02/20/2009
Garcia, Relays Shine at NEWMAC Women's Swim & Dive Championships

CAMBRIDGE, MASS. 2/20/09 - Clark University freshman Eileen Garcia qualified for the NCAA Championships for the third time this season and a pair of Cougar relay teams swam to new school records for the first time since 2002 after the first day of competition at the 2009 New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Women's Swimming and Diving Championships held at MIT on Friday.

Clark scored 86 points to conclude opening day in sixth place.

Garcia's third place finish with 442.60 points on the 1-meter (11 dives) event broke a 24-year school record set by Beth Ferraro 88 (410.45). The New York, N.Y. native, now owns both the 1-meter and 3-meter (6 dives) Clark marks.

The 200-yard freestyle relay team of freshman Erin Smith, junior Dana Akerfelds, junior Corri Stewart and senior Lindsey Stone placed sixth in a school record time of 1:42.64. The previous mark of 1:43.77 was set during the 1995-96 season.

Akerfelds, Stone, senior Kayleigh Lagasse and Smith broke the eight-year old 400-medley relay record by over two seconds with their seventh place, 4:13.61 finish.

The Cougars also received key points from individual placers, sophomore Liz Rosen in the 500-free (11th/5:17.85) and Smith in the 200-yard individual medley (13th/2:17.75).

Springfield College wrapped up the day in the lead with 290 points.

Team Standings 1. Springfield 290

2. Wheaton 206

3. MIT 201

4. Coast Guard 139

5. Wellesley 91

6. Clark 86

7. WPI 82

8. Babson 67

9. Smith 43

10. Mount Holyoke 35

Clark Records

200-yard freestyle relay  6th/1:42.64 (Smith, Akerfelds, Stewart, Stone)

Eileen Garcia - 3rd/422.60 (1-Meter, 11 dives)

400-medley relay  7th/4:13.61 (Akerfelds, Stone, Lagasse, Smith)