Lindsey Rayhill named OAC Women's Swimmer of the Year as Women's Swimming & Diving wins sixth straight OAC Championship
By: Andrew Korba
AKRON -- Senior Lindsey Rayhill captured seven OAC titles (four relays, three individual) on her way to being named Ohio Athletic Conference Women's Swimmer of the Year as the Ohio Northern women's swimming & diving team captured its sixth straight OAC Championship on Thursday through Saturday 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.
"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."
ONU won five individual titles, broke three school records and OAC record along the way.
Rayhill won the 200 fly in a OAC and school record time of 2:05.92. Her time also surpassed the NCAA "B" Cut.
She also won the 500 free in a school record 5:09.97 and the 100 fly in 57.12.
Sophomore Lindsey Inkrott won the 100 back in a school record 56.86. That time also surpassed the NCAA "B" Cut.
Sophomore Allison Lohnes captured the 200 back in a OAC record 2:03.81. Lohnes time also passed the NCAA "B" Cut.
The Polar Bears also swept all five relay events on the weekend, setting four school records and three OAC marks.
The 200 free relay team of freshman Jill Chapman, freshman Emily Uhrin, Inkrott and Lohnes won the title in an ONU record 1:37.51.
The 400 free relay team of Chapman, Inkrott, Lohnes and Rayhill touched in a ONU and OAC record 3:34.08.
The 800 free relay team of junior Ashley Zoeller, Inkrott, Rayhill and Uhrin won in a ONU and OAC record 7:48.64.
Senior Jennifer Hartsel, Chapman, Lohnes and Rayhill teamed up to win both the 200 medley relay and 400 medley relay in 1:47.22 and 3:54.25, respectively. The 400 time broke the OAC and school record.
ONU also won 10 more All-OAC accolades over the weekend.
Lohnes surpassed the NCAA "B" Cut in 100 back finishing second in 57.00. She also was second in the 200 I.M., touching in 2:10.33.
Chapman finished second in the 50 free and third in the 100 free in 24.49 and 53.45, respectively.
Zoeller finished second in the 200 free in 1:56.36 and Uhrin was third in the 50 free in 24.75.
Hartsel earned two All-OAC accolades finishing third in the 200 I.M. and 200 breast in 2:11.85 and 2:26.78, respectively.
Inkrott finished third in the 200 back in 2:05.00 and freshman Brianna Tingley finished third in the 1650 free in 18:27.95.
The top three individuals and the top two relay teams earned 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."
