FAIRFAX, VA – The University of Delaware’s 200-yard freestyle relay team set a new program record and won the school’s first ever men’s event at the Colonial Athletic Association championships as the Blue Hens capped off a successful third day at the title meet hosted by George Mason at the McKay Natatorium.

The relay team, anchored by Andrew Zinn, Zach Schiavo, John Ohlhaver, and Grady Carter, flew to a record time of 1:21.40. The foursome outdistanced the runner-up William & Mary team by over a full second to capture the program’s first ever CAA title.

The group also became the first Delaware relay team to win a conference championship since the school’s 200-yard medley squad captured the crown during the 1991-92 North Atlantic Conference meet.

Led by the relay team’s performance, the Blue Hen men remained in fourth place at the championships with 318 points. The women also held strong, staying in sixth with a three-day score of 230.

After three days of competition, UNC-Wilmington remains in first on the men’s side with 464 points. Towson also held on to the top spot on the women’s side with 485.5.

The women were led by junior standout Emily Smathers (at right). A day after breaking her own school record in the 100-backstroke after setting the mark during her split in the 400-medley relay, she broke it again during the finals for the 100-yard event. Her time of 57.68 shaved 0.15 seconds off her day-old record.

Maryann Walker and Emily Watts rounded out a strong Delaware field in the 100-backstroke, placing 10th and 11th respectively.

Kellie Pastore also had a fourth-place showing in the 100-yard breaststroke after cruising to a time of 1:05.45. Freshman Meghan Barber finished 11th in the event with a 1:06.58 clocking.

Three Blue Hens also placed in the top-10 in the final women’s diving event of the meet as Melissa Berke finished sixth in the 1-meter board with a score of 233.75, while teammates Shannon Burke and Lisa Goyette came in ninth and tenth.

The women’s 200-freestyle relay team rounded out the day in impressive fashion, breaking the school record with a time of 1:36.68. The squad, led by Walker, Donna Healy, Sarah Begley, and Catherine Gallagher, finished sixth during the competition.

On the men's side, Zinn and Ohlhaver also had successful days in individual events before joining forces to capture the relay title. A day after becoming the first NCAA provisional qualifier in a swimming event for Delaware, Zinn finished second in the 200-yard freestyle.

In the preliminary round, he broke the school’s 14-year old record in the event after finishing in 1:39.92. During the finals, he returned to the pool and swam a 1:40.10 to garner his second runner-up showing at the meet.

Ohlhaver also set a new record in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 51.25 in the preliminaries. He later finished sixth in the finals after clocking in at 51.82. His pace in the trials broke the previous record set yesterday by Craig Young during his leg of the 400-medley relay.

Although he saw his own record broken, Young also had a strong showing in the 100-yard backstroke as he finished seventh in 51.93. Senior Adam Mullan came in 10th during the same event.

Carter earned a fifth-place finish in the 100-breaststroke with a time of 57.41. Ross Buckwalter came in eighth, just under two seconds behind his teammate.

In the 100-yard butterfly, Michael Wodoslawsky notched a top-10 finish for the Blue Hens after coming in eighth with a time of 51.39. Adam Blomberg and Scott Tsuchitani placed in the top-15 during the same event, coming in 13th and 15th respectively.

Craig Young, who broke the school record in the 400 Individual Medley after completing the event in 4:08.90 during the preliminaries, came in 14th in the finals with a time of 4:10.34. He edged out teammate Craig Offutt, who placed 15th in 4:14.73.

The CAA Championship meet will conclude on Saturday with the finals of the 100 and 1,650 freestyles, men’s 3-meter dive, 400-freestyle relay, and the 200-yard events in the backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly.

AGATE:

Women’s Team Standings After Day Two: 1. Towson – 485.5; 2. George Mason - 345; 3. UNC-Wilmington – 337; 4. William & Mary - 321; 5. Northeastern – 255.5; 6. Delaware – 230; 7. James Madison - 229; 8. Drexel – 181; 9. Old Dominion – 164.

Delaware Competitors: 4th – Kellie Pastore, 100-breaststroke (1:05.45); 6th – Emily Smathers, 100-Backstroke (57.68), Melissa Berke, 1-Meter Dive (233.75), 200-Freestyle Relay (Donna Healy, Sarah Begley, Catherine Gallager, Maryann Walker), 1:36.68; 9th – Shannon Burke, 1-Meter Dive (241.80); 10th – Maryann Walker, 100-Backstroke (58.75), Lisa Goyette, 1-Meter Dive (217.25); 11th – Emily Watts, 100-Backstroke (59.59), Meghan Barber, 100-breaststroke (1:06.58); 13th – Cortney Barry, 200-Freestyle (1:54.27); 14th – Sarah Begley, 100-Butterfly (58.18).

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