Women's Swimming Earns Fourth Straight MEC Championship

CANTON, Ohio – The Frostburg State Women's Swim team secured their fourth consecutive Mountain East Conference title on Saturday, placing fourth overall at the GMAC/MEC Championships.
 
On the final day of events, freshman Genna Rippeon began things by placing fourth overall and tops in the conference in the 1,650 free with a 17:44.60, as senior Lydia Nebiolo wasn't far behind in sixth overall and second among MEC swimmers at 17:53.77. Then in the 100 free, FSU continued its streak of First Team All-MEC performances, as senior Kendall Hooper took fourth in the B final at 53.77.
 
Nebiolo went on to finish eighth in the A final of the 200 backstroke with Second Team All-MEC honors at 2:14.34, while freshman Taylor Emrich won the B final in 2:10.57 for Honorable Mention All-MEC and the second-fastest time in program history. Also in the event during the C final, junior Gaby Betancourt set a PR in 2:12.73 for fifth all-time, with freshman Kay Buhrman going for 2:13.41 at seventh on the record board.
 
During the 200 breaststroke, senior Natasha Paciello continued her strong meet with fifth overall and first in the MEC at 2:28.22, while graduate Meaghan Keegan took eighth overall and Second Team All-MEC in 2:33.83.
 
The Bobcats closed out the meet in fine style, as the 400 free relay team of Hooper, Nebiolo, Rippeon, and freshman Madison Hooper set a new program record at 3:32.49, earning third overall and one final First Team All-MEC honor.
 
Frostburg ended the meet on 974 points, just trailing Ashland in third place with 1,046.5, with Findlay earning another championship on 1,966 points. The full standings and FSU All-MEC performers are listed below.
 
1.Findlay – 1,966 points
2.Hillsdale – 1,414.5 points
3.Ashland – 1,046.5 points
4.Frostburg State – 974 points
5.Wheeling – 565 points
6.Fairmont State – 541 points
7.Davis & Elkins – 377 points
8.Salem (WV) – 288 points
9.Malone – 278 points
10.West Virginia Wesleyan – 214 points
 
First Team All-MEC
200 medley relay – Gaby Betancourt, Natasha Paciello, Kendall Hooper, Madison Hooper
400 medley relay – Lydia Nebiolo, Natasha Paciello, Kendall Hooper, Genna Rippeon
400 free relay – Kendall Hooper, Lydia Nebiolo, Madison Hooper, Genna Rippeon
800 free relay – Lydia Nebiolo, Taylor Emrich, Jayme Meadows, Genna Rippeon
Genna Rippeon – 500 free, 1000 free, 1650 free, 400 IM
Kendall Hooper – 100 free, 200 IM, 100 fly, 200 fly
Natasha Paciello – 100 breast, 200 breast
Madison Hooper – 50 free
Lydia Nebiolo – 100 back
 
Second Team All-MEC
200 free relay – Brenna Naddeo, Jayme Meadows, Amaya Burke, Madison Hooper
Lydia Nebiolo – 1000 free, 1650 free, 200 back
Taylor Emrich – 200 IM, 400 IM
Madison Hooper – 100 breast
Alexis Ramsey – 200 fly
Meaghan Keegan – 200 breast
 
Honorable Mention All-MEC
Jayme Meadows – 200 free
Meaghan Keegan – 100 breast
Morgan Greenlee – 200 fly
Taylor Emrich – 200 back