 medley relay in an OAC and ONU record time of 3:54.25.
Freshman Emily Uhrin, Chapman, Lohnes and sophomore Lindsey Inkrott won the 200 free relay in an ONU record 1:37.51.
Lohnes and Hartsel also earned All-Conference honors in the 200 I.M., as Lohnes finished second in 2:10.33 and Hartsel was third in 2:11.85.
In the 50 free, Chapman and Uhrin earned All-OAC accolades by finishing 2-3 in :24.49 and :24.75, respectively.
The top three finishers in the individual events and the top two relay teams in each of the 20 events earn All-Conference honors.
Day 2 will get underway on Friday with prelims at 11 am and finals at 6 pm.