Daphne Mead leads Griffs through first two days of MAACs

By Hannah Wiley, Managing Editor

Sophomore Daphne Mead had the best finish so far during MAACs, placing second in the 200-yard individual medley. Last year, she finished fourth in this same event, but she shaved a second off of last year's time, swimming a time of 2:02.79, a new record for the Griffs and a personal best time for Mead.

During night one, the first podium swim of the meet for the Griffs was the 800-yard freestyle as they placed third with a time of 7:33.12. The relay consisted of Mead, junior Evie Leighton and seniors Hannah Brainard and Emily Blake. 

Leighton played eighth in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:02.81, improving on her 10th place finish from last year. Junior Lauren Martin finished 18th with a time of 5:07.51 in the same event. On the men’s side, senior Sam Vidal finished 13th with a time of 3:38.29 and right behind him was junior Luke Critchlow who placed 14th with a time of 4:38.56. Freshman Luke Nagle placed 20th with a time of 4:38.32, and sophomore Elijah Nevins placed 23rd with a time of 4:39.59. 

The women finished sixth in the 100-yard medley relay with a time of 1:44.57. The relay consisted of Leighton, Mead, Brainard and junior Cassandra Ercoli. The men’s relay finished seventh with a time of 1:30.87. This group consisted of Vidal, junior Elliot Somers, senior Toby Mayfield and freshman Payton Gilliland. In the 800-yard freestyle relay, the men finished sixth with a time of 6:47.84, and the relay consisted of Mayfield, Vidal, Nevins and junior Tom McCabe. 

For the men’s 200-yard IM, Mayfield placed 19th with a time of 1:52.00, and Somers placed 21st with a time of 1:52.89. The last event of day two was the 50-yard freestyle in which freshman Hubert Hawkins placed 22nd with a time of 21.09, and sophomore Cameron Upchurch placed 24th with a time of 21.21.

On Friday, the Griffs will compete in the 100-yard butterfly, 400-yard IM, 200-yard freestyle, 100-yard breaststroke, 100-yard backstroke, women’s three meter diving and the 400-yard medley relay. 

Saturday will conclude the tournament with the 200-yard backstroke, 100-yard freestyle, 200-yard breaststroke, 200-yard butterfly, men’s one meter diving, the 1650 and the 400-yard freestyle relay.

Photo courtesy of Stockton Photo Inc