Emma Waddell of Williams College, swimming in her third New England Small College Athletic Conference season, won her eighth individual gold medal at this year’s championship held at Bowdoin College’s Gleason Pool.
Commenting on her performance, the junior said, “I am very proud I did my best for the team. We are a close team and we all swim our best when we are focused on the team performance.”
Williams won its fourth consecutive NESCAC championship and 16th overall.
Waddell won the 200 individual medley (2:01.98), the 100 butterfly (54.1), and the 100 freestyle (50.5).
In the trials of the 200 IM Waddell, seeded at 2:07.6, set a pool record of 2:01.90. For the first time in her accomplished career, the Bangor High graduate eclipsed 50 seconds in the 100 free with a 49.8 swim in the trials of the 100 free, a pool and meet record.
Admitting the 100 free was her most satisfying performance, Waddell also was excited about her team’s 400 free relay victory. With an anchor swim of 49.1, she led Williams to a 400 free relay pool record of 3:24.7.
“We were really pumped up. It is a special night for the seniors since it is their final event at NESCAC. Our team was cheering so loudly for us. ”
Waddell also split 54.1 on the butterfly leg of the 400 medley relay’s meet-record swim of 3:12.7. Other wins came as a member of 200 medley relay (1:42.2), a meet and pool record, and the 200 free relay (1:33.9, a meet record), where she split 22.5.
“We train for the back half of races. We train to close. In the distance events, our swimmers negative-split their races,” Waddell explained.
While qualifiers have not been announced for this year’s NCAA Division lll National Championship March 15-18 at Shenandoah, Texas, Waddell leads Division lll in the 50 free, 100 free, 200 individual medley and 100 butterfly.
The Ephs are ranked fourth in the most recent poll.
Prelgovisk, Erb swim well
Kristi Prelgovisk of Bates College, who swam at Messalonskee High School in Oakland, raced an impressive 29.2 in the 50 breaststroke to finish second at the NESCAC championships. Mary Erb of Readfield, swimming for Connecticut College, touched third at 29.5.
In the 100 breaststroke, Erb claimed second at 1:03:2 and Prelgovisk third at 1:03.4. Erb also finished second in the 200 breaststroke at 2:18.7.
Connecticut College placed third in the meet and the Bobcats were fifth.