The Emory University Women's Swimming and Diving program continued its stretch of dominance over the Division III landscape in 2017-18, capturing the program's ninth consecutive national championship and 11th overall.
The Eagles used six event titles over the four-day meet to win the championship by 103 points over second-place Kenyon College. In addition to the six event titles, Emory totaled 32 All-America performances (28 individual, four relay), set four NCAA Division III records and recorded an additional nine Honorable Mention All-America efforts at the meet.
Junior Fiona Muir paced the Eagles with a pair of individual titles in the 50 and 100 Freestyles while senior Cindy Cheng was crowned the 200 Freestyle champion. Muir's win in the 50 was the first in the event of her career and during the preliminaries, she set the Division III record, throwing down a mark of 22.48.
The Eagles added event wins in three relays: 400 and 800 Freestyles and 200 Medley Relay, touching with new NCAA Division III records in all three wins. Cheng, senior Megan Campbell and juniors Meg Taylor and Hannah Lally claimed gold in the 200 Medley with a time of 1:40.15. In the 800 Freestyle, Cheng, Taylor, Muir and senior Julia Wawer recorded a time of 7:13.51 and in the 400 Freestyle, Cheng, Muir, Taylor and senior Ming Ong closed out the meet in impressive fashion with a winning time of 3:18.46.
Head Coach Jon Howell was named the Collegiate Swimmers Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Women's Swimming Coach of the Year after the meet for the sixth time in his career and the second consecutive year.
In February, the Eagles extended their University Athletic Association title run as they were crowned conference champions for the 20th consecutive season and 26th time overall. In front of the home crowd in Atlanta, Emory won conference titles in 16 of the 18 swimming events, earned 32 All-UAA honors and set six new UAA records, finishing the four-day meet with 2,049 points, more than 800 points ahead of the rest of the field. The 802.5-point margin of victory was the largest for an Emory team at the UAA Championships since 2012.
Cheng became just the third female in UAA history to be named the Swimmer of the Year for a third time following an impeccable performance for the Eagles. Cheng registered event titles in all seven events she competed in while setting four UAA records. She earned individual titles in the 500 Freestyle (4:47.94 – UAA Record), 100 Backstroke (54.16 – UAA Record), 200 Backstroke (1:57.87 – UAA Record) and was part of four championship winning relays: 400 Medley (3:44.34), 200 Medley (1:42.06), 800 Freestyle Relay (7:25.44) and the 400 Freestyle Relay (3:21.53 – UAA Record).
Howell and his staff of Cindy Fontana, Chris Marshall, John Petroff and Bob Hackett were named the Women's Coaching Staff of the Year, marking the fifth consecutive year and 10th time overall that Howell and his staff has earned the honor.
Emory wrapped up the dual meet portion of the schedule with a 4-4 record with wins coming against Division II's Florida Southern, West Florida, Delta State and Division III's Birmingham-Southern.
In other championship style meets during the season, Emory finished first at its home invitational (out of six schools) and second at both the Miami Invitation in Oxford, OH (out of six schools) and at the SCAD Invitational in Savannah, GA (out of 14 schools) in early December.
Members of the team was also recognized for their classroom achievements in addition to their swimming accolades as 18 Eagles garnered CSCAA Scholar All-America honors, which is awarded to student-athletes with a 3.50 grade-point average and participated at the NCAA Championships.
