First Full Day of Swimming Competition

By Connect2Mason Reporter Alex Rogge

The second day of the 2009 CAA Swimming and Diving Championship was the first full day of competition. The Mason team was shown prominently on the scoreboard throughout the day. Starting in the competition pool with the 500 Freestyle, Michelle Lozach took second place with a time of 5:08.60. In another 500 Freestyle, Caitlin Impink also took second with a time of 4:53.82. She placed fifth overall for the 500 Freestyle event.

In the Men 500 Freestyle event, Steven Benecki took first place with a time of 4:32.08. He placed 5th overall for the event. Preston Wolter took a significant lead in his heat, holding first place with a time of 4:25.38.

In the 200 Individual Medley, Damian Rodino took first place with his time of 1:54.35. In another heat for the 200 IM, Ross Redcay placed 5th with his time of 1:53.85 in a close race.

In the Women's 50 Freestyle, Meghan Heil sprinted into another first place, after last year's close heat with Mason's Claire Weems in the 100 Freestyle prelims. Heil placed with a time of 23.91. In the same heat, Millie Wannamaker took third place with a time of 24.14.

Mary Beth Cheslock, in another 50 Freestyle heat, took second place for her heat and third place overall with a time of 23.11.

In the Men's 50 Freestyle, Spencer Roe placed fourth with a time of 21.30, and Hans Johnsen took first with his time of 21.03. In another 50 Freestyle heat, Tad Ogren took first place with a time of 20.76. He placed eighth overall in the 50 Freestyle event.

The Mason men were well-represented in the 1-mtr diving prelims by Justin Mallette, Ryan Metzker, Alex Graziano, Bryan Bahr, Derrick Butts, and John Schmitz. Three of these divers will advance to the finals.

The finals started with the Women 500 Freestyle, and Caitlin Impink placed sixth overall in this first event. In the Men 500 Freestyle, Steven Benecki placed third overall with his time of 4:30.12, and Preston Wolter took first place overall with a time of 4:26.06.

In the second heat of the Women 200 IM, Ashley Danner put Mason in first place overall with a time of 1:59.99.

In the Women 50 Freestyle, Mary Beth Cheslock placed second overall with her time of 22.76.

With the three Mason divers in the 1-mtr diving finals round, they continued to put Mason on the top of the scoreboard. Ryan Metzker came in fifth overall with a score of 293.80. Derrick Butts placed second with a score of 312.15, and Bryan Bahr took the position of first place overall with his score of 337.70.

After the diving event, the competition continued with the 200 Free Relay. The Mason women placed second with a time of 1:32.46. The men placed seventh with a time of 1:23.37.

The day's total scores put Mason's women at 206.0, trailing William & Mary and Towson at 235.0. The Mason men ended the day with a combined score of 212.0, leaving them only one point behind ODU and trailing UNCW at 242.0.