GREENSBORO, N.C. --- Roanoke College men and University of Lynchburg women claimed their first ODAC swimming titles on Sunday afternoon in Lynchburg, Va., capping two days of championship competition at the Liberty Natatorium on the campus of Liberty University.
The Maroons won 16-of-18 events on the way to 1,001.0 points in the men's standings. The Hornets split event victories with Roanoke in the women's competition with each school claiming nine events. Lynchburg earned 922.5 total points to top the women's standings.
RELATED: 2021 ODAC Championship Results
Roanoke swimmers took home three major individual swimming honors with Lynchburg claiming the remaining accolade. The Maroons Connor Kinkema earned ODAC Men's Swimmer of the Meet laurels, while teammate Kimberly Large secured ODAC Women's Swimmer of the Meet honors. First-year Maroon Jacob Winn was tabbed the ODAC Men's Rookie of the Meet. Lynchburg first-year Delaney Kennedy earned ODAC Women's Rookie of the Year recognition. Hollins University's Hanna DeVarona received the Bonnie Kestner Sportsmanship Award, which features a nomination process that is eligible to both men's and women's competitors in the ODAC.
RC head coach Scott Thacker and Lynchburg head coach Brad Dunn were voted ODAC Men's and Women's Coaches of the Year, respectively, by their peers at the championship.
RELATED: All Event Winners
For the second straight season, RC's Kinkema etched his named six times next to three events in the ODAC record books. He reset his own conference overall and championship records in the 100-yard breaststroke (0:56.00) on Friday and followed that up by doing the same in the 400-yard individual medley (4:02.77) and 200-yard breaststroke (2:01.90) events on Sunday. He and teammates Richie Evans, Ben Tate, and Xavier Williams won the 400-yard medley relay (3:23.61).
Large also won three individual events on the way to her top prize. She claimed the 50-yard freestyle (0:23.93) and 100-yard butterfly (0:58.28) titles on Friday, and then added the 100-yard freestyle (0:52.43) on Sunday. Large also participated in four relays, winning twice. She and teammates Hannah Petter, Paige Shaika, and Elizabeth Roberts won the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:37.47), while Large, Petty, Roberts, and Maria Vinson stopped the watches first in the 400-yard freestyle relay (3:33.86). Large, Roberts, Maddie Andrews, and Sarah Virginia Scott finished second in the 200-yard medley (1:47.89) and 400-yard medley (3:58.78) relays.
Winn made the most of his opportunities first championship meet, highlighted by a victory in the 200-yard individual medley (1:57.12) on Friday. He placed second in the 400-yard individual medley (4:13.84) and third in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:12.41).
Kennedy won twice individually in her first collegiate championship experience she won the 200-yard individual medley (2:10.41) on Friday and followed with the 400-yard individual medley (4:33.63) gold medal on Sunday. She added a second place finish in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:25.04). Kennedy also took part in four relays, winning twice. She and teammates Lindsey Hair, Claire Galloway, and Corrinn Ford won the 200-yard medley relay (1:46.77), while Kennedy and Galloway were joined by Karolena Steckler and Erin Wojtkowski in winning the 400-yard medley relay (3:54.72). Kennedy, Galloway, Hair, and Steckler finished second in the 400-yard freestyle relay (3:36.55), while Kenneday, Wojtkowski, Hair and Steckler were runners up in the 800-yard freestyle relay (8:02.47).
This the second ODAC top coaching honor for RC's Thacker and first for Lynchburg's Dunn. Thacker previous claimed the men's award in 2019.
Two additional records were set on Sunday, both belonging to Roanoke's Josh Rauch. He reset his own ODAC overall and championship records in the 1,650-yard freestyle in 16:13.84. His previous league-best mark was 16:23.58.
Stay tuned for further details on swimming All-ODAC awards later in the week. For more information, visit the ODAC Swimming Championships website or visit the websites of any of the participating schools. Don't forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook and follow @odacathletics on Twitter and Instagram.