GENEVA, OHIO—The Richmond Spiders won the 2017 Women’s Swimming & Diving Championship, finishing day four of competition at the SPIRE Institute with 570 points. The title marks the seventh consecutive A-10 crown and 15th in the last 16 years for the Spiders, which took the lead after day three of competition.
Richmond started the evening off strong with a bronze-medal performance in the 1,650-yd. freestyle by sophomore Nicole Piercy (17:07.12). The Spiders then turned in first and third place finishes in the 200-yd. backstroke; freshman Hannah Gouger took the gold (1:56.39), which helped her earn Women’s Most Outstanding Rookie. Junior Erin Berry also took home gold in the 200-yd. breaststroke with a NCAA B time of 2:13.29.
Duquesne finished in second-place with 498.5 points, after freshman Summer Svitavsky took home silver in the 1,650-yd. freestyle (16:59.95). Sophomore Abby Stauffer finished third in the 200-yd. Breaststroke, sophomore Morgan Smith took bronze in the 200-yd Butterfly and the team finished third in the 400-yd. Freestyle Relay to end the night.
Massachusetts’ Emma Roush was honored as the Women’s Most Outstanding Diver after finishing first in the 1-meter dive (273.00) and first in the 3-meter dive with a score of 293.25. UMass also turned in a third place finish in the 100-yd Freestyle, as senior sophomore Ansley Baker finishing in 50.52.
The Women’s Most Outstanding Performer, Davidson’s Elise Lankiewicz, broke a conference and championship record with her NCAA B time of 49.11 in the 100-yd. Freestyle.
Trailing Richmond, Duquesne and Massachusetts in the final standings were Fordham (432.5), Davidson (390), George Washington (309), George Mason (306.5), Saint Louis (194), Rhode Island (193.5), St. Bonaventure (187.5) and La Salle (151.5).
Richmond’s Matt Barany won Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year and Mandy Hixon from Massachusetts won the Women’s Diving Coach of the Year.
2017 A-10 Women’s Swimming & Diving Awards
Women’s Most Outstanding Performer: Elise Lankiewicz, Davidson
Women’s Most Outstanding Rookie Performer: Hannah Gouger, Richmond
Women’s Most Outstanding Diver: Emma Roush, Massachusetts
Women’s Diving Coach of the Year: Mandy Hixon, Massachusetts
Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year: Matt Barany, Richmond