WORCESTER, Mass. - Record smashing continued to be the name of the game for the Mount Holyoke College swimming & diving team on Saturday as day two of the NEWMAC Championships saw another five school records fall. Championing the effort once again was sophomore Cathleen Pruden, who re-set her own NEWMAC record in the 400-IM.
Pruden recorded a time of 4:25.03 to win the 400-Individual Medley. That mark was a NEWMAC Open and Championship Meet Record. It also crushed her previous school record mark of 4:28.92. Additionally, the time she posted today also pushed her into sixth overall among the Division III best. The mark all but seals her spot in the NCAA National Championships, which will begin on March 19 in Indianapolis, Ind.
In addition to the 400-IM, Pruden also helped set a new school record in the 200-medley relay, as the foursome recorded a time of 1:50.26. That mark edged the previous mark of 1:50.41 set at last year's NEWMAC meet. Other members of the relay team included senior Lauren Williams, junior Maya Lazarovich and sophomore Bethany Aban.
During the 200-medley, Williams' also set a new school record mark in her leg of the backstroke, posting a time of 28.61. It reset her previous mark of 28.72. She also recorded a new school record in the 100-backstroke, hitting the wall with a time of 1:00.63, good for 13th overall.
First year Anne Kuenning opened the record setting in the 100-back, posting a time of 1:00.80 in the preliminaries to best Williams' previous mark of 1:00.97. Kuenning finished 15th overall with a time of 1:00.86.
Lazarovich also added to the school record marks as she posted a time of 1:08.05 in the 100-breaststroke preliminaries. Overall, she finished ninth, touching the wall with a mark of 1:08.35.
The Lyons are back in the pool on Sunday for the conclusion of the NEWMAC Championships. Preliminaries begin at 10am while the finals are at 6pm.
Photo above of Cathleen Pruden following her record-setting victory in the 400-IM. Picture courtesy of Frank Poulin Sports Photography.
