Records Fall for Bison on Day One of CCSA Championships
February 16, 2012 - In a record-setting season full of achievements, the Howard University Bison commenced competition in the Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association Championships in Athens, GA. Both teams earned numerous season and career-best swims coupled with 16 top ten swims and two broken Howard University school records.
After the first day of competition, the Howard men sit in fifth place and the Howard women are situated in 12th place.
The two new school records come courtesy of the Bison men. Freshman Miles Hector (Omaha, NE) was the first member of the Bison to finish in the top 16 during the morning preliminary round. His time of 4:45.93 in the 500 freestyle was, at the time, his season best and good for 12th place heading into the finals session. Hector broke the HU school record later that evening with a 4:44.96 in the preliminary final, finishing in 13th place.
The other school record came on the final event of Day One. The men's 400 medley relay consisting of freshman Benjamin Skelding (Palmdale, CA,) sophomore Darell Hungerford (Clinton, MD,) junior Zadok Isaacs (Cantaro Village, Trinidad and Tobago,) and senior Steven Lott (Los Angeles, CA) finished in fourth place with a time of 3:33.23. That time bested the old school record by 0.19 seconds.
Earlier in the competition, Skelding became the second-fastest swimmer at Howard in the men's 200 individual medley. After finishing the preliminary round with his season-best mark, Skelding swam in the finals session and earned a 15th place time of 1:57.64, over one full second faster than his morning race. Skelding's individual lead-off split in the record-setting 400 medley relay saw the freshman fire a :54.93 in his 100 backstroke, good for 5th place all-time in school history.
Other notable swims for the men's team included freshman Dexter Brown (Pearland, TX) splitting a time of 2:01.12 in the men's 200 individual medley, placing him 4th all-time in Howard history. Isaacs, who swam first in the 200 freestyle relay, led with a time of 21.45 which ties him for fifth all-time in the Bison record books.
Isaacs and Brown teamed with Lott and Hungerford to earn an excellent time in the men's 200 freestyle relay. Their time of 1:27.89 placed them fifth in the competition and was the fifth fatest in Howard history.
The Lady Bison had plenty to be proud of, as well, after one day of competition. Their respective 200 freestyle relay was the second fastest in school history. Freshman Briana Dillon (Katy, TX,) sophomores Janai Ederaine (Corona, CA) and Ashley Douglas (Missouri City, TX) and junior E'lan Brewer (Lansing, MI) took eighth place in their relay with a time of 1:38.43. Dillon's lead-off time of 24.52 sits her fourth all-time in Lady Bison history for the 50 freestyle.
The highest finishing place from the morning preliminary round came courtesy of Ederaine. Her 200 individual medley time of 2:12.13 put her in 26th place in the meet, but solidified her as the second fastest in Howard history in that event. Ederaine's time was a nine second drop from her previous season best mark. Douglas finished in a tie for 27th in the women's 50 freestyle with a season-best time of 24.84.
Other Lady Bison making the top-10 list include sophomore Camille Dykes (Maplewood, MN) and junior Summer Davis (Laverock, PA.) Both women competed in the 200 IM and drop significant time, earning career-best marks. Dykes' time of 2:17.76 was over eight seconds faster in than her season-best mark and Davis' time of 2:18.72 was a 12-second slash in time. The two women sit sixth and seventh, respectively, in Lady Bison history for the event.
Brewer's 500 freestyle time of 5:26.80 was over 22 seconds faster than her season-best mark and places her sixth all-time in HU history. Fellow 500 freestyle participant Nandi Ross (Capital Heights, MD) dropped over nine seconds in her race and stands as the 10th fastest Lady Bison in the event at 5:38.14.
Friday will be the second day of competition for the Bison in the CCSA Championships. The preliminary rounds begin at 10AM and the finals starting at 6PM.
