Liberty University
CCSA Swimming and Diving Championships
Liberty in 4th Place After Day 1 of CCSA Meet
2/18/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming & Diving
Liberty posted a pair of second-place finishes on day one of the 2015 CCSA Swimming & Diving Championships, Wednesday at Gabrielsen Natatorium. The defending champion Lady Flames stand fourth in the 11-team field following three completed events.
Last year's runner-up, Florida Gulf Coast, leads the meet standings with 205 points, followed by Incarnate Word (187) and Georgia Southern (146) in second and third, respectively. Liberty is in fourth with 112 points, six ahead of fifth-place Gardner-Webb. FGCU, Incarnate Word and Georgia Southern all scored a substantial amount of points in the women's three-meter diving.
Both of Liberty's relay times on Wednesday place second on the program's all-time performance list.
The Lady Flames opened the finals by placing second to Florida Gulf Coast in the 200 medley relay. Liberty's relay, consisting of junior Kendall Hough (24.97), freshmen Prudence Rooker (28.16) and Kendall Hart (24.04) and senior Meghan Babcock (22.56), swam a season-best 1:39.73. Hough broke her own program record in the 50 backstroke, leading off in 24.97. FGCU's winning time of 1:37.17 set a new conference and meet record, while meeting an NCAA A cut.
Liberty closed out the evening with a season-best 7:21.10 to earn second to FGCU (7:16.90) in the 800 free relay. Senior Cori Gary led off in 1:51.35, followed by freshmen Rachel Wasko (1:50.67) and Chelsea Pond (1:50.60) and senior Emily Doff (1:48.48).
Freshman Madi Long scored 185.90 points in the women's three-meter springboard diving prelims. Her score was the highest by a Lady Flame at a CCSA Championship meet.
Liberty continues its participation at the 2015 CCSA Swimming & Diving Championships tomorrow, when individual events begin. Thursday's morning session starts at 10 a.m., with preliminary heats of the 500 freestyle. Day two also features the 200 individual medley, 50 free, one-meter diving and 200 free relay.
