Navy vs. Vermont

ANNAPOLIS, Maryland, January 17. THE Navy women's swimming and diving team totaled 14 victories on its way to posting a 206-94 victory over Vermont Saturday afternoon at Lejeune Hall in Annapolis.

Navy, ranked 11th nationally in the most recent Mid-Major Power Ranking by www.CollegeSwimming.com, improved to 12-0 on the year with the victory, while the loss dropped Vermont, ranked 19th in the same poll, to a record of 8-3-1.

"We have put together some very nice efforts over the last two weekends," said Navy women's swimming head coach John Morrison of today's win and last week's victories over Cornell and Yale. "Our competition will only become more challenging over the next few weeks as we close the regular season and prepare for the Patriot League Championship. I think our team is starting to recognize what they have the capability to accomplish this season, but that will only come with more hard work, which I feel they are willing to put in."

Highlighting the individual efforts on the day was Thuy-Mi Dinh (Jr., Anaheim, Calif.) breaking her own school and pool record in winning the 50-meter freestyle. Dinh won the event in a time of 25.46 to better her own mark of 56.84 set 14 months ago.

Dinh would also win the 100 freestyle with a time of 57.10 to join Mallory Dietrich (Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa.), Tara Chapmon (Jr., Virginia Beach, Va.) and Desiree' Robison (Sr., Tucson, Ariz.) as Mids who won multiple individual events against the Catamounts.

Dietrich picked up three wins on the day, winning the 100 breaststroke (1:11.09), 200 breaststroke (2:37.37) and the 100 butterfly (1:03.60) events. Chapmon recorded wins in both the 400 and 800 freestyle races (4:23.23, 8:57.22, respectively), while Robison won both diving boards (one meter: 220.20; three meter: 260.93).

Completing the list of Navy individual event winners was Allison Ranzau (So., Alpharetta, Ga.) in the 200 freestyle (2:03.88), Annika Thomas (Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa.) in the 200 fly (2:21.16) and Tessa Snow (So., Hamlin, N.Y.) in the 200 individual medley (2:25.86).

The Mids also won both of the relay events during the meet, with the foursome of Jennie Spencer (Sr., Smithburg, W.Va.), Dietrich, Brooke Besche (So., Severna Park, Md.) and Dinh winning the 200 medley relay (1:59.99), and the team of Mary-Elyse Janowski (Fr., New Hyde Park, N.Y.), Chapmon, Dinh and Ranzau winning the 400 freestyle relay (3:59.85).

In addition to the 14 victories, the Mids placed three swimmers among the top-five finishers in 11 of the 14 individual swimming and diving events. This included 1-2-3 finishes by Navy on in the 200 breaststroke and 200 individual medley events and on both diving boards.

Prior to the start of the meet, Navy honored the program's six-member Class of 2009 –– Erika Hubbard (Madison, Wis.), Clare McKenna (Garden City, N.Y.), Lauren Milliron (Richmond, Va.), Robison, Spencer and Kelly Zahalka (Richmond, Va.) –– who were competing in the last home meet of their careers.

"Our team really stepped up for our seniors," said Morrison. "They sent this talented senior class and their families out with a great win. Our depth really came through for us today against a talented team in Vermont."

Navy will close its regular season Jan. 24 when the Midshipmen travel to Philadelphia to face Penn and Rider.

Special thanks to Navy for contributing this report.

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