Liberty To Close Out Regular Season At Davidson Duals

The Liberty swimming & diving team will compete at the Davidson Duals to close out its regular-season schedule, Friday and Saturday at Charles A. Cannon Pool in Davidson, N.C.

Friday’s night session begins at 6 p.m. with the 200 medley relay. On Saturday, action starts with the 400 medley relay at 11 a.m.

The Davidson Duals feature four teams, including Liberty, Gardner-Webb, Georgia Southern and the host Davidson Wildcats. The Lady Flames will accumulate head-to-head scores against each opponent.

This will be the fifth time that the Lady Flames will finish their dual-meet schedule at the Davidson Duals. Liberty has gone undefeated during each of its last three trips to Davidson, including 6-0 in 2012, 5-0 and 2013 and 3-0 in 2014. Last year’s meet was cancelled due to inclement weather.

Liberty is 3-1 all-time against Davidson, while holding a 2-1 edge over Gardner-Webb and leading Georgia Southern, 6-2, in dual-meet action.

At the 2016 CCSA Championships, Liberty, Georgia Southern and Gardner-Webb finished second through fourth, in that order. Davidson, champion of the inaugural 2008 CCSA championship meet, joined the Atlantic 10 in 2014. Liberty (2014) and Davidson (2008) are the only CCSA teams outside of Florida Gulf Coast to claim a league title.

Liberty (7-2, 3-1 CCSA) has won its last two dual meets, downing UNC Asheville and Campbell. The Lady Flames posted a convincing 205-57 victory over Campbell in the last scheduled dual meet at LaHaye Aquatics Center, last Friday.

Against Campbell, Liberty broke five pool records, including the 200 medley relay (1:44.24) and 200 free relay (1:36.22). Prudence Rooker (100 breaststroke – 1:04.89), Brittany Weiss (100 back – 55.89) and Alicia Finnigan (200 fly – 2:03.57) all lowered pool records as well.

Weiss’ 55.89 in the 100 back against Campbell was the fastest regular-season time ever by a Lady Flame in the event. Weiss also won the 100 fly versus the Camels, in 57.62. The freshman has won the 100 backstroke all four times she has contested it in dual meets this season.

Junior Rachel Hoeve has won all five times she has swam the 50 free in dual-meet action. Hoeve won both the 50 free and 100 free against Campbell. She posted a season-best 23.40 at the Intermountain Shootout on Oct. 7. Hoeve clocked a regular-season best time of 51.76 for 100 free at the Frank Elm Invite in November.

Sophomore Delia Weber earned victory in both the 1000 free (10:23.65) and 500 free (5:05.63) against Campbell. Weber had a strong meet at the Frank Elm Invite in November, breaking program records in the 1000 freestyle (10:04.44) and 1650 freestyle (16:43.69).

Junior Prudence Rooker has clocked the top time in the conference in the 200 breaststroke, with a 2:17.91 clocking at the Frank Elm Invite. She leads the team with 11 individual-event wins, after claiming both the 100 breaststroke (1:04.89) and 200 breaststroke (2:19.92) versus Campbell.

Alicia Finnigan won both the 200 fly (2:03.57) and 200 IM (2:08.41) against Campbell, with her 200 IM victory serving as the final individual-event win in pool history.

Graduating student-athletes Rachel Rippey and Victoria Tschoke were honored with a Senior Night ceremony prior to last Friday’s win over Campbell.

During Liberty’s win at UNC Asheville on Jan. 14, three Lady Flames (Colleen Donlin, Ricki Lee Hodges and Ashlee Sall) picked up their first collegiate individual event victory. Alicia Finnigan (200 free, 100 fly) and Brittany Weiss (50 fly, 50 back) won two events apiece, while Rachel Hoeve (100 back) and Victoria Tschoke (200 IM) each claimed one victory.

CCSA Honors

Sophomore Alicia Finnigan was named CCSA Women’s Swimmer of the Week on Oct. 9, after winning three individual events and swimming on a victorious relay at FGCU. Her winning 200 fly time of 2:00.25 was the second fastest time in the event by a CCSA swimmer this season, and fastest ever by a Lady Flame in a regular-season meet. She also won the 500 free (5:01.76) and 400 IM (4:26.14), both in a season-best time.

