Emory University's Women's Swimming and Diving Team won its second consecutive NCAA Division III national team championship, cementing itself as one of the top teams in Division III history. Head coach Jon Howell's squad finished in the top three in the nation for the fifth consecutive year, and in winning the national championship, the Eagles became only the second team to win at least two team titles in a row.
Emory had 12 different individuals named to the All-America team by the College Swim Coaches Association of America. In total, Eagle swimmers earned a total of 30 All-America certificates with their performances at the national meet. Emory won the University Athletic Association (UAA) title for a record eighth consecutive year and the 14th time in 15 years.
Distance freestyler Sam White led the squad throughout the year. After winning UAA Swimmer of the Year honors for winning three individual events at the conference championships, the senior set the tone at the national meet. She defended her national championship in the 500-yard freestyle in a school record 4:55.24, and added another title with gold in the 1,650-yard freestyle in 16:56.72 (another school record). In addition, White also placed seventh in the 200-yard freestyle. She teamed with Holly Hinz, Ali Smith and Sara Hostalet to finish second in the 800-yard freestyle relay. She ended her Emory career with 13 All-America team honors, as well as three school records. In addition, she was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Team and was awarded a prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.
Along with White, Hinz formed the best distance swimming duo in the nation. At nationals, the senior finished second to White in the 1,650-yard freestyle and third in the 500-yard freestyle. She added a third place national finish in the 400-yard individual medley, the event in which she had won the UAA title. In all, Hinz scored in five events at nationals, ending her career with 10 All-America certificates. Smith was the team most versatile swimmer, placing fourth in the 400-yard individual medley, and sixth in the 200-yard breaststroke. The junior also scored points in the 200-yard individual medley. Hostalet, a freshman, made an immediate splash, placing second in the nation in the 100-yard backstroke, touching in an Emory record 57.54. She was also a part of the second place 200-yard medley relay, and the third place 200-yard freestyle relay.
Tess Pasternak, the UAA Rookie of the Year, turned the national meet into her coming-out party. The freshman backstroker earned All-America honors with her second place finish in the 200-yard backstroke (Emory record 2:03.04) and third place finish in the 100-yard backstroke. She also swam the backstroke leg on the Eagles' school record-setting 400-yard medley relay, which finished fifth at nationals in 1:46.03, along with Jamie Lawler (freestyle), Ellen Flader (breaststroke), and Laura Conter (butterfly). Lawler, a junior, won All-UAA honors in a team-leading six events, including titles in the 100-yard backstroke and on three relays. In total, the veteran scored points at nationals in six events, and won All-America honors in three. Flader, a sophomore, swept the 100- and 200-yard breaststoke events at the UAA Championships, and went on to score in both events at nationals, including seventh place in the 100-yard breaststroke.
Senior Lisa Parton earned All-America honors after her eighth place finish at nationals in the one-meter event. She was the UAA's Diver of the Year, on the heels of a double-gold medal-winning performance at the conference championships on both the one-and three-meter boards.
Versatile senior Sarah Gardiner placed seventh in the nation in the 200-yard backstroke and 14th in the nation in the 200-yard butterfly. Earlier in the season, she had finished second in the UAA in both events. Freshman Lyle Holmes won the UAA title in the 100-yard freestyle, and then lent her talents to three of the Eagles' conference champion relays. At nationals, Holmes earned All-America honors as part of the third place 200-yard freestyle relay. Junior Sarah Nicholson earned two All-America honors with a second place finish in the 200-yard medley relay and a third place finish in the 200-yard freestyle relay.
Throughout the season, the Eagles tested themselves with dual meets against some of the best squads in the region, including the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech. In addition, with a team grade point average of 3.46 for the semester, Emory was named by the College Swim Coaches Association of America as an Academic All-America Team.
NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship
Sam
White
Silver Spring, MD (Blake)
CoSIDA Academic All-America
Sam
White
First
Team
Silver Spring, MD (Blake)
CoSIDA Academic All-District
Sam
White
First
Team
Silver Spring, MD
(Blake)
College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA)
All-America
Holly
Hinz
4 events
Marietta, GA (Westminster School)
Sara
Hostalet
4 events
Skokie, IL (Evanston
Township)
Sam
White
4 events
Silver Spring, MD
(Blake)
Ellen
Flader
3 events
Arlington, VA (H-B
Woodlawn)
Jamie
Lawler
3 events
Winchester, VA (Neuqua Valley, IL)
Tess
Pasternak
3 events
Ukiah, CA
(Ukiah)
Ali
Smith
3 events
Stafford, NH (Coe-Brown Northwood
Academy)
Sarah
Nicholson
2 events
Lake Oswego, OR
(Jesuit)
Laura
Conter
1 event
Manchester, CT
(Manchester)
Sarah
Gardiner
1 event
Milwaukee, WI (Whitefish
Bay)
Lyle
Holmes
1 event
Englewood, CO (Cherry
Creek)
Lisa
Parton
1 event
Setauket, NY (Ward
Melville)
CSCAA All-America (Honorable Mention)
Jamie
Lawler
3 events
Winchester, VA (Neuqua Valley, IL)
Suzanna
Zifkin
3 events
Evanston, IL (Evanston Township)
Kate
Gunning
2 events
Dallas, TX (Lake
Highlands)
Lyle
Holmes
2 events
Englewood, CO (Cherry
Creek)
Sara
Hostalet
2 events
Skokie, IL (Evanston
Township)
Sarah
Axtell
1 event
Henderson, NV
(Coronado)
Laura
Conter
1 event
Manchester, CT
(Manchester)
Ellen
Flader
1 event
Arlington, VA (H-B
Woodlawn)
Sarah
Gardiner
1 event
Milwaukee, WI (Whitefish
Bay)
Karyn Henderson 1
event
Solon, OH
(Solon)
Holly
Hinz
1 event
Marietta, GA (Westminster School)
Sarah
Nicholson
1 event
Lake Oswego, OR
(Jesuit)
Tess
Pasternak
1 event
Ukiah, CA
(Ukiah)
Ali
Smith
1 event
Stafford, NH (Coe-Brown Northwood Academy)
University Athletic Association (UAA)
Champion
Lyle
Holmes
4 events
Englewood, CO (Cherry
Creek)
Jamie
Lawler
4 events
Winchester, VA (Neuqua Valley, IL)
Sam
White
4 events
Silver Spring, MD
(Blake)
Ellen
Flader
3 events
Arlington, VA (H-B
Woodlawn)
Holly
Hinz
2 events
Marietta, GA (Westminster School)
Laura
Ortega
2 events
Tulsa, OK
(Jenks)
Lisa
Parton
2 events
Setauket, NY (Ward
Melville)
Laura
Conter
1 event
Manchester, CT
(Manchester)
Keely
Delcore
1 event
Barrington, IL
(Barrington)
Sara
Hostalet
1 event
Skokie, IL (Evanston
Township)
Sarah
Nicholson
1 event
Lake Oswego, OR
(Jesuit)
Tess
Pasternak
1 event
Ukiah, CA
(Ukiah)
Suzanna
Zifkin
1 event
Evanston, IL (Evanston Township)
All-UAA
Jamie
Lawler
6 events
Winchester, VA (Neuqua Valley, IL)
Lyle
Holmes
5 events
Englewood, CO (Cherry
Creek)
Laura
Conter
4 events
Manchester, CT
(Manchester)
Ellen
Flader
4 events
Arlington, VA (H-B
Woodlawn)
Holly
Hinz
4 events
Marietta, GA (Westminster School)
Sam
White
4 events
Silver Spring, MD
(Blake)
Keely
Delcore
3 events
Barrington, IL
(Barrington)
Laura
Ortega
3 events
Tulsa, OK
(Jenks)
Sarah
Gardiner
2 events
Milwaukee, WI (Whitefish
Bay)
Karyn Henderson 2
events
Solon, OH
(Solon)
Sara
Hostalet
2 events
Skokie, IL (Evanston
Township)
Lisa
Parton
2 events
Setauket, NY (Ward
Melville)
Tess
Pasternak
2 events
Ukiah, CA
(Ukiah)
Sam
Gillen
1 event
Bethlehem, PA (Moravian Academy)
Kate
Gunning
1 event
Dallas, TX (Lake
Highlands)
Sarah
Nicholson
1 event
Lake Oswego, OR
(Jesuit)
Randi
Palmer
1 event
Monroe, IL
(Monroe)
Suzanna
Zifkin
1 event
Evanston, IL (Evanston Township)
CSCAA Academic All-American Award
Sarah
Axtell
Henderson, NV (Coronado)
Ellen
Flader
Arlington, VA (H-B Woodlawn)
Sarah
Gardiner
Milwaukee, WI (Whitefish Bay)
Kate
Gunning
Dallas, TX (Lake Highlands)
Karyn
Henderson
Solon, OH (Solon)
Holly
Hinz
Marietta, GA (Westminster School)
Jamie
Lawler
Winchester, VA (Neuqua Valley, IL)
Sarah
Nicholson
Lake Oswego, OR (Jesuit)
Lisa
Parton
Setauket, NY (Ward Melville)
Ali Smith
Stafford, NH (Coe-Brown Northwood Academy)
Sam
White
Silver Spring, MD (Blake)