Saturday, April 17
Ypsilanti, MI
Prelims 10:30 a.m. / Finals 6:10 p.m.
at
Mid-American Conference Championships
Bulls Capture First Women’s Swimming & Diving MAC Championship in Thrilling Fashion
4/17/2021 10:48:00 PM | Swimming and Diving
YPSILANTI, Mich. – The University at Buffalo women's swimming and diving team (5-0, 3-0 MAC) captured their first ever Mid-American Conference Championship on Saturday evening. The Bulls earned a three-day total of 773 points edging out the seven-time reigning champion Akron Zips by seven points. This is the program's first conference title since winning the Mid-Continent four consecutive seasons in a row from 1995-98.
To start the day, Brittney Beetcher would finish fourth in the 1,650 freestyle, just missing the podium with a time of 16:41.40.
Maddy McDonough would claim the bronze medal in the 200 backstroke in a time of 1:57.40. Senior Nicole Roitenberg finished in fourth in 1:58.12.
The Bulls would gain momentum in the 100 freestyle as they had four swimmers make the championship finals. Toni Naccarella would win the event in 48.70-seconds with Jillian Lawton finishing right behind for second. Lawton's time was 49.18-seconds. Elinor Duley finished in fourth place in 49.94-seconds. Jenna Krull would round out the Bulls in the event for a fifth-place finish (50.73-seconds). The team earned 66 points from the event to take a slight lead over the Zips.
The Zips would then take a big lead over the Bulls after the 200 breaststroke. Katie Pollock was the lone Bull as she finished in fifth place with a time of 2:16.06.
Roitenberg would bounce back and claim the bronze medal in the 200 butterfly and finish in 1:58.73. Clarice Fisher would help the Bulls and finish in seventh place in 2:00.16.
In perhaps the most crucial event of the night, the diving team would come through. With the Bulls being down by 39 points before the 3-meter dive and 400 freestyle relay, the team would reclaim a slim lead after great diving performances by Victoria Franz, Patricia Arceri and Louise Bradley. Franz would take the silver medal with a score of 313.85. Arceri would find herself on the podium for third place (304.20). Bradley finished in fifth-place with a score of 276.10.
After diving, the team would lead by just three points heading into the final event, the 400 freestyle relay. The team of Lawton, Duley, Krull and Naccarella would capture the gold medal in 3:17.76. They edged out Akron by 1.25-seconds. That's all the Bulls needed as they took home the MAC Championship trophy for the first time in program history.
"These women have work so hard for this [MAC Championship]," stated Head Coach Andy Bashor. "They deserve this moment so much. I am so fortunate to work with such an amazing staff. They get a lot of the credit for our success. I am happy for Russ [Dekker] and what he has done with the diving program. This is the first MAC Championship in our history. It means everything. They have worked so hard to create a winning culture and be great teammates. We will enjoy this."
The Bulls would bring home additional awards as Brittney Beetcher was named MAC Outstanding Senior. For the third consecutive year, the Bulls earned MAC Freshman Diver of the Year as Louise Bradley had a fantastic championship. Diving Coach Russ Dekker earned his second MAC Diving Coach of the Year honor in his career, including his first as a Bull. Dekker also had this honor in 2014 with Ohio. Head Coach Andy Bashor won MAC Swimming Coach of the Year making it a repeat for the head coach as earned this honor a season ago.
A program record 10 Bulls earned All-MAC honors. Marij van der Mast, Victoria Franz, Maddy McDonough and Clarice Fisher all took home Second Team All-MAC distinctions. Toni Naccarella, Katie Pollock, Brittney Beetcher, Nicole Roitenberg, Jillian Lawton and Olivia Sapio all earned First Team All-MAC honors.
For full championship results, click here.
FINAL STANDINGS
1. BUFFALO - 773
2. Akron - 766
3. Miami (OH) - 436.5
4. Ohio - 390
5. Ball State - 320
6. Eastern Michigan - 305
7. Toledo - 262
8. Bowling Green - 252.5
2020-21 Women's Swimming and Diving Mid-American Conference Honors
MAC Outstanding Senior: Brittney Beetcher
MAC Freshman Diver of the Year: Louise Bradley
MAC Diving Coach of the Year: Russ Dekker
MAC Swimming Coach of the Year: Andy Bashor
First Team All-MAC
Toni Naccarella
Katie Pollock
Brittney Beetcher
Nicole Roitenberg
Jillian Lawton
Olivia Sapio
Second Team All-MAC
Marij van der Mast
Victoria Franz
Maddy McDonough
Clarice Fisher
To start the day, Brittney Beetcher would finish fourth in the 1,650 freestyle, just missing the podium with a time of 16:41.40.
