Gardner-Webb Tallies 1,042.5 Points to Win Wingate Fall Frenzy Over the Weekend
November 21, 2011 | Swimming
Charlotte, N.C. - GWU extended its lead on day three at the Wingate Fall Frenzy to finish first in the women's team standings. Gardner-Webb won nine events over the three days of competition, including four on Sunday to finish strong in Charlotte.
GWU, which finished the invitational with 1,042.5 points, led the final two days of competition. College of Charleston finished second with 820 points, and Queens College finished third with 494.
The Runnin' Bulldogs opened the night with a second place finish in the 200 free relay, as Charity Byrum, Elizabeth Charter, Hillary Leonard, and Faith Kempf combined to time in at 1:36.42.
Byrum kept things rolling for the Runnin' Bulldogs in the 200 IM, defending the number one seed she earned in the morning to earn the win. The freshman from Winston-Salem, N.C. finished in a season best time of 2:06.45. Fellow freshman Kaylee McCallan finished eighth in 2:13.89. Kiah Bellows finished ninth for GWU in a season best time of 2:10.91.
Jenna Ballinger earned a second place finish in the 100 FR, moving up a spot in finals with a time of 52.45. Charter secured fourth place and swam a season best time of 52.92 in prelims of the event. Senior Hillary Leonard grabbed an eighth place finish for the Runnin' Bulldogs in 53.95.
GWU's Liz Van Halsema recorded a fourth place finish in the 500 FR, touching in at 5:12.99.
Ballinger continued her strong weekend in the 200 BK, placing second in a time of 2:06.22. Sophomore Emily Black finished third in 2:08.26 for GWU, and McCallan moved up three spots in finals to finish fourth in a 2:09.12.
Byrum got her third individual win of the weekend in the 100 BR. After recording a season best time of 1:04.52 and earning the number one finals seed in prelims, Byrum held onto the number one spot in notching a personal best time of 1:03.65. Three other Runnin' Bulldogs placed in the top eight, as Bellows (4th, 1:07.30), Anna Springer (5th, 1:07.94), and Jessica Robinson (7th, 1:08.18) each earned valuable points for GWU.
Kempf made it back to back wins, taking the victory in the 200 fly with a personal best time of 2:04.96. Senior Lyndsey Roka took fifth place in 2:11.09, a season best time, and CJay Wiley took sixth in 2:13.99.
Gardner-Webb finished the night in convincing fashion, winning the 400 medley relay by nearly three seconds over second place. McCallan, Byrum, Kempf, and Ballinger combined to finish in 3:55.43. Black, Robinson, Van Halsema, and Mary O'Doherty took third for GWU in a time 4:00.72.
GWU will be back in action at USS Nationals, held at Georgia Tech December 1-3.
| Day 3 Results, Final Team Scores |
