Both the AU men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams recorded victories over Howard in the Bender Splashdown Oct. 27 at the Reeves Aquatic Center. The day saw the Eagles break nine event records and earn victories in 23 of 32 events.
Dylan Rasnick had a particularly strong afternoon, registering record-breaking victories in the 200-yard butterfly and the 200 breaststroke. Both records had been set at the 2009 Bender Splashdown.
Rasnick also swam away from the competition in the 200 individual medley, defeating the runner up by almost three seconds.
The men’s relay team finished the afternoon with two victories. Bobby Ballance, Matt Wurm, Mike Allada and Dylan Hall registered the win in the 200 freestyle event. Ballance, Daniel Francis, Tyler Pham and Wurm then combined to take the victory in the 200 medley relay.
Wurm also emerged victorious in both the 200 backstroke and the 100 back with times of 1:53.39 and 51.63, respectively. His time in the 200 back set an event record.
Other winners on the men’s side included Pham, who broke a seven-year Splashdown record when he won the 100 fly in 52.66.
For the women, Julia Von Heeringen and Kerri Knippenberg each took home two victories. Von Heeringen broke a meet record with her time of 2:18.01 in the 200 fly. She also posted a win in the 100 backstroke event, beating Howard’s Benta Horton-Gee by nearly two seconds.
Knippenberg recorded her victories in the 1000 free and the 200 back.
The 100-yard breaststroke saw AU’s Abby Weingarten edge out teammate Celeste Borras to finish first. Borras rebounded with a victory in the 200-yard breaststroke.
The afternoon also saw Shekinah Hoffman win the 100-yard fly and Ali Follman take the win in the 200-yard IM.
Pools used for NCAA swimming are 25 yards, while international events such as the Olympics use a 50-meter pool.
Melissa Parker, who was named Patriot League Female Diver of the Week Oct. 29, produced winning scores of 232.30 and 237.85 in the one-meter and three-meter dives, respectively. The scores broke meet records set in 2010.
Kegan Gerard broke a meet record in the three-meter dive with a score of 163.25, and he also won the one-meter dive.
The Eagles will next be in action Nov. 3 in a meet with Lafayette, Bucknell and Navy in Easton, Pa.
esaltzman@theeagleonline.com