Maddy McDonough would claim the bronze medal in the 200 backstroke in a time of 1:57.40. Senior Nicole Roitenberg finished in fourth in 1:58.12.
The Bulls would gain momentum in the 100 freestyle as they had four swimmers make the championship finals. Toni Naccarella would win the event in 48.70-seconds with Jillian Lawton finishing right behind for second. Lawton's time was 49.18-seconds. Elinor Duley finished in fourth place in 49.94-seconds. Jenna Krull would round out the Bulls in the event for a fifth-place finish (50.73-seconds). The team earned 66 points from the event to take a slight lead over the Zips.
The Zips would then take a big lead over the Bulls after the 200 breaststroke. Katie Pollock was the lone Bull as she finished in fifth place with a time of 2:16.06.
Roitenberg would bounce back and claim the bronze medal in the 200 butterfly and finish in 1:58.73. Clarice Fisher would help the Bulls and finish in seventh place in 2:00.16.
In perhaps the most crucial event of the night, the diving team would come through. With the Bulls being down by 39 points before the 3-meter dive and 400 freestyle relay, the team would reclaim a slim lead after great diving performances by Victoria Franz, Patricia Arceri and Louise Bradley. Franz would take the silver medal with a score of 313.85. Arceri would find herself on the podium for third place (304.20). Bradley finished in fifth-place with a score of 276.10.
After diving, the team would lead by just three points heading into the final event, the 400 freestyle relay. The team of Lawton, Duley, Krull and Naccarella would capture the gold medal in 3:17.76. They edged out Akron by 1.25-seconds. That's all the Bulls needed as they took home the MAC Championship trophy for the first time in program history.
"These women have work so hard for this [MAC Championship]," stated Head Coach Andy Bashor. "They deserve this moment so much. I am so fortunate to work with such an amazing staff. They get a lot of the credit for our success. I am happy for Russ [Dekker] and what he has done with the diving program. This is the first MAC Championship in our history. It means everything. They have worked so hard to create a winning culture and be great teammates. We will enjoy this."
The Bulls would bring home additional awards as Brittney Beetcher was named MAC Outstanding Senior. For the third consecutive year, the Bulls earned MAC Freshman Diver of the Year as Louise Bradley had a fantastic championship. Diving Coach Russ Dekker earned his second MAC Diving Coach of the Year honor in his career, including his first as a Bull. Dekker also had this honor in 2014 with Ohio. Head Coach Andy Bashor won MAC Swimming Coach of the Year making it a repeat for the head coach as earned this honor a season ago.
A program record 10 Bulls earned All-MAC honors. Marij van der Mast, Victoria Franz, Maddy McDonough and Clarice Fisher all took home Second Team All-MAC distinctions. Toni Naccarella, Katie Pollock, Brittney Beetcher, Nicole Roitenberg, Jillian Lawton and Olivia Sapio all earned First Team All-MAC honors.
For full championship results, click here.
FINAL STANDINGS
1. BUFFALO - 773
2. Akron - 766
3. Miami (OH) - 436.5
4. Ohio - 390
5. Ball State - 320
6. Eastern Michigan - 305
7. Toledo - 262
8. Bowling Green - 252.5
2020-21 Women's Swimming and Diving Mid-American Conference Honors
MAC Outstanding Senior: Brittney Beetcher
MAC Freshman Diver of the Year: Louise Bradley
MAC Diving Coach of the Year: Russ Dekker
MAC Swimming Coach of the Year: Andy Bashor
First Team All-MAC
Toni Naccarella
Katie Pollock
Brittney Beetcher
Nicole Roitenberg
Jillian Lawton
Olivia Sapio
Second Team All-MAC
Marij van der Mast
Victoria Franz
Maddy McDonough
Clarice Fisher
Players Mentioned
/ Swimming and Diving
/ Swimming and Diving
/ Swimming and Diving
/ Swimming and Diving
/ Swimming and Diving
/ Swimming and Diving
/ Swimming and Diving
/ Swimming and Diving
/ Swimming and Diving
/ Swimming and Diving
/ Swimming and Diving
/ Swimming and Diving
/ Swimming and Diving
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