Swim team wins second-straight AAC Championship

Brenau swimmers celebrate after winning the Appalachian Athletic Conference Swimming & Diving Championship Meet on Saturday
Brenau swimmers cheer for head coach Nathan Rhoads to dive into the pool after winning the Appalachian Athletic Conference Swimming & Diving Championship Meet on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019 in Kingsport, Tenn. Brenau won the meet and are Appalachian Athletic Conference Champions for the second straight year. (AJ Reynolds/Brenau University)
Brenau swimmers cheer for head coach Nathan Rhoads to dive into the pool after winning the Appalachian Athletic Conference Swimming & Diving Championship Meet on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019 in Kingsport, Tenn. Brenau won the meet and are Appalachian Athletic Conference Champions for the second straight year. (AJ Reynolds/Brenau University)

The Brenau swim team earned12 first-place finishes to help clinch its second consecutive Appalachian Athletic Conference Swimming Championship on Saturday, Feb. 9.

The Golden Tigers swim team now looks ahead to the 2019 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Swimming and Diving Championships from Feb. 27 to March 2 at the Columbus Aquatic Center in Columbus, Georgia.

The squad totaled 587 points to outpace second-place Milligan College, who tallied 511 points.
On the final day of competition, senior Lindsay Dowling earned her third title of the three-day championships by winning the 200 backstroke over Milligan’s Maggie Halloran by almost four seconds. The Winston, Georgia, senior previously secured titles in the 100 backstroke and the 100 butterfly earlier in the meet.

Ashlyn Steinbach then won her first individual conference title with a win in the 200 breaststroke in 2:25.82.

Brenau's Haley Bartoletta a freshman from Jefferson, Ga., poses for a photo during the Appalachian Athletic Conference Swimming & Diving Championship Meet on Friday, Feb. 9, 2019 in Kingsport, Tenn. (AJ Reynolds/Brenau University)
Brenau’s Haley Bartoletta a freshman from Jefferson, Ga., poses for a photo during the Appalachian Athletic Conference Swimming & Diving Championship Meet on Friday, Feb. 9, 2019 in Kingsport, Tenn. (AJ Reynolds/Brenau University)

The Golden Tigers also earned three second-place finishes as Nikoletta Alvanou captured second place in the 200 breaststroke in 2:28.61, Haley Bartoletta earned second in the 200 butterfly in 2:16.24 and Yanne Toussaint notched a second place finish in the 100 freestyle with a time of 52.62.

Additionally, head coach Nate Rhoades was named the 2019 Appalachian Athletic Conference Coach of the Year for his team’s performance at the meet. The team also received the Scholar All-America Award at the end of January from the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America.

Last year’s runners up, Asbury College finished Saturday in third place with 489 points, while Columbia College (417.5) and Union College (332 points) rounded out the top five finishers.

Follow the team as it heads to the NAIA Swimming and Diving Championships at www.brenautigers.com.