HOLLAND, Mich. – While his swimmers have yet to win an event at these Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Championships, Albion Head Coach Jake Taber maintains this is the strongest women's team he's taken to the meet in his three years with the Britons.
Taber made that claim after only Calvin had more swimmers than the Britons had in championship or consolation races Friday night.
The first event of the night – the 200-yard medley relay – foreshadowed things to come as Anna Hargrove, Hailey Sambor, Sarah Kilbride and Lauren Pawelec secured a school-record time of 1:49.86.
"We started on a great note, and the best thing about the relay is that all four will return next year," Taber said.
The Britons also drew inspiration from Laura Steavenson, a senior who has come back from two hip surgeries during her career. Steavenson achieved a sixth-place finish in the 200 freestyle, completing the race in 1:57.22.
Albion's most productive event was the 100 butterfly where five swimmers picked up 30 points. First-year student-athlete Sarah Kilbride represented the Britons in the championship race and finished sixth. Jourden Burke (11th), Julia DiFiore (12th), Madison Vaive (13th) and Abigail Slager (15th) scored by advancing to the consolation heat.
The Britons gained 29 points from four athletes in the 400 individual medley. Mackenzie Chesley and Sambor finished seventh and eighth, respectively, in the championship final. Haley DeFeyter (12th) and Tess Haadsma (16th) advanced to the consolation heat.
The 100 backstroke put 24 points in the Britons' column. Anna Hargrove finished third in 58.40, less than a second behind champion Molly Meyer (57.68). Slager was 13th, Burke was 14th and Haley Wallis was 16th.
Sambor squeezed her way into the championship race in the 100 breaststroke and she finished eighth. Kylene Slocum and Claire Wittkowski finished 14th and 16th, respectively.
Albion sits in fourth place after two full days of competition. The team standings have Calvin in the lead with 506 points, followed by Hope (482), Kalamazoo (480), Albion (309), Alma (242) and Olivet (104).
The Saturday schedule includes the 200 backstroke, 100 freestyle, 200 breaststroke, 200 butterfly, 1,650 freestyle, the 400 freestyle relay, and 1-meter diving.