Freshman Jenna Joyal has had a strong start to her diving career at Liberty, being named CCSA Women’s Diver of the Week on Oct. 11. She has recorded the fourth-best score in the CCSA in one-meter diving this season.

Head Coach Jake Shellenberger is in his seventh season at the helm at Liberty, guiding the program since its inaugural 2010-11 campaign. He has posted a 70-28 dual-meet record, while twice being named CCSA Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year.

Current Lady Flames with Program Records

1000 Free – Delia Weber (10:04.44; 11/20/16)

1,650 Free – Delia Weber (16:43.69; 11/20/16)

Top Marks

Liberty holds at least one of the top three times in the CCSA in the following individual races this season:

1,650 freestyle – Delia Weber (1^st – 16:43.69)

200 breaststroke – Prudence Rooker (1^st – 2:17.91)

200 butterfly – Alicia Finnigan (2^nd – 2:00.25)

100 IM – Prudence Rooker (2^nd – 57.73), Brittany Weiss (3^rd – 58.65)

Davidson

Davidson enters the weekend with a 1-7 record overall, with its lone win coming against CCSA team UNC Asheville. The Wildcats placed third at the 2016 Atlantic 10 Championships.

Senior Elise Lankiewicz, a two-time A-10 Performer of the Year, has won six individual conference titles in her career. Lankiewicz has the top times in the A-10 in the 200 free (1:47.33), 500 free (4:47.47), 1000 free (10:06.63) and 100 back (55.16) this season. In addition to Lankiewicz’ five program records, senior Katy Williams holds Davidson’s record in the 100 breaststroke (1:01.23), 200 breaststroke (2:12.65) and 200 IM (2:03.54).

Gardner-Webb

Gardner-Webb is 2-1 in CCSA dual meets so far this season, downing UNC Asheville twice and falling to Campbell. The Runnin’ Bulldogs finished fourth at the 2016 CCSA Championships, its second fourth-place finish in a row.

Junior Lauren Oglesby is the CCSA record holder in the 1,650 freestyle, at 16:20.60, and she has won the event at each of the last two CCSA Championships. Oglesby currently ranks second in the CCSA in the 1,650 free at 16:49.48. Junior London Schumacher, the defending CCSA champion in the 400 IM, is second in the CCSA for the 400 IM (4:18.36) and third for 200 fly (2:02.20). Junior Lili Toth, with two CCSA podium finishes to her credit, is tied for third in the conference in the 200 free (1:51.67).

Georgia Southern

Georgia Southern is 3-4 on the campaign, including 2-1 against CCSA opponents. The Eagles have defeated UNC Asheville and North Florida. In 2016, Georgia Southern finished third at the CCSA Championships for the fifth straight year.

Freshman Gretchen Mossburg has filled in for two-time CCSA diving champion Emma Weisel, as Mossburg has been named CCSA Women’s Diver of the Week twice. Junior Kaylyn Thomas, Georgia Southern’s record holder for the 100 fly, is ranked fifth in the CCSA in the 100 free, at 51.32. Sophomore Anna Rose Moore is fifth in the conference for 200 free, 1:52.75.

Following this weekend’s meet, Liberty will next compete in the 2017 CCSA Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships, held Feb. 18-21 at Georgia’s Gabrielsen Natatorium.

Order of Events

Davidson Duals

Day One – Jan. 27, 2017

1. 200 Medley Relay
2. 1000 Freestyle
3. 200 Freestyle
4. 50 Freestyle
5. 200 Individual Medley
6. 100 Backstroke
7. 100 Breaststroke
8. 200 Butterfly
9. 400 Freestyle Relay

* – 3-meter diving to run concurrently with swimming competition

Day Two – Jan. 28, 2017

1. 400 Medley Relay
2. 500 Freestyle
3. 100 Freestyle
4. 200 Backstroke
5. 200 Breaststroke
6. 100 Butterfly
7. 400 Individual Medley
8. 200 Freestyle Relay

* – 1-meter diving to run concurrently with swimming competition

News courtesy of Liberty Athletics.