WELLESLEY, Mass. – Junior
Ollie Kramer (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) closed out a spectacular three days for the Plymouth State University women's swim team at the Little East Conference (LEC) Championships with yet another record-breaking, medal-winning performance at the Boston Sports Institute on Sunday.
Already having won silver medals in the 500-yard and 1,000-yard freestyles, Kramer sealed her title as the greatest distance swimmer in program history with a third straight school-record performance. Saving her best for last, Kramer demolished the program mark in the 1,650-yard freestyle by more than 12 seconds to capture her third silver medal of the meet.
Although she didn't secure another medal, senior
Olivia Bailey (Wrentham, Mass.) closed out her spectacular career with new personal records in both the prelims and finals of the 50-yard backstroke to finish sixth.
The Panthers also saw several additional personal records and season-best times, as PSU wrapped up the three-day event with 214 points to finish 9th.
Meet Highlights:
- Kramer secured her place as the program's best distance swimmer with a significant school record in the 1,650-yard freestyle, posting a time of 18:47.56 to win the silver medal. She cleared the previous mark by an incredible 12.15 seconds.
- Bailey wrapped up an amazing career by swimming her two fastest 50-yard backstroke times. She finished seventh in the prelims with a PR of 29.62 to reach the championship finals, then swam 29.15 in the finals to place sixth. In total, she cut 0.71 seconds off her previous best time.
- Junior Emma Hannigan (Huntington Station, N.Y.) also swam the 50-yard backstroke, placing 16th in the prelims in 35.66 seconds to advance to the consolation finals. There, she swam 34.90 to finish eighth.
- Junior Gabby Gladu (Lewiston, Maine) posted a massive season-best in the prelims of the 200-yard breaststroke to finish 18th in 2:59.29. She eclipsed her previous best time by nearly six seconds.
- Senior Jackie Gaigals (Rochester, N.H.) posted a pair of season-best times in the 100-yard individual medley. She clocked 1:08.91 to place eighth in the prelims, earning a spot in the championship finals. In the finals, Gaigals was even better, touching in 1:08.85 to finish eighth.
- The Panthers were well represented in the 100-yard freestyle. Junior Laurel Bennett (Rindge, N.H.) set a new personal record by 1.85 seconds to finish 22nd in 1:05.95. Freshman Savana Vieira (Berkley, Mass.) was 30th in a season-best 1:09.55, while classmate Kelsey Kuligowski (Manchester, Conn.) logged her fastest time of the season – 1:18.10 – to finish 34th, just ahead of junior Vickie Ni (Lebanon, N.H.), who was 35th in 1:18.88.
- Bailey, Gaigals, Gladu and Kramer comprised PSU's 400-yard freestyle relay squad that placed eighth in 4:01.38.
|
|
|
| Kramer (left) - 1,650 Free Silver Medalist |
– 30 –