MIAC Day 1: Session 1 Results | Session 2 Results
MIAC Day 1: Session 1 Recap | Session 2 Recap
MIAC GameDay Preview

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — When the Saint Mary's University swimming and diving teams headed to the season-ending Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center, coach Eric Lindquist admitted that his goal for the Cardinals was a simple one: Swim faster than they have at any point this season.

And the Cardinals in general — and Mark Ross (Dubuque, Iowa) and Anna Smaron (Maple Plain, Minn.) in particular — took that goal to heart.

Ross, competing in his final MIAC Championships, shaved nearly four seconds off his season-best time in the 200 IM Thursday, touching the wall in 2:02.31. Unfortunately for the Cardinal senior, his best just wasn't enough — by .33 seconds — as Ross was out-touched by Carleton's Jonathan Brodie for the final spot in the consolation finals.

Like Ross, Smaron was in a time-shaving mood on Thursday, knocking almost 10 seconds off her season-best IM time, touching the wall in 2:23.75 to finish 24th overall.

P.J. Heller (St. Cloud, Minn.) — competing in his first MIAC Championships — added a 22.98 in the 50 freestyle, while Abby Kratzke (Dent, Minn.) — experiencing her final MIAC Championships — added a 35th-place time of 26.94 in the 50 freestyle.

In Thursday's evening session, Ross and Heller teamed with Jimmy Lynch (Chicago, Ill.) and Robbie Doyle (Hudson, Wis.) to place seventh in the 400 medley relay (4:19.67) and eighth in the 200 freestyle relay (1:39.75).

On the women's side, Smaron and Kratzke were joined by Sivan Fogel (Haifa, Isreal) and Ashling Meehan (Glenview, Ill.) to place ninth in the 400 medley relay (4:24.8), while Smaron, Kratzke, Meehan and Kristin Wilkes (Savage, Minn.) finished 10th in the 200 freestyle relay (1:49.62).

Action in the three-day conference championships continues Friday.