Alex LaJoie

Kate Hunt

Alex LaJoie and Kate Hunt stood out for The College of Wooster after Thursday's portion of the North Coast Athletic Conference Championships, as LaJoie broke two school records, one individually, and one as part of a relay team, and Hunt earned an all-conference certificate in one of her signature events, to help the Fighting Scot men and women to sixth and fifth-place, respectively, with their stronger events still to come over the next two days at the C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton, Ohio.

The men totaled 164.5 points after six events, which puts them just 12.5 points behind fourth-place Wittenberg University (177). DePauw University sits in third with 299 points, while traditional national powers Denison University (560.5) and Kenyon College (442) are comfortably out in front of the pack.

Individually, LaJoie placed 10th in the 200 IM with a time of 1:53.87, which not only surpassed the previous program record in the event by nearly two seconds (1:55.53), but also earned him a "B" cut for the NCAA Div. III Championships.

Then in relay action, LaJoie joined forces with Peter Parisi, Brian Maddock, and Imre Namath in the 400 medley, and the group nearly gained all-conference honors and a "B" cut by touching the wall fourth in 3:26.29, which reset their own record they had set at last year's NCAC's (3:27.86).

Also noteworthy, Parisi advance to the consolation finals of the 50 freestyle and took 13th in 21.34, while Namath was 18th in the same event in 21.65.

The women's team currently sits in fifth with 213 points, but is within striking distance of third-place Wittenberg (234). Meanwhile, Kenyon (498) and Denison (442) are well ahead in a battle for the top spot.

Hunt earned a "B" cut during the preliminaries of the 50 free with a time of 23.93, and then she improved her time during the championship heat, touching the wall in 23.84, which was good for third-place overall and Wooster's lone all-conference honor of the day. Morgan Hughes (24.50) and Clare Walsh (25.27) also scored in the event, nabbing 14th and 24th-place, respectively.

Hunt also was a part of two fourth-place relay teams, as she teamed with Mariah McGovern, Walsh, and Hughes in the 200 freestyle (1:36.84), as well as Samira El-Adawy, Caroline Hanson, and Hughes in the 400 medley (3:56.47).

In other individual competition, the Scots had four swimmers score in the 200 IM, led by El-Adawy (2:12.26) and Kaitlyn Fries (2:13.07), whom hit the wall 14th and 16th, respectively. Colleen Kill won the "bonus" heat in 2:13.77, while Lena Smith was right behind her in 2:14.71.

Finally, Kara Markham had the best effort in the 500 free with a 13th-place finish in 5:13.03, and McGovern (5:21.24) and Mary Nappi (5:24.02) also contributed points as well.