Randolph-Macon in Second, Bridgewater and Sweet Briar Knotted for Third

FOREST, Va. --- Washington and Lee University picked up eight first place votes and 64 total points on the way to topping the 2012-13 ODAC Swimming Coaches Poll.  Randolph-Macon College received the remaining top nod towards 57 tallies to hold down the second position in the annual survey of the league's head coaches.  Bridgewater College and Sweet Briar College were both awarded 45 points to tie for third.

Washington and Lee won its fifth straight and 22nd overall conference title in 2011-12, securing 992 team points.  The Generals were victorious 12 of the meet's 18 events, including all five relays in addition to seven individual events.  Three of the individual event winners are back for another go-round as reigning ODAC Coach of the Year, Kami Gardner, enjoys the return of nine all-conference performers, including six first team selections.  Sophomore Caroline Hamp, last year's ODAC Rookie of the Year, won the 100-yard butterfly in addition to claiming third in the 200-yard backstroke.  Senior Delaney Rolfe, who picked up her second straight ODAC/Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete Award, claimed the 500-yard freestyle title, while also placing third in the 200-yard butterfly and 200-yard freestyle.  Classmate Brittany Ross took home first place in the 200-yard butterfly in addition to a runner-up showing in the 100-yard butterfly.

The Generals' remaining All-ODAC First Team returners include senior Izzy Brassfield (2nd in 50-free; 4th in 100-free) and junior Meredith Hardy (2nd in 200-free; 3rd in 50-free and 100-free).  W&L's three All-ODAC Second Team returners are sophomore Hannah Melkun (3rd in 400-IM and 100-breaststroke; 4th in 200-breaststroke) and seniors Rachel Mensch (4th in 200-butterfly) and Colleen Moore (4th in 1650-free).

Randolph-Macon, which finished second at the 2012 championships with 740 points, features four returning all-conference student-athletes, each from the second team.  Senior Rebecca Stevenson finished third in both the 500-yard and 1,650-yard freestyle events, while junior Elizabeth Plowman captured third in the 100-yard backstroke.  Sophomore Emily Maltby had a solid freshman campaign as she placed fourth in both the 100-yard and 200-yard backstroke events.  Classmate Kelsey Bagley-Hall also experienced first-year success as she claimed a fourth-place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke.

Bridgewater and Sweet Briar battled for third position at the conference meet, with the Vixens edging out the Eagles, 373-329.  SBC will look to junior Marian Huber to lead the way after placing sixth in the 100-yard breaststroke, eighth in the 400-yard individual medley and ninth in the 200-yard breaststroke.  BC features the return of sophomore Shannon Myers, who took fifth in both the 100-yard backstroke and 200-yard butterfly in addition to a sixth-place finish in the 100-yard butterfly.

Hollins University welcomes back first team swimmer, junior Maggie Dwyer.  Dwyer touched the wall in second place in the 1,650-yard freestyle, while placing sixth in the 500-yard freestyle and eighth in the 200-yard butterfly.

Greensboro College made a splash in a its first season competing under the ODAC banner as recent graduate Emma Phillips corralled ODAC Swimmer of the Year honors.  The Pride will look to Dani Horne to lead a new crop of scorers out of Greensboro after the senior posted a seventh place finish in the 100-yard backstroke and a pair of ninth place showings in the 50 and 100-yard freestyles.

Emory & Henry College is under new direction with Dave Griffore taking over the program after arriving in Emory in the fall last year.  He's got an all-freshman squad for the 2012-13 season as he looks to guide the Wasps up the ODAC ladder.

Notre Dame of Maryland University and Guilford College also look to climb the league rankings.  The Gators, entering their second season as an associate member of the conference, are led by junior Shannon Berry, who placed eighth in the 200-yard backstroke, ninth in the 100-yard backstroke and 11th in the 200-yard butterfly.  The Quakers have four letter-winners back from 2011-12, including junior Kendra Medina, who recorded a trio of 16th place finishes (100-back, 200-back, 400-IM) at the conference meet.

Listed below is the 2012-13 ODAC Swimming Preseason Poll.  For more information, visit any of the participating schools’ websites, or go to the ODAC’s home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.  Don’t forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook and follow @odacathletics on Twitter.

2012-13 ODAC SWIMMING PRESEASON POLL
(#) Denotes First Place Votes