HOLLAND, Mich. – Sophomore Katie Ferrero achieved her season goal of setting times under 5:20 in the 500-yard freestyle and first-year swimmer Nicole McCann reached the championship heat in the 50 freestyle, and those were just some of the highlights for Albion College during Thursday action in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Swimming & Diving Championship.
Ferrero set a preliminary time of 5:17.18 to reach the evening championship race where she finished eighth in 5:18.10.
Mary Noble, who qualified 10th in the morning, moved up one spot by taking first place in the evening consolation swim in 5:18.73. Camila Manrique, who qualified 16th, moved up to 14th with an evening swim of 5:23.15.
McCann sprinted to fifth in the freestyle, reaching the wall in 24.58 seconds. Joining her in scoring was senior Molly Blank who finished 15th.
Albion had two on the blocks for the championship race in the 200 individual medley, where Kylene Slocum finished fifth (2:12.30) and Sarah Kilbride was eighth (2:18.16).
Albion also had two of the top eight in 3-meter diving as Marisa DeCamp was awarded 338.10 points for fourth place and Lauren Young finished eighth at 287.65.
Albion finished third in both of the relay events contested on Thursday. McCann, Anna Moore, Slocum and Abigail Slager achieved a time of 1:37.64 in the 200 freestyle relay and Moore, Slocum, Alexandra Horman and McCann set a time of 3:56.12 in the 400 medley relay.
Albion sits in fourth place in the team standings. The team standings list Calvin College in first with 332 points, followed by Hope College at 235, Kalamazoo College 221, Albion 198, Alma College 86, and Olivet College 81.
The Friday program includes the 200 medley relay, the 400 IM, 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke and 3-meter diving.
