Tigers End Season With Strong Performaces At NCAA Championships


Rebecca Searcy

The 2002-03 swimming and diving season was another one of firsts for the Wittenberg program, and it ended with two fantastic performances at the NCAA Division III Championship meets.

Junior Steve Rader (Concord, Ohio/Cleveland St. Ignatius) also earned All-America honors. A three-time national meet qualifier, Rader matched his best performance ever with a pair of fourth-place finishes at the NCAA Division III Men's Swimming and Diving National Championships at Emory University March 20-22. Also a two-time All-American in 2002, Rader finished fourth in the 200-yard Individual Medley and fourth in the 200-yard butterfly, the latter in a school record time of 1:51.48. In addition, Rader finished 12th (Honorable Mention All-America) in the 100-yard butterfly in a school-record time of 50.57.

Like track and field, the top eight in each event are designated All-America. As a team, Wittenberg posted a school-record tying 35 points, all scored by Rader, en route to 21st place.

Rounding things out, freshman Rebecca Searcy (Shelbyville, Ky./Shelby County Bloomington) finished 10th in the 400-yard Individual Medley, 11th in the 1650-yard freestyle and 23rd in the 500-yard freestyle at the NCAA Division III Women's Swimming and Diving National Championships at Emory University March 15-17. All three finishes were a result of personal-best times by Searcy, with the first two being good for Honorable Mention All-America honors. As a team, Wittenberg finished 40th nationally with 13 points, all scored by Searcy.

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