Casey Hill Wins 3-Meter, Relay Records Shattered on Day One
Cleveland -- Youngstown State sophomore diver Casey Hill won the Horizon League 3-meter diving championship by 0.15 points, freshman Megan Ciampa posted the school's second-best time in the 1,000 free and both YSU relay squads set records on Wednesday at the Busbey Natatorium.
"We are off to a great start," Head Coach Matt Anderson said. "All of our 1,000 freestylers had career-best times lead by Megan (Ciampa) had the school's second-fastest time in YSU history. As great as that all is, the highlight of the evening was Casey winning the three-meter diving with an awesome come from behind victory on her last dive."
Hill's six dive total of 284.20 which barely defeated Kelsey George of Milwaukee who had a 284.05. CSU's Kacey Cummings placed third with a 279.85. Hill's score was just .25 off of her career best set in February 2010.
Hill is the first YSU diver to win a league title since Kalyn Leveto won the one-meter in 2005 and first three-meter winner since 2004, also by Leveto.
In the opening relay of the meet, the Penguins finished sixth in 200-yard freestyle Relay. The time of 1:36.66 in the event by Kirstin Walker, Audria Grubbs, Alana Kane and Nishani Cicilson establishes a new school record breaking old mark of 1:37.18 set in 2008.
Freshman Megan Ciampa finished ninth in the 1,000-yard freestyle with the second-best time in school history of 10:28.48. Freshman Brittany Vigar finished 16th with a season and career-best time of 10.47.53 and Kim Kurtz was 19th with a 10:57.12, which was a season-best by 27 seconds. Also in the 1,000, Katie Wolf was 23rd with a career-best time of 11:02.85 and Elli Stevens was 29th with a personal-best 11:37.17.
The Penguins posted a school-record time of 1:46.59 in the 200-yard medley relay to place sixth. Cicilson, Samantha Roberts, Laura Paz and Alana Kane teamed up to break a record that was previously set in 2009 (1:48.53).
Also in the three-meter dive, senior Amanda Carpin was 10th with a 209.75.
In the team standings, the Guins are in fifth place after picking up 92 points on day one. Green Bay has jumped out to first place with a score of 155.
Anderson said he is optimistic things will continue to go well for the Penguins on Thursday and beyond.
"Overall it was an oustanding start to the meet," Anderson said. "I can't wait to see what's ahead of us for the next three days."
