Athletes of the Meet - Oakton/Langley

Congratulations to Garrett Smith, Caitlyn Blankenship and Leah Knight for being named athletes of the meet for our meets against Oakton and Langley.

Garrett earned recognition particularly for his performance in the 200 medley relay and 100 butterfly. Garrett posted his fastest split of the season in the medley and then dropped four seconds off his fly time. In his second season Garrett is becoming a key member of the team, providing depth in several events.

Caitlyn was named athlete of the meet after her second straight spectacular meet. In the past two weeks Caitlyn has gone from having swum the 500 once in her life to a regular starter in the event. She dropped another 9 seconds off her time tonight and broke the 6:00 barrier for the very first time. She also posted a personal-best 1:00 in her leg of the 400 freestyle relay. Caitlyn may only be a freshman but she has certainly wasted no time in making her mark on this team.

Leah is athlete of the meet due to her strong, steady performances in the 500 free and 100 breaststroke. She posted a personal best in the 500 and very nearly did the same in the breaststroke. Leah's quiet determination and hard work make her an important part of our team's success.

There were several other athletes who earned honorable mention status for their performances tonight:

• Abraham Zimmerman -- Abraham had another fantastic meet, including a blazing split in the 400 freestyle relay and an electrifying finish in the 200 freestyle relay. He continues to lead the team both inside and outside the pool.
• Grayson Campbell -- Grayson broke his team record for the third consecutive week. He also posted a strong split in the 200 freestyle relay. His versatility and athleticism make him a valuable asset to the team.
• Jackson Ayers -- Jackson had another strong meet tonight, continuing to improve on his 200 freestyle split. He continues to work on his stroke and technique and it is paying dividends.
• John Sturgill -- John also continued his recent streak of success by posting a personal-best split in the 400 freestyle relay. His versatility is evident in his ability to score points in the 200 IM, 100 fly and 100 breast. And it is that versatility that makes him so valuable to the team.
• Reece de Kramer -- Reece came through tonight with a very strong performance in the 500 -- especially since he had never raced in the event before. His willingness to take on the challenge is a positive example to the rest of the team.
• Jean-Claude Guill - Jean-Claude had a fantastic time in the 100 backstroke tonight, returning to the form that made him so successful in his sophomore year. Jean-Claude continues to be a respected leader on the team who gives his best week in and week out.
• Ian Cobb -- Despite a long day of swimming at various meets and venues, Ian continued to perform well for Madison. His never-say-die attitude is an inspiration to his teammates.
• Elena Colbert -- Elena continued her winning ways by placing first for the second straight week. Elena has quickly established herself a leader diver in the conference. We look forward to watching he continue to develop.
• Katie Rooney -- Katie continues to drop time each and every week in whatever events she is put in. Her 200 IM and 100 breaststroke times continue to improve. Her hard work and dedication to improving are certainly making a difference.
• Rachel Hughes -- Rachel's times in the 200 and 500 tonight returned her to the form that made her a very important part of our team last year. Despite being called on to swim more yardage than just about anyone else on the team, Rachel kept a positive attitude and conquered her challenges.
• Sidney Miralao -- Sidney continued where she left off with fast times in the 50 and 100 free. Sidney provides the depth our team needs to successfully compete with and defeat teams like Oakton and Langely.
• Sarah Klein -- Sarah was recognized by the captains for her time in the 100 back, which was a personal best. She dropped nearly 2 seconds in the event and is looking to improve more next week.
• Kenzie Hines -- Kenzie not only continues to provide valuable leadership on the team but she is also returning to her form from two years ago. Her times tonight were faster than all of last season and point to a young woman determined to reach her goal times and lead her team to victory.
• Mallory Dyson -- Mallory stepped into the 200 IM and provided the team with an important first place finish. She followed that performance up with another first place in the 100 free.