Meet results
Ewing, NJ …The College of New Jersey women's swimming and diving team captured its fourth straight New Jersey Athletic Conference championship after defeating Rowan University 194-97 on Saturday at TCNJ's Aquatic Center.
The victory by the Lions (7-2, 4-0) also marked the 16
th straight NJAC victory since the conference resumed sponsoring swimming and diving as a sport in 2008-09.
Senior
Melissa Hessler (Palmyra, NJ/Palmyra) and
Laura Pierce (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill West) each won a pair of individual events and competed on winning relay teams. Hessler placed first in the 1000-freestyle event with a time of 10:52.53 and won the 500-free in 5:17.81. Pierce took top honors in the 50-free (23.70) and the 100-butterfly (57.95).
Sophomore
Hailey Growney (Rockaway, NJ/Morris Hills) also won two individual events. She led the pack in the 100-backstroke (1:01.28) as well as the 200-back, finishing in 2:12.53. Growney also raced for the 200-medley relay team that placed first.
Junior
Kayleigh Shangle (Highland Park, NJ/Highland Park) continued to rack up first place finishes, winning the 200-breast (2:26.12) and the 200-individual medley in 1:50.23.
In the diving event, reigning NJAC Diver of the Week
Sabrina Lucchesi (Columbus, NJ/Notre Dame) won both the 1- and 3-meter events. She posted scores of 310.35 in the 3-meter and 295.55 in the 1-meter.
The meet also marked the final home event for seven seniors on the team.
Laura Pierce,
Traci Hofer,
Melissa Hessler,
Kelsey Herchenrider,
Danielle Morrone,
Courtney Fuhro, and
Amanda Waldner race have been a part of four NJAC titles, three Metropolitan Conference championships, and cumulative 32-5 dual meet record during their tenure. They were also members of the Lions team that placed fifth at the 2011 NCAA Championships, the best finish in program history.
The Lions, ranked 10th in the latest College Swimming Coaches Association of America poll, will square off against 11th-ranked Stevens Institute of Technology tomorrow at 2 p.m. in Hoboken, NJ.
