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FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (September 20, 2019) – Junior
Niamh McDonagh and freshman
Haley Mayhew tied for first today during the 24th annual Pentathlon, scoring 3,170 points each. The two champions also recorded the same winning time during the 200m individual medley. Historically, no two swimmers have tied for first in the final results or in an individual event.
"This is the first time in 24 years that we have had a tie for total points and in the 200m IM with the same two girls. That's pretty incredible," head coach
Andy Johns said.
McDonagh, the two-time defending champion, broke her previous winning time for the 200m IM of 2:24.80 this year, placing first again with her new time of 2:24.25. In addition to her win, the IM specialist placed third in 100m backstroke at 1:10.17 and fourth in the 100m breaststroke coming in at 1:16.63. In the 100m freestyle, she touched home at 1:02.31, coming in sixth and in the 100m butterfly, she fell to seventh.
"I feel great for winning three times in a row," McDonagh said. "It's giving me great confidence going into the season knowing I've got a strong IM partner (Mayhew) to train with. I'm looking forward to see what we do this season."
Mayhew is now the fourth newcomer in the last five years to win the Pentathlon. Mayhew also placed first in the 200m IM, coming in at the same time as McDonagh at 2:24.15. She continued to place in the top five in three more events, posting second in the 100m backstroke (1:09.45), third in the 100m breaststroke (1:15.36) and fourth in the freestyle (1:01.24).
"I feel stunned that I won my first Pentathlon; I didn't think that I was going to win," Mayhew said. "I'm really excited to be training with who I am right now. I can't wait to get better. I know I have more potential."
Junior
Maddie Seidl came in third overall, scoring just 20 points less than the two champions at 3,150. Seidl was shadowed by Mayhew and McDonagh during the 200m IM, coming in just four seconds after the co-champions at 2:28.45. In the second event, the 100m butterfly, she out-swam them, placing third with a time of 1:06.22.
Senior
Kate Bier, last year's butterfly runner-up at the Pentathlon, made her comeback this year placing first in the 100m butterfly with a time of 1:05.45 and beating her previous year's time by almost a full second. Junior
Elisa Rodriguez came in just behind Bier, hitting the wall at 1:06.07.
Rodriguez proceeded to set one of two Pentathlon meet records in the 100m freestyle, placing first with a time of 58.27. Although junior
Miranda Nichols placed second, her time of 58.38 also bested the previous record of 59.01.
For the second year in a row, junior
Hope Williams placed first today during the Pentathlon in the 100m breaststroke. At last year's Pentathlon, she recorded a time of 1:16.97. This year, she beat her time by three seconds, coming in at a Pentathlon record-breaking 1:13.00. The previous Pentathlon record was 1:13.74.
Senior
Fernanda Montiel repeated as the 100m backstroke winner, posting a time at 1:06.48.
In addition to Mayhew, four other freshmen competed in their first-ever Pentathlon.
Sara Jendbro posted the second-best time in the 100m breaststroke at 1:14.78 and recorded the fifth-fastest time in the 200m IM at 2:29.59.
Lainie Bell came in sixth in the backstroke coming in at 1:11.27.
Iliana Moore also raced well, posting a seventh-place finish in the breaststroke and eighth in the freestyle.
"Overall, it's good to see where our returners are. It's a big learning experience for our freshmen," Johns said. "Racing 25m and five events in an hour, it's hard. It's difficult racing for the first time. It's a good test."
The divers, who did not participate in the swimming-only Pentathlon, will make their debuts during NAU's annual Blue vs. Gold meet on Friday, Oct. 4 at 2 p.m. in the Aquatic and Tennis Complex.
