Courtesy: Hillsdale Athletic Department
Freshmen Avery May and Sasha Babenko rounded out their first collegiate season with a last-chance meet hosted by the University of Chicago Feb. 20-21. Both women earned NCAA B-cuts, finished top-three in multiple events at conference, and broke school records over the course of the season.
“It feels so great to represent the team,” Babenko said. “We are all such dedicated and supportive athletes. As a freshman I feel so honored.”
Babenko broke the school record in the 200 backstroke earlier in the season, only to break it again at the Great Midwest Athletic Conference championship Feb. 10-14 with a time of 2:02.37. Her time is a NCAA B-cut, and gave her the chance to be considered for qualification to the NCAA Division II Championship in March. Babenko also broke the school record and got a NCAA B-cut in the 100 back, swimming her best time of the season in 56.07 at G-MACs.
May secured a NCAA B-cut in the 500 free at the Chargers’ mid-season meet, further improving her time at G-MACs to finish in 5:01.28. Her time is the second-fastest in program history and so is her time in the 400 individual medley.
May also helped break the school-record in the 400 free relay at the Don Kimble Invite at Davenport University during mid-season with the help from Babenko and sophomores Ella Malone and Ella Schafer. Babenko also broke the school record in the 200 medley relay, along with Malone and freshman Kate Potwardowski.
Babenko and May attended the Midwest Invitationals the weekend after G-MACs, hoping to improve their times in events they qualified for nationals in and increase their odds of being selected. There, Babenko swam the 100 free, 500 free, and 100 back, and May swam the 500 free, 400 medley individual, and 100 breast.
“For this last chance meet, I wanted to have fun and enjoy my races,” May said. “I wanted to perform my race plan and make it better than it was last week. I tried to focus on that more than time or qualifying. Our whole team had a good season. It makes me hopeful for next year.”
May and Babenko were not given spots to swim at nationals, however, both women said they are excited to compete and represent Hillsdale for three more years.
