BUFFALO, NY – The Meridian Community College Eagles Swimming & Diving team made a strong showing at the NJCAA National Championships, held from March 5-8 in Buffalo, New York. With multiple personal bests, new school records, and standout performances, the competition marked a significant milestone for MCC's growing swim program.
Day One: Strong Start in the Pool
The Eagles set the tone early with impressive performances:
- Megan Heggie, seeded 15th in the 1000 Free, made a stunning 40.04-second improvement to place 11th overall, breaking a school