Giorgie Graves Earns All-Conference Honors in 500 Free to Lead Gardner-Webb Women's Swimming on Day One of CCSA Championships
February 22, 2013 | Swimming
Athens, Ga. - Gardner-Webb's women's swim team got a third place effort in the 500 free from freshman Giorgie Graves, and the Runnin' Bulldogs swam to a fifth place standing in the women's team rankings after day one of the three day CCSA Championship meet.
GWU tallied 108 points on day one and currently trails first place team Florida Gulf Coast (245), Liberty (182.5), North Florida (143), and Georgia Southern (141).
The Gardner-Webb women opened the night with a sixth place finish in the 200 free relay. Mary O'Doherty (23.70), Charity Byrum (23.51), Liz Van Halsema (24.24), and Anna Springer (24.12) teamed up to record a season best time of 1:35.57.
In the 500 free, Graves (Riverview, Fla.) raced to a personal best time during finals of the event. The freshman took third with a time of 4:56.89, earning All-Conference honors in her first individual CCSA Championship event.
Liz Van Halsema (Charlotte, N.C.) recorded a personal best time to score points for the Runnin' Bulldogs. The senior moved up in finals, closing fast to finish with a time of 5:03.40.
Charity Byrum (Winston-Salem, N.C.) led Gardner-Webb in the 200 I.M., placing seventh with a time of 2:05.83. The versatile sophomore recorded a personal best time, 2:03.77, during prelims of the event.
Winning consolation finals of the 200 I.M. was sophomore CJay Wiley (Savannah, Ga.), who raced to a season best time of 2:05.91. Freshman April Niccolai (Naperville, Ill.) finished 13th (2:07.75) for GWU, after turning in a season best time of 2:07.68 during prelims. Samantha Shelley (Wilmington, Del.) added a 15th place showing with a season best time of 2:07.91.
O'Doherty (Charlotte, N.C.) led the Runnin' Bulldogs in the 50 free, giving GWU an 11th place finish with a finals time of 23.62. The sophomore turned in a personal best time of 23.44 during prelims of the event.
GWU closed the night with a fifth place finish in the 400 medley relay. Laurenn Singleton (57.33), Byrum (1:02.82), Graves (55.86), and Jenna Ballinger (51.68) teamed up to record a season best time of 3:47.69.
Competition resumes tomorrow morning with prelims beginning at 10:00 a.m.
| Day One Results |
