GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – The University of the Incarnate Word finished third at the 2016 U.S. Collegiate Synchronized Swimming Championship at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.
The Cardinals finished with 75.0 points and trailed only Stanford University (98.0) and Ohio State University (92.0). Three other schools finished with at least 50 points. Host University of Florida was fourth with 59.0 points and they were followed by University of Arizona (55.0) and Wheaton College (53.0). There were a total of 16 schools competing at the national meet.
"The team stepped up this week and left it all in the pool," said UIW head coach
Megan Deatherage. "I am extremely proud of their growth and hard work this season. I see our team only getting stronger next year."
Sydney Sprinkle earned All-America honors for the Cardinals and she finished in third place in the solo free routine final. She earned 79.9000 points and was 6.3667 points in front of fourth place. Only OSU's Emma Baranski (83.3) and Stanford's Clare McGovern (81.3333) finished in front of Sprinkle.
The Cardinals picked up big points in the duet free routine final.
Madeline Walker-Byron and
Katy Wiita finished third with 78.1 points while
Camille Guerre and
Beatriz Regly were fourth with 77.8333 points. UIW was the only team to have two duet squads finish in the top five. Wiita also took home All-America honors.
In the trio free routine final Stanford and Ohio State each separated themselves from the competition. They both had two teams finish in the top four. The UIW team of
Sarah Cooke, Guerre and Regly took fifth with 77.9333 points.
Stanford and Ohio State each had two squads finish in the top four in the team free routine final. The Cardinals had the fifth and sixth place teams in the event. They earned 79.0 and 77.0667 points, respectively.
Sprinkle and Wiita were UIW's lone All-Americans, but only because the student athlete cannot be from a different country. The Cardinals had four other team members earn enough points to qualify for All-America status. Regly was the top point-getter for the team with 43, the sixth highest total in the nation.
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