SWARTHMORE, Pa. – Senior
Melissa Leonard shattered a 32-year record as the Ursinus College women's swimming team wrapped up the first day of competition in a tri-meet between Salisbury University and No. 14 Swarthmore College.
During the 500-yard freestyle, Leonard was five seconds shy of her personal best time of 4:57.95 when she won a gold medal last season at the Centennial Conference Championships. She broke the Ware Pool record with a first-place time of 5:02.10. Junior
Emily Carkhuff (8
th, 5:18.07) and sophomore
Sara Bozzomo (6
th, 5:16.03) also turned in top ten times, while first-year
Mimi Norris placed 16
th with a time of 5:29.25.
Ursinus opened the meet with a second-place time in the 200-yard freestyle relay as the quarter of Bozzomo, junior
Katie Barlow, first-year
Morgan Valeriano, and Leonard combined for a time of 1:38.39. The Bears also received a sixth-place finish as the group of Norris, classmate
Melanie Hahn, junior
Molly Stevens, and senior
Morgan Grabowski touched the wall at 1:41.35.
During the 200-yard IM, Ursinus earned two top-ten times as Valeriano placed fifth with a time of 2:09.86 and Hahn earned an eighth-place finish touching the wall at 2:13.31. First-years
Mia Tamburrino (2:20.84) and
Sylvi Lynch (2:25.21) also took 19th and 20th, respectively.
Next, senior
Morgan Grabowski collected the best time for Ursinus during the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 26.22. The Bears wrapped up day one of competition with the fifth best time in the 400-yard medley relay as the team of Valeriano, Barlow, Stevens, and Leonard combined for a time of 4:02.91.
The Bears will return to action tomorrow morning as session two of the tri-meet will begin at 10 a.m. with the final session starting at 5:30 p.m.
Day Two Live Video
Full Results
Top Finishes:
Melissa Leonard – 500 free (1
st, 5:02:10) ** Pool Record
Sara Bozzomo – 500 free (6
th, 5:16.03)
Morgan Grabowski – 50 Free (12
th, 26.22)
Morgan Valeriano – 200 IM (5
th, 2:09.86)
Melanie Hahn – 200 IM (8
th, 2:13.31)
Relays:
200 Yard Medley Relay: Bozzomo, Barlow, Valeriano, and Leonard (2nd, 1:38.89)
400 Yard Medley Relay: Valeriano, Barlow, Stevens, Leonard (5
th, 4:02.91)
