Feb. 17, 2011
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Jess Eccher helped the Vanderbilt women’s swim team finish up a successful day two at the 2011 SEC Championships by breaking a 21-year-old school record in the early afternoon. Including Eccher’s performance, ten girls swam their season-best times on the day in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Heading into day three, the Commodores are in 10th place with 46 points.
To get an inside look into what happened throughout the day, make sure to check out the Vandy 2011 SEC Championship blog.
The highlight of the meet was when Jess Eccher finished the 200-yard IM in a record-breaking time of 2:04.64 during the fourth heat of the preliminaries. Leslie Holt was the previous holder of the record when she swam the event in a time of 2:06.02 in 1990. Eccher topped her own previous-best time of 2:06.31 which she set at the Western Kentucky Invitational on November 19, 2010. Before the meet began, Eccher said she was feeling confident and thought she had a chance to set the record.
“I’m really excited,” Eccher said. “Getting the record was one of my goals this season. Fast swims are contagious at SECs so hopefully I can keep moving forward with good times.”
The rest of the IM swimmers had a good showing, starting with freshman Alyx Vernon who finished in a time of 2:12.09, an improvement of five seconds from her previous season-best time set against Miami on December 4. Fellow freshman Chloe Ott swam a season-best time of 2:10.52, .22 seconds faster than her previous best set at the WKU invite. Stephanie Falcone rounded out the group by finishing in a time of 2:15.56, three and a half seconds faster than her previous best.
“I’m really happy with how that event went,” coach Organ said. “We needed something good to happen and it did. This could be the catalyst we need to finish strong for the rest of the week. I’m really proud of the IM swimmers.”
The individual events were closed out by the 50-yard freestyle swimmers where Melissa Roberts finished in a time of 24.42, the fastest time for a Commodore this season. Roberts held the previous-best time when she finished in 24.65 at the WKU Invite. Seniors Jennifer Molchan and Anna Fargo set season-best times when they finished in 24.85 and 25.13, respectively. Betsy Galenti rounded out the group by swimming a season-best time of 24.98.
Erika Deardorf had the top time in the 500-yard freestyle by finishing in a team-best 5:00.08, breaking her previous mark of 5:02.49 set against Marshall on January 29. Michelle Williamson had her personal season-best time when she finished in 5:05.46. Margaux Georgiadis (5:06.55) and Amy Salce (5:07.30) finished up the 500 for Vanderbilt.
The night ended with the 200-yard freestyle relay team of Melissa Roberts, Jennifer Molchan, Sarah Lynch and Betsy Galenti finishing in a season-best time of 1:36.69. Roberts’s split was a lifetime best and she helped get the team going early. The four swimmers were one second off the school record.
“I think we had a strong day and we should have good momentum moving forward,” coach Organ said after the long day of events.
Day three will begin with the 400 IM and be followed by the 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke and 100 backstroke before closing out with the 400 medley relay.
The Vandy SEC Blog will continue to update fans, parents and Commodore nation on what the team is up to during the Championship week.
