Women's Swimming and Diving | Tufts excels in final tune−up before NESCACS

In its last regular season meet of the year, the women's swimming and diving team posted eight wins at the Wheaton Invitational on Saturday. The Jumbos used the unscored meet to continue the momentum from their wins at home last weekend against Bates College and Wheaton College and to prepare for the upcoming NESCAC Championships.

"This meet was really great because we can only take 24 swimmers to Middlebury for the NESCAC Championships, and so for the girls that will not be swimming NESCACs, this was their final meet," senior tri−captain Meredith Cronin said. "For those who are going to be swimming at NESCACs, there really wasn't any pressure or emphasis on anything that we were doing, but it was great to see how well those girls swam and improved over the course of the season. It provided great motivation for those of us who will be swimming at NESCACs."

Tufts was led across the board by outstanding performances from senior diver and All−American Lindsay Gardel, sophomore Valerie Eacret and freshman Christine Garvey, who contributed with two wins each.

Gardel, who recently was named the NESCAC Performer of the Week, helped the Jumbos with a sweeping outing on the diving boards, winning both the 1− and 3−meter events.

"I feel like we can all improve on our performances and achieve a good result at NESCACs," Gardel said. "As a diver I can only do two events unlike swimmers, but our contribution is very important."

Eacret won the 200−yard freestyle and followed it up with a win in the 100−yard butterfly. She also anchored the 400−yard freestyle relay, teaming up with sophomores Courtney Adams, Hannah Henderson and Paulina Ziolek to take first place.

Garvey continued a recent string of strong performances in her rookie campaign by winning the 200−yard butterfly and the 400−yard individual medley.

Freshman Lauren Quan finished second in the 200−yard breaststroke, while classmate Lizz Grainger also took the runner−up slot in the 200−yard freestyle. Sophomore Katie Russell contributed a second place finish in the 100−yard butterfly, while the 400−yard medley relay, consisting of Eacret, Adams, senior tri−captain Meredith Cronin and freshman Kathryn Sullivan, finished second as well.

The team has also been boosted by the return of junior Megan Kono, who spent the fall semester abroad and is starting to show the form that made her an All−NESCAC swimmer the past two years. Kono finished with three runner−ups in the 1650−yard freestyle, the 400−yard individual medley and the 200−yard backstroke.

"I think it's great that Megan is putting in the effort in the pool to try and get back to where she was last season," Cronin said. "I think all of us have really positive expectations for her, and I think she will have a great meet. I don't know how it will compare to last year, with regards to actual time or placing, but I think she will do very well."

In the next two weeks, the Jumbos will intensify their preparations for the NESCAC Championships, which will be held at Middlebury College Feb. 19−21. With strong recent performances and the help of its winter training trip, Tufts will be looking to have a solid result.

Last year, Tufts had its best−ever finish at the NESCAC Championships, placing third behind perennial NESCAC and national powers Williams and Amherst. This season, the Jumbos' main competitors for third place in the NESCAC have been from Middlebury and Conn. College, and the conference race should prove no different.

"At a championship, it's not just that the fastest person, but if we can make sure our 12th−place finisher can finish ahead of swimmers from Middlebury and [Conn.] College, then that can pull us ahead," Cronin said. "We are just going to work as hard as we can to try and beat them and achieve a good result."