The women's swimming and diving team has started the season with a bang, going 3−1 through the first two weeks. Tufts has been propelled by strong performances from freshmen while still relying on major contributions from more experienced swimmers.
After more than a week off, the team returned to action for the first time since Thanksgiving break against Wellesley on Wednesday night. The Jumbos posted another impressive victory, outscoring the Blue 180−119 en route to their third straight win.
The Jumbos were aided by a strong performance from senior co−captain Courtney Adams, whose sprint victories are becoming routine. Adams touched the wall first for Tufts in the 50− and 100−meter freestyle.
Fellow senior co−captain Valerie Eacret and classmate Katie Russell continued the sweep of freestyle races, winning the 200− and 500−meter, respectively. Also contributing first−place finishes were junior Christine Garvey in the 1,000−meter freestyle, senior Paulina Ziolek in the 200−meter breaststroke and freshman Scarlett Hao in the 200−meter individual medley.
The Jumbos again started and finished the meet strong, a staple of their success in the early going. The 200−meter medley relay team — made up of freshman Samantha Sliwinski, junior K.J. Kroetch and sophomores Ellen Gage and Mia Greenwald — put the Jumbos ahead early with a first−place time of 1:53.47. Adams, Ziolek, Sliwinski, and freshman Kathryn Coniglio won the 200−meter freestyle relay to seal the overall victory.
"Our relay teams have been very successful so far this season, and a lot of that has to do with the freshman class," Adams said. "We have a lot of new talent on the team this year, and it has added strength to our sprints and relay teams."
The diving squad has also aided the Jumbos' success so far, as sophomore Sami Bloom and senior Kelly Flanagan have both impressed. Bloom placed second in both the one− and three−meter dives against Wellesley, while Flanagan took fourth and third, respectively.
Head coach Nancy Bigelow also took time to praise the Class of 2012 for its contributions and leadership.
"The senior class is doing a great job," Bigelow said. "Many have set very high season goals for themselves and they are great role models, both in and out of the water, for their younger teammates."
The Jumbos will look to maintain their winning streak at the MIT Invitational this weekend. Adams emphasized the importance of this meet as a barometer for the team.
"It's the only time we meet [fellow NESCAC competitors] Colby and Bowdoin, and MIT, NYU and Harvard are all elite programs," Adams said. "It's a good chance for us to compete against fast swimmers early on in the season."
The Jumbos will strive to improve on their fifth−place finish at last year's MIT Invitational, and — with continued depth and contributions from a variety of events — they are poised to do so.
