Video: Jordan Taylor Interview
Video: Margaret Stansberry Interview
Video: Andrew Wheeler Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The Carson-Newman men's and women's swim teams moved to 9-1 all-time in home meets since their inaugural season in 2013-14 after each team topped the King Tornado on senior night at the Maddox swimming pool.
Each team also went to 3-0 all-time in dual meets against the Tornado with the men earning a 159-31 victory and the women topping the Tornado 166-34.
The men's swim team collected the top finish in all nine events in which they faced against hostile competition, though the Tornado are coached by a familiar face in James Graves who spent the past four seasons as an assistant coach with C-N.
"That was something that was very cool to see after working alongside him," Coach Jordan Taylor mentioned. "We wanted him to be able to come back and shake hands with the swimmer because he had a great comradely with the seniors here."
Marcelo Figueiredo collected wins in three separate individual wins, although one of which came against his own teammates in the 1000-yard freestyle. Andrei Roman, Chad Andoljsek, Jonny Goss, Caleb Howell, Jon Lancaster, and Andrew Wheeler were among other individuals who earned first-place finishes in the team's final regular season meet.
Carson-Newman honored its seniors prior to the dual meet, giving the 11 individuals a chance to be honored for their commitment the past four years and ultimately to perform in front of family and friends for one final time at home.
"It was a mixture of excitement and a little bit of sadness," senior Andrew Wheeler stated. "I've been here all four years and had the best memories here. I do feel like its been a career well spent and a time well had. It was bittersweet but altogether very satisfying."
The C-N women earned top spots in 10 of 11 races with the lone edge coming at the hands of King's Nicola Mead during the 200-yard butterfly where she turned in a time of 2:13.19.
Maggie Melhorn and Margaret Stansberry each turned in top times in two individual events with Mary Northcutt, Lisa Postma, Elly Culp, Alex Nuyianes, and CJ Jensen all chipping in with individual wins.
Possibly one of the most incredible moments of the night came following the meet when Coach Taylor pitted the C-N women's team against the C-N men's team, giving the senior swimmers a chance to gut it out one final time in a 5x50 relay.
The men's side, who had multiple swimmers forced into individual medley's, narrowly came away with the victory with a time of 2:06.56 to the women's time of 2:06.83.
"That was a really fun race," Senior Margaret Stansberry said. "I think we all just had fun doing it, it was special."
"From the get go, it was going to be a close race," Wheeler added. "That place was lit up by the end of it, and we still came together as seniors to enjoy our last bit of time here at C-N."
The C-N swim programs will now get ready for the Bluegrass Mountain Conference Championships which are set to take place in Charlotte, N.C. from February 14-17.
-CN-
