Swimming and Diving Kicks Off 2009-10 Season at Betty Spears Relays

WELLESLEY, Mass. (Nov. 7, 2009) – The Mount Holyoke College women’s swimming and diving team kicked off its 2009-10 slate at the 13th annual Betty Spears Relays this afternoon. Host Wellesley College won ten of the 15 events en route to the team title. The Blue finished with 180 points, while the second place Lyons amassed 156. Westfield State College’s 144 points were good for third place.

Mount Holyoke relay teams touched the wall first four times. Leading the way for the Lyons were sophomore Lydia Bowers and first year Nora Cunningham, who figured in on three first place finishes apiece. Meanwhile, first years Stephanie Roses and Joan Burton added a pair of first place results each.

Bowers, Roses and Cunningham teamed with junior Michelle Kroll to take top honors with a time of 1:55.73 in the 200-yard backstroke/freestyle.

Mount Holyoke’s success continued in the 800-yard freestyle, where sophomore Sarah Rooney, first year Cori Magnusson, sophomore Isa Wismann-Horther and senior Amanda McGrosky secured first place with a time of 9:13.75.

Bowers, Roses and Cunningham joined forces again in the 200-yard freestyle. This time, their fourth was Burton, who helped them post a winning time of 1:48.98.

The Lyons final first place finish of the afternoon came from Bowers, Cunningham, Burton and senior Lindsay Schonborn, who came out on top in the 400-yard freestyle with a time of 3:51.77.

Mount Holyoke will return to action next weekend at the Regis College Invitational. The competition will begin with diving events on Friday at 7:00 p.m. It will conclude with swimming events on Saturday at noon.