WOOSTER, Ohio – The College of Wooster swimming and diving team made a big splash in its first action of 2022, with the Fighting Scots returning to competition with a convincing sweep over Baldwin Wallace University on Friday evening at Timken Gymnasium. The men dispatched the Yellow Jackets 141-86, while the women made quick work of Baldwin Wallace, 136-65. With the sweep, Wooster head coach Rob Harrington collected his 250th dual meet win at the College and the women's team now has a 10-meet winning streak.
On the men's side, first-year Max Likins, junior Noah Golovan, sophomore Lyonel Fritsch, and senior Doak Schultz quickly seized control, taking first in the 400 medley relay at 3:17.47. In the meet-capper, sophomore Josh Pearson, Schultz, first-year Isaac Shaker, and first-year Ryan Gross ran away from Baldwin Wallace in the 400 freestyle relay. There, the Scots went 3:17.47 to the Yellow Jackets' 3:23.24.
Wooster's relay stars were among the chief point grabbers for the Scots, and a good chunk of those came via five first-place finishes in individual events. Pearson claimed two of them courtesy of the winning times in the 200 individual medley (2:00.55) and the 200 butterfly (2:00.07). Schultz went 22.25 to win the 50 freestyle, while Gross came in just under 50 flat (49.99) to win the 100 freestyle. Shaker rounded out the relay winners who scored individual first-place showings with the winning time of 5:01.18 in the 500 freestyle.
First-year Tucker Andrewjeski won an event Friday as well, with his coming in the 200 breaststroke (2:17.37).
In the women's events, first-year Ollie Bream continued her winning ways. The triple-winner from the Wooster Invitational led Friday's field in the 200 individual medley (2:15.58), the 200 butterfly (2:14.45), and was part of the meet-opening 400 medley relay that touched at 4:12.05. Seniors Mia Chen and Molly Likins, and sophomore Emma Connors joined Bream on the medley relay.
Elsewhere, first-year Hallie Findlan took charge in the 100 and 200 freestyles, posting the winning times of 54.29 and 2:00.45, respectively. In fact, the Scots won every freestyle event on the night, as sophomore Maddie Becker was the fastest in the pool, thanks to the winning time of 25.53 in the 50 freestyle, and junior Kay Wetmore anchored the distance crew, winning the 1,000 freestyle with a time of 11:17.64. Connors captured the blue ribbon in the 500 freestyle at 5:29.53. Likins rounded out the winners in individual events with a 2:33.37 in the 200 breaststroke.
In the relays, Findlan, Becker, Chen, and first-year Mariam Zayour cruised to a first-place finish in the meet-capping 400 freestyle relay. The quartet combined for a time of 3:51.67.
Next, Wooster hosts Allegheny College, Hiram College, and Ohio Wesleyan University in a quad meet on Saturday, January 22. Action from Ellen Shapiro Natatorium at Wooster High School is slated to start at 1 p.m.