The Eagles earned the following honors during the 2017-18 season:
|
NCAA Division III National Champion |
|||
|
Novato, CA (San Marin) |
200 Medley Relay |
||
|
Orlando, FL (Dr. Philips) |
200 Freestyle, 200 Medley Relay, 800 Freestyle Relay, 400 Freestyle Relay |
||
|
Atlanta, GA (Providence Christian Academy) |
200 Medley Relay |
||
|
Great Falls, VA (Langley) |
50 Freestyle, 800 Freestyle Relay, 100 Freestyle, 400 Freestyle Relay |
||
|
Pymble, NSW, Australia (Pymble Ladies' College) |
400 Freestyle Relay |
||
|
Greenville, IN (Floyd Central) |
200 Medley Relay, 800 Freestyle Relay, 400 Freestyle Relay |
||
|
Vernon Hills, IL (Adlai E. Stevenson) |
800 Freestyle Relay |
||
|
|
|||
|
Collegiate Swimmers Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Coach of the Year |
|||
|
Jon Howell |
Head Coach |
||
|
|
|||
|
All-America (Top-Eight Finisher at NCAA Division III Championships) |
|||
|
Novato, CA (San Marin) |
200 Medley Relay (1st), 400 Medley Relay (2nd), 100 Butterfly (5th) |
||
|
Orlando, FL (Dr. Philips) |
200 Freestyle (1st), 200 Medley Relay (1st), 800 Freestyle Relay (1st), 400 Freestyle Relay (1st), 400 Medley Relay (2nd), 100 Backstroke (2nd), 200 Backstroke (2nd) |
||
|
Chesterfield, MO (Marquette HS) |
200 Breaststroke (4th), 100 Breaststroke (6th) |
||
|
Decatur, GA (St. Pius Catholic) |
400 IM (4th) |
||
|
Gurnee, IL (Loyola Academy) |
100 Butterfly (7th) |
||
|
Atlanta, GA (Providence Christian Academy) |
200 Medley Relay (1st), 400 Medley Relay (2nd), 100 Breaststroke (8th) |
||
|
Great Falls, VA (Langley) |
50 Freestyle (1st), 800 Freestyle Relay (1st), 100 Freestyle (1st), 400 Freestyle Relay (1st), 200 Freestyle (2nd), 400 Medley Relay (2nd) |
||
|
Atlanta, GA (Druid Hills) |
100 Backstroke (3rd) |
||
|
Pymble, NSW, Australia (Pymble Ladies' College) |
400 Freestyle Relay (1st), 400 IM (2nd), 200 IM (7th), 100 Freestyle (7th) |
||
|
Baton Rouge, LA (Saint Joseph's Academy) |
100 Backstroke (3rd) |
||
|
Greenville, IN (Floyd Central) |
200 Medley Relay (1st), 800 Freestyle Relay (1st), 400 Freestyle Relay (1st), 100 Freestyle (3rd), 50 Freestyle (4th) |
||
|
Hickory, NC (Saint Stephens) |
500 Freestyle (5th), 400 IM (6th) |
||
|
Grapevine, TX (Carroll Senior) |
500 Freestyle (3rd), 1650 Freestyle (5th), 200 Butterfly (7th) |
||
|
Vernon Hills, IL (Adlai E. Stevenson) |
800 Freestyle Relay (1st), 50 Freestyle (5th), 200 Freestyle (7th), 100 Freestyle (8th) |
||
|
|
|||
|
All-America Honorable Mention (Finished 9th – 16th at NCAA Division III Championships) |
|||
|
Pittsburgh, PA (Fox Chapel Area) |
200 Backstroke (16th) |
||
|
Novato, CA (San Marin) |
200 Butterfly (9th), 200 Breaststroke (16th) |
||
|
Chesterfield, MO (Marquette HS) |
200 IM (11th) |
||
|
Decatur, GA (St. Pius Catholic) |
200 IM (9th) |
||
|
Atlanta, GA (Providence Christian Academy) |
200 Breaststroke (15th) |
