The men and women’s swimming and diving teams finished fourth and fifth, respectively, at the North Coast Athletic Conference Championships in Ohio on Feb. 13.

“Going into the meet, I felt good about where we were as a team,” said Coach Danielle Lindner. “I felt confident in my swimmers and knew they were going to get great times out there.”

After day one, the men’s swimming and diving team found themselves in fourth place.

“For the men it was kind of like a rat race the whole time we were out there,” Lindner said. “It was between us, Wabash, Wittenberg and Wooster fighting for the third spot each day.”

Brandon Intrieri, ’13, led the team with a bronze finish in the 50 free finals. His preliminary time earned him a NCAA “B” cut time.

The 400 medley relay team of Intrieri, Matt Gauthier, ’13, Josh Sesek, ’10, and Mirno Pasquali, ’12, finished fourth with a “B” cut time as well.

In the 200 free relay, the same group of four took sixth place while Sesek finished sixth in the 200 IM.

After day two, the men sat in sixth place.

Intrieri touched the wall for fourth place with his second “B” cut time of the weekend in the 100 butterfly.

Sesek hit the “B” cut time in the 100 breaststroke in both the prelims and finals, finishing in eighth place.

Gauthier, Pasquali, Christian Steinwarz, ’13, and Intrieri took fourth place in the 800 free relay.

The Gators finished in fourth place after the final day of competition.

Sesek completed his individual Gator career with a “B” cut time and a sixth place finish in the 200 backstroke.

In the 200 backstroke, Pasquali swam a “B” cut time for a fourth place finish while Tyler Torbet finished 10th.

Pasquali’s time was also quick enough to break the 200 backstroke varsity record.
In the 1650 free, Gauthier took sixth place while Intrieri captured a ninth place in the 100 freestyle.

Gauthier, Sesek, Pasquali, and Intrieri secured the team’s fourth place finish when they took fourth place in the final event of the day, the 400 free relay.

“The fans were into it. All of the teams were into it,” Sesek said. “It was the crowning moment of all four seasons.”

“Taking fourth overall as a team was pretty cool,” Intrieri said. “Moving up, showing those other teams that we are definitely a contender in this now. We are going to be challenging them in every race.”

“All the coaches came up to me saying, ‘Where the hell did Allegheny come from? What are you feeding them?’” Lindner said. “In the past, the men’s team had been weaker, but I knew this year they were going to be strong.”

On the women’s side, a small team with recent injuries stepped up.

“I knew if we placed sixth or better that would be really good,” Lindner said. “I thought they swam fantastic out there with all things considered.”

“I knew what I was capable of and I knew what the team was capable of,” said Megan Knox, ’11, who recorded two “B” cut times during the competition.  “As a team, I think we exceeded our expectations.”

After day one, the women’s swimming and diving sat in sixth place.

Ashley Whitehead, ’11, Knox, Tara Stein, ’10, and Ariana Lyons, ’13, finished fourth in the 200 free relay.

Lyons and Whitehead battled each other, finishing ninth and 10th, respectively, in the 50 free.

The Gators moved up to fifth place after day two when Knox’s time in the 200 free earned her a fifth place finish and an NCAA “B” cut time.

The 800 free relay team of Knox, Lauren Karl, ’13, Lyons, and Molly Durot, ’13, finished fourth place.

Joanna Wieckowska, ’13,  Rachelle Barrett, ’11 Alycia Conway, ’11 and Whitehead touched the wall for fifth in the 200 medley relay.

On the final day of competition, the women’s 400 relay team of Knox, Karl, Lyons, and Whitehead took the bronze medal.

In the 1650 freestyle, Knox recorded a “B” cut time to get a sixth place finish while Karl finished seventh.

Lyons picked up a seventh place finish in the 50 free while Barrett took 10th place in the 200 breaststroke.

Lindner said she was pleased with both teams.

“I really got a ton of compliments from coaches and parents at the meet and I’m still getting emails. Not only a talented team on both sides, but a very classy team, a respectable team. And they got noticed,” she said.

Though Sesek declined any chance to go to Nationals, Knox, Intrieri and Pasquali will look to lower their times this weekend at Kenyon for the last chance National qualifying meet.