Banks/Miller Lead Day One For Swimming at GMAC/MEC Championships
Canton, OH. - The Wheeling University Swimming team wrapped up day one with an impressive showing at the 2022 Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC)/Mountain East Conference (MEC) Championships. They had two top-five placers in the MEC highlighting a strong start to the championship event.
The day began with the preliminary races in the morning where all of Wheeling's swimmers were in action. Sophomore Ethan Banks kicked things off by competing in the Men's 1,000-yard Freestyle with one of the best performances of the day. He put himself in the Wheeling Swimming record books when he placed 5th in the MEC and 8th overall with a time of 10:13.73. He now ranks fifth overall in program history and got his second championship event started strong. Jade Miller also got off to a hot start, qualifying for the finals of the women's 200 Individual Medley. She moved on to the finals in the second session and placed 17th with a time of 2:14.70, winning her heat of the finals. It was good for second best in the MEC and got her first-ever championship off to a strong start.
A few other Wheeling swimmers set PRs in the morning session but were unable to qualify for the finals. Elizabeth Strange raced in the 50-yard freestyle and finished 43rd overall with a time of 30.30. Macie Williams also races in the event and came in 35th with a time of 26.67. On the men's side, Nathan Yost would compete in the 50-yard Freestyle and also PR'd in the event. He finished 32nd overall, finishing in 22.98 seconds. Rounding out day one of the GMAC/MEC Championships was the Wheeling 200-yard medley relay team. They would finish the day eighth overall and fifth in the MEC. Miller and Williams were joined by teammates Maira Jones and Meredith Mandal and finished the event in 1:56.90.
Day two of the GMAC/MEC Championship begins Thursday with preliminary events at 10 AM followed by the finals at 6 pm.