||
|
Atlanta, GA (Druid Hills) |
100 Freestyle (10th) |
||
|
Buffalo Grove, IL (Adlai E. Stevenson) |
100 Butterfly (9th) |
||
|
Greenville, IN (Floyd Central) |
200 Freestyle (9th) |
||
|
|
|||
|
University Athletic Association Swimmer of the Year |
|||
|
Orlando, FL (Dr. Phillips) |
|||
|
|
|||
|
UAA Coaching Staff of the Year |
|||
|
Jon Howell |
Head Coach |
||
|
Cindy Fontana, Chris Marshall, John Petroff & Bob Hackett |
Assistant Coaches |
||
|
|
|||
|
UAA Champion |
|||
|
Novato, CA (San Marin) |
200 Medley Relay, 100 Butterfly |
||
|
Orlando, FL (Dr. Philips) |
500 Freestyle, 400 Medley Relay, 200 Medley Relay, 100 Backstroke, 800 Freestyle Relay, 200 Backstroke, 400 Freestyle Relay |
||
|
Chesterfield, MO (Marquette HS) |
400 Medley Relay, 100 Breaststroke |
||
|
Mill Valley, CA (San Francisco University HS) |
200 Freestyle Relay |
||
|
Decatur, GA (St. Pius Catholic) |
400 IM, 1650 Freestyle |
||
|
Gurnee, IL (Loyola Academy) |
400 Medley Relay |
||
|
Atlanta, GA (Providence Christian Academy) |
200 Medley Relay |
||
|
Great Falls, VA (Langley) |
200 Freestyle Relay, 50 Freestyle, 400 Medley Relay, 200 Freestyle, 800 Freestyle Relay, 100 Freestyle, 400 Freestyle Relay |
||
|
Atlanta, GA (Druid Hills) |
200 Freestyle Relay |
||
|
Pymble, NSW, Australia (Pymble Ladies' College) |
800 Freestyle Relay, 400 Freestyle Relay |
||
|
Greenville, IN (Floyd Central) |
200 Freestyle Relay, 200 Medley Relay, 400 Freestyle Relay |
||
|
Grapevine, TX (Carroll Senior) |
200 Butterfly |
||
|
Vernon Hills, IL (Adlai E. Stevenson) |
800 Freestyle Relay |
||
|
|
|||
|
All-UAA (Top-Three Finisher at UAA Championships) |
|||
|
Novato, CA (San Marin) |
200 Medley Relay (1st), 100 Butterfly (1st), 200 Butterfly (2nd) |
||
|
Orlando, FL (Dr. Philips) |
500 Freestyle (1st), 400 Medley Relay (1st), 200 Medley Relay (1st), 100 Backstroke (1st), 800 Freestyle Relay (1st), 200 Backstroke (1st), 400 Freestyle Relay (1st) |
||
|
Mill Valley, CA (San Francisco University HS) |
200 Freestyle Relay (1st) |
||
|
Chesterfield, MO (Marquette HS) |
400 Medley Relay (1st), 100 Breaststroke (1st), 200 Breaststroke (2nd) |
||
|
Decatur, GA (St. Pius Catholic) |
400 IM (1st), 1650 Freestyle (1st) |
||
|
Gurnee, IL (Loyola Academy) |
400 Medley Relay (1st) |
||
|
Atlanta, GA (Providence Christian Academy) |
200 Medley Relay (1st), 100 Breaststroke (3rd) |
||
|
New Canaan, CT (New Canaan) |
1M Diving (2nd) |
||
|
Great Falls, VA (Langley) |
200 Freestyle Relay (1st), 50 Freestyle (1st), 400 Medley Relay (1st), 200 Freestyle (1st), 800 Freestyle Relay (1st), 100 Freestyle (1st), 400 Freestyle (1st) |
||
|
Atlanta, GA (Druid Hills) |
200 Freestyle Relay (1st), 100 Backstroke (2nd) |
||
|
Pymble, NSW, Australia (Pymble Ladies' College) |
800 Freestyle Relay (1st), 400 Freestyle Relay (1st), 200 IM (2nd), 400 IM (2nd), 100 Freestyle (3rd) |
