Oilers Earn 25 All-Conference Honors | McFarland is Freshman of the Year
Findlay, Ohio – The University of Findlay swimming and diving teams, both of which earned conference championships for the second consecutive season, were well represented as the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) all-conference awards were announced on Thursday, March 28. Findlay took two of the major awards as Christina McFarland was named Women's Freshman of the Year and Head Coach Andrew Makepeace was named Men's Coach of the Year. Along with those awards, the Oilers had 18 athletes earned first team all-conference, nine each for both the women and men, and seven athletes earn honorable mention all-conference, five for the women and two for the men.
Chris McFarland earned G-MAC Freshman of the Year after a stellar debut season for the Oilers. At the G-MAC/MEC Championship meet, McFarland secured Freshman of the Meet honors after taking home the conference title in the 100 yard backstroke with a meet record time of 56.23. In that meet she also participated in the 100 yard fly, where she took second with a personal best time of 56.15, and in the 100 yard freestyle, where she touched the wall in a time of 52.08 while earned her a bronze medal in the event. She also took fourth place in the 50 yard freestyle with a time of 24.03. McFarland was also a member of the 200 yard medley relay team that took the conference title with a meet record and the 200 yard freestyle relay that also won the conference title.
Taking first team all-conference on the men's side were junior Mark Billeaud, sophomore Nathan Bourne, freshman Tyler Endecott, senior Trae Gulgin, sophomore Paul Pavala, junior Tucker Stocker, junior Isaac Stretch, senior Conner Whitaker, and jjunior Trent Williams.
Junior Tyler Adkins and junior Nathan Ladetto secured honorable mention all-G-MAC honors.
For the women, junior Hanna Cederholm, senior Jenna Dasher, junior Katy Kouvaris, freshman Chris McFarland, freshman Kendra Polewski, senior Amanda Stiegal, junior Olivia Wile, and junior Sydney Zimdars all earned their spot as first team all-conference honorees.
Freshman Taylor Christiensen, sophomore Ashton Klopp, junior Julia Snell, sophomore Murphy Vance, and sophomore Payton Zess all received honorable mention.