Thursday, February 15, 2007

Valparaiso opened the 2007 Mid-Continent Conference Swimming and Diving Championships in impressive fashion on Thursday evening as the 200 freestyle record set a new school mark in the day's opening event.

The 200 freestyle relay of Jaclyn Krause (Rochester, Mich./Notre Dame Prep H.S.), Rachel Majercik (Schaumburg, Ill./Conant H.S.), Amanda Gregory (Carmel, Ind./Carmel H.S.), and Kati Smethurst (Grand Ledge, Mich./Grand Ledge H.S.) shattered the previous school mark set in 2005 by nearly three seconds. The team touched the wall in 1:36.90 to finish second, besting the old record of 1:39.58.

Gregory and Krause then turned in solid finishes in the day's next event as well, the 500 free. Gregory finished seventh with a time of 5:15.67 while Krause was one place back with a mark of 5:19.88. Elizabeth Thompson (Norman, Okla./North H.S.) also placed in the B Final finishing 14th with a time of 5:20.81.

Majercik earned a ninth place finish in the 50 free with a time of 24.64 while Anna Kampling (Iowa City, Iowa/West H.S.) placed 11th in the same event with a time of 25.06 seconds.

Karen Berg (Glendale, Ariz./Deer Valley H.S.) turned in the Crusaders' top time in the 200 individual medley with a mark of 2:24.67, but did not make it to the finals.

In the final event of day one, Valpo's 400 medley relay was disqualified.

As a team, the Crusaders are in sixth place with 70 points, just 10 points behind fifth place South Dakota State and 24 points behind fourth place Eastern Illinois. Oakland leads with 285 points followed by Western Illinois.

Day two of the three day event will take place on Friday with preliminary heats beginning at 9 a.m. CST with finals commencing at 5:30 p.m. CST.