||
|
Buffalo Grove, IL (Adlai E. Stevenson) |
100 Butterfly (3rd) |
||
|
Greenville, IN (Floyd Central) |
200 Freestyle Relay (1st), 200 Medley Relay (1st), 400 Freestyle Relay (1st), 100 Freestyle (2nd), 200 Freestyle (2nd), 50 Freestyle (2nd) |
||
|
Hickory, NC (Saint Stephens) |
500 Freestyle (2nd) |
||
|
Grapevine, TX (Carroll Senior) |
200 Butterfly (1st), 1650 Freestyle (2nd), 500 Freestyle (3rd) |
||
|
Vernon Hills, IL (Adlai E. Stevenson) |
800 Freestyle Relay (1st), 200 Freestyle (3rd) |
||
|
|
|||
|
CSCAA Scholar All-America |
|||
|
Pittsburgh, PA (Fox Chapel Area) |
|||
|
Novato, CA (San Marin) |
|||
|
Orlando, FL (Dr. Philips) |
|||
|
Mill Valley, CA (San Francisco University HS) |
|||
|
Decatur, GA (St. Pius Catholic) |
|||
|
Lawrence, KS (Bishop Seabury) |
|||
|
Atlanta, GA (Providence Christian Academy) |
|||
|
Great Falls, VA (Langley) |
|||
|
Atlanta, GA (Druid Hills) |
|||
|
Buffalo Grove, IL (Adlai E. Stevenson) |
|||
|
Greenville, IN (Floyd Central) |
|||
|
Grapevine, TX (Carroll Senior) |
|||
|
Vernon Hills, IL (Adlai E. Stevenson) |
|||
|
|
|||
|
CSCAA Scholar All-America Honorable Mention |
|||
|
Richmond, TX (Foster) |
|||
|
Phoenix, AZ (Phoenix Country Day) |
|||
|
Jacksonville, FL (The Bolles School) |
|||
|
Media, PA (Strath Haven) |
|||
|
New Canaan, CT (New Canaan) |
|||
|
|
|||
|
UAA Athletes of the Week |
|||
|
Orlando, FL (Dr. Philips) |
Oct. 17, Nov. 6, Dec. 5, Feb. 20 |
||
|
Decatur, GA (St. Pius Catholic) |
Oct. 24 |
||
|
Reistertown, MD (The Hill School) |
Oct. 24 |
||
|
Great Falls, VA (Langley) |
Feb. 5, March 26 |
||
|
|
|
|
|
The following were the top marks by Emory swimmers and divers during the 2017-18 season:
|
50 Free |
22.48 *# |
NCAA Championships |
|
|
100 Free |
49.29 |
NCAA Championships |
|
|
200 Free |
1:46.89 |
NCAA Championships |
|
|
500 Free |
4:47.94 |
UAA Championships |
|
|
1000 Free |
10:01.56 |
Miami Invitational |
|
|
1650 Free |
16:36.20 |
Miami Invitational |
|
|
100 Back |
53.65 * |
NCAA Championships |
|
|
200 Back |
1:56.63 * |
Miami Invitational |
|
|
100 Breast |
1:02.46 |
NCAA Championships |
|
|
200 Breast |
2:16.71 |
NCAA Championships |
|
|
100 Fly |
54.66* |
UAA Championships |
|
|
200 Fly |
2:03.06 |
UAA Championships |
|
|
200 IM |
2:02.39 |
NCAA Championships |
|
|
400 IM |
4:17.68 |
Miami Invitational |
|
|
1-Meter 6 Dives |
273.30 |
Emory Invitational |
|
|
3-Meter 6 Dives |
237.60 |
vs. BSC |
|
|
1-Meter 11 Dives |
450.20 |
UAA Championships |
|
|
3-Meter 11 Dives |
405.10 |
UAA Championships |
|
|
200 Free Relay |
1:31.93 |
UAA Championships |
|
|
200 Medley Relay |
1:40.12*# |
NCAA Championships |
|
|
400 Free Relay |
3:18.46 *# |
NCAA Championships |
|
|
400 Medley Relay |
3:40.32 |
NCAA Championships |
|
|
800 Free Relay |
7:13.51 *# |
NCAA Championships |
# – Indicates National Record * - Indicates Emory Record