NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Fordham junior Liam Semple was named the Atlantic 10 Conference Men’s Swimming and Diving Performer of the Week, while Davidson senior Elise Lankiewicz was named the Women’s Performer of the Week. Also honored was Fordham freshman Joseph Vizza who was named the Men’s Rookie of the Week and Saint Louis freshman Emily Kishish who was named the Women’s Rookie of the Week. The awards were based off performances from meets held Jan. 23-29.
Semple, a native from San Diego, Calif., was a multi-event winner on Saturday, as Fordham defeated Massachusetts or the first time in team history, 156-142. He won the 100 freestyle in a season-best time of 9:33.60, and followed with a win in the 500 freestyle in 4:38.57. Earlier in the week, Semple took home another first-place finish in the 200 freestyle at Iona with a time of 1:43.75.
Lankiewicz capped off the final dual meet of her storied career at Davidson with three firsts and a second, as well as two other seconds in relays, leading the women's team to victories over Gardner-Webb and Georgia Southern. She has now tallied over 66 first-place finishes during her four seasons with the Wildcats. The Wilmington, Del., native took the top spot in the 200 freestyle, where she touched in four seconds ahead of the next competitor with a time of 1:50.69. She followed that up with wins in the 500 freestyle (5:01.36) and 100 butterfly (56.96) events. In both races, she was at least two seconds ahead of the next-best finisher. Her second-place came in the 100 backstroke with a time of 57.44. She also swam the leadoff leg of the 400 freestyle relay that took second, and the second leg of the 200 freestyle relay where they were just out-touched for the top mark. The senior ranks in the Top 10 in the A-10 in every event she has swam this season, including the best times in five different categories, and has broken four school records this season.
Vizza won two events and was a part of two winning relays on Saturday, as Fordham defeated Massachusetts. The swimmer from North Wales, Pa., won the 100 freestyle in 46.87 seconds and the 200 freestyle in 1:41.54. He swam the anchor leg of the winning 200 medley relay (1:33.42), while helping the 200 freestyle relay clinch the win with a season-best time of 1:23.92.
Kishish, a native from Inver Grove Heights, Minn., turned in a time of 1:09.03 in the 100 breaststroke against Evansville, finishing first in the event. At the Butler Invitational, she again won the 100 breaststroke, this time with a time of 1:08.91. Kishish also won the 200 breaststroke at Butler with a time of 2:27.09.