FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CARY, NC – Last year’s 3A Championship meet’s Most Outstanding Swimmer Caroline Hauder of Marvin Ridge was the first one in the pool for the Mavericks relay team, she put the squad out in front and they never looked back on the way to their third straight 3A Women’s Swimming & Diving State Championship.

Hauder was quite impressive all afternoon at the Triangle Aquatic Center in Cary as the junior crushed the state record in the 200 individual medley. Hauder clocked in at 1:58.85 eclipsing the state record set just a day prior during the 4A championship meet set by Middle Creek’s Julia Poole (1:59.76).

For the second year in a row, Hauder was named the women’s competition’s Most Outstanding Swimmer. She also brought home the 100 breaststroke championship, winning by more than four seconds in that event, and anchored the victorious 400 Free Relay team for Marvin Ridge.

The Mavericks brought home the 3A Women’s title winning comfortably over Chapel Hill 374-271.5. Weddington finished a distant third place with 167 points.

On the men’s side there was a bit more drama. Chapel Hill’s men’s team managed to stave off a good challenge from Marvin Ridge as the Tigers held on for a 295-252 victory. Northern Guilford finished third with 171.5 points.

Chapel Hill’s men managed to claw their way to the front after not even making the Championship final in the first event of the meet, the 200 Medley Relay. The Tigers finished in ninth for that event, winning the consolation final and taking in 18 points on the event.

The Tigers had three men secure points in the 200 individual medley to help gain some ground on Marvin Ridge. Jordan Ren finished third in the event with Andrew Zheng touching eighth. Beau Brauer snagged first in the consolation finals of the 200 IM to help the Tigers swing some momentum their way.

With double the points on the line in a relay, Chapel Hill broke through in the critical 200 Free Relay, out-touching Marvin Ridge 1:28.42 to the Maverick’s time of 1:28.61.

Connor Blandford from Corinth-Holders was named the Most Outstanding Swimmer for the men’s competition after he brought home the 200 individual medley win and the 100 breaststroke victory.

The 2016 NCHSAA 3A Swimming & Diving Sportsmanship Awards went to Sophia Zatz from Marvin Ridge and Claire DeSelm of Chapel Hill on the women’s side. Eli Rose from Chapel Hill and Nate Utesch from Marvin Ridge were named to the same honor for the men.

NCHSAA Swimming & Diving Championships continue tomorrow at Triangle Aquatic Center as 1A and 2A swimmers take center stage. Preliminary rounds begin at 8:30 am with event finals scheduled for 4:45 pm.