CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Both the men's and women's swimming teams from Queens University of Charlotte claimed their sixth straight Bluegrass Mountain Conference Championships on Sunday night from the Mecklenburg County Aquatic Center. The Royals won seven of 10 events on the final day of competition, bringing their combined total to 31 victories during the four-day meet.
The women totaled 1,081.5 points as a team, taking the top spot by more than 300 points over second place Wingate University. The men tallied 983.5 points, defeating second place Wingate by more than 200 total points.
"Both teams swam well against a very deep and fast conference," said Queens Associate Athletic Director for Strategic Planning and Leadership Development/ Director of Swimming Operations
Jeff Dugdale. "The meet was a good tune up for the NCAA Championships in four weeks."
Sunday night's final session began with Queens' junior
Francesca Bains (16:45.52) and senior
Sarah Reamy (16.51.15) taking the top two spots in the 1,650-Yard Freestyle race. Senior
Polina Lapshina (48.72) and junior
Lexie Baker (50.15) followed with a 1-2 finish in the 100-Yard Freestyle.
Queens also swept the top two finishes in the 200-Yard Backstroke as sophomore Bobbie Gichard (1:57.07) and junior
Rachel Massaro (1:58.17) were first and second, respectively. The final victory for the women's team came in the 400-Yard Freestyle as the foursome of
Allyson Accordino, Lapshina,
Danielle Melilli, and Baker reached the wall in 3:20.12, more than six seconds faster than the second-place team from Carson-Newman University.
On the men's side of competition, junior Henrik Faber opened the night with a time of 15:29.87 in the 1,650-Yard Freestyle to collect a distance win followed by a 1-2 finish from sophomore
Alex Kunert (43.80) and senior
Dmytro Sydorchenko (44.36) in the 100-Yard Freestyle.
The 400-Yard Freestyle Relay Team of
Skyler Cook-Weeks, Kunert, Sydorchenko, and
Bennett Maczka turned in a time of 2:56.20 to win the week's final race.
In a post-meet ceremony, Dugdale was named the 2020 Bluegrass Mountain Conference Women's Coach of the Year. It is the third straight year, and fifth time overall, that Dugdale has received the honor. Additionally, Lapshina was honored as the BMC Female Swimmer of the Meet and Kunert was recognized as the BMC Male Swimmer of the Meet.
Queens now turns its attention to the 2020 NCAA Division II Championships in Geneva, Ohio on March 11-14 at the Spire Institute. The Royals men and women have built a dynasty in the pool, winning the last five national titles.
