2016 NAIA Women’s Nationals – SCAD Still Leading ONU in Team Race on Day 2

2016 NAIA National Championships – Women’s Meet

• Dates: Wednesday, March 2 – Saturday, March 5, 2016; prelims 9 am, finals 5 pm
• Location: Columbus Aquatic Center, Columbus, Georgia (Eastern Time Zone)
• Defending Champions: Oklahoma Baptist University (results)
• Live Results: Available here
• Live Video: Available here
• Championship Central

Savannah College of Art and Design won both relays and an individual event, but more importantly had a least one and up to four A finalists in every event on Day Two of the 2016 NAIA National Championships. This allowed the Bees to maintain their lead over second-place Olivet Nazarene University headed into the final day of competition.

Columbia College, in only its second year of existence, is sitting solidly in 11th after having place two swimmers in A finals and three in B finals on Day Two. The Koalas could finish in the top 10 with a strong showing tomorrow.

Wayland Baptist is in eighth, having had a good showing in the 100 breast final, a strong 200 free relay, and 40 diving points thanks to sophomore Genesis Veliz who won both the 1-meter and 3-meter boards.

200 Free Relay – Final

1. SCAD Savannah 1:35.05
2. Olivet Nazarene 1:35.46
3. Cumberlands 1:36.80

SCAD Savannah put together a spectacular 200 free relay and just out-touched top qualifier Olivet Nazarene for the title. Julie Woody (24.32), Shannon Cummings (24.04), Haley Thompson (23.75), and Heather Partlow (22.94) combined to win in 1:35.05. Olivet Nazarene was runner-up in 1:35.46, having led by a couple of tenths throughout most of the race. University of the Cumberlands just out-touched Biola for third, 1:36.80 to 1:36.90.

400 Individual Medley – Final

1. Courtney Hayward, Brenau 4:26.30
2. Tiffany Ray, ONU 4:26.95
3. Rebecca Justus, SCAD 4:27.05

Top-seeded Courtney Hayward of Brenau won the 400 IM with 4:26.30, coming from behind to sneak past Tiffany Ray of ONU who finished in 4:26.95. SCAD’s Rebecca Justus had a strong second half and just missed catching Ray, who had led for most of the race. Justus ended up third in 4:27.05, while her teammate Emma McKinley took fourth in 4:32.98.

100 Butterfly – Final

1. Lisa Tixier, Biola 55.29
2. Amanda Moran, ONU 55.57
3. Hannah Legg, SCAD Savannah 57.03

Biola sophomore Lisa Tixier improved a second from prelims to finals, hitting the wall in 55.29. Tixier was out first and had established a half-body length lead at the 50. It served her well, because ONU sophomore Amanda Moran came back faster but couldn’t make up the distance over the second half of the race. Moran was runner-up with 55.57. SCAD senior Hannah Legg got third in 57.03, just .07 ahead of Lindsey Wilson’s Laura Stephenson.

200 Freestyle – Final

1. Abigail Richey, SCAD Savannah 1:1:52.00
2. Simone de Rijcke, Lindenwood 1:52.04
3. Haley Thompson, SCAD Savannah 1:53.45

SCAD Savannah qualified four swimmers into the A final, and they occupied lanes 3, 4, 5, and 7: Caroline Lepesant, Abigail Richey, Haley Thompson, and Meagan McManus. Way out in lane 1 was Lindenwood-Belleville freshman Simone de Rijcke, who had come into the meet with the second-fastest seed time. The swimmers took off and immediately the three middle lanes began to break away from the field. De Rijck went with them and soon it was a four-person battle. It looked like it could be anyone’s game until the 150 when Richey and de Rijcke pulled away. Then continued their momentum and finished 1-2 in 1:52.00 and 1:52.04. Despite a 27.9 final 50 from deRijcke, Richey was able to get her and on the wall first. Thompson got the bronze medaly with 1:53.45, while Lepesant faded to fourth.

100 Breaststroke – Final

1. Ronni Borders, Lindsey Wilson 1:03.47
2. Andrea Vega, ONU 1:03.71
3. Christina Ali, Biola 1:04.86

There were no surprises in the 100 breast podium; Lindsey Wilson’s Ronni Borders led the field with 1:03.47. ONU freshman Andrea Vega tried to close in on Borders over the second half but she had been too far back, and ended up second in 1:03.71.Biola junior Christina Ali rounded out the podium with 1:04.86.

100 Backstroke – Final

1. Amanda Moran, ONU 55.10
2. Kandes Soapes, SCAD Savannah 56.04
3. Lindsay Dowling, Brenau 57.75

SCAD freshman Kandes Soapes took it out fast and had built up an almost 1-second lead on the field by the 50 wall when ONU sophomore Amanda Moran came roaring back over the second half. Moran got the touch in 55.10, while Soapes had to settle for second with her 56.04. Brenau freshman Lindsay Dowling hung in for third with 56.71.

400 Medley Relay – Final

1. SCAD 3:49.58
2. Olivet Nazarene 3:50.20
3. Biola 3:54.72

SCAD ended the session with another come-from-behind relay win. This time Kandes Soapes (57.65), Meagan McManus (1:04.25), Cadie Crow (56.44), and Abigail Richey (51.24) were the foursome. They edged Olivet Nazarene 3:49.58 to 3:50.20. Biola beat Brenau for the bronze medal by 1/100, 3:54.72 to 3:54.73.

Team Scores – Day Two

“The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., is a governing body of small athletics programs that are dedicated to character-driven intercollegiate athletics.

In 2000, the NAIA reaffirmed its purpose to enhance the character building aspects of sport. Through Champions of Character, the NAIA seeks to create an environment in which every student-athlete, coach, official and spectator is committed to the true spirit of competition through five core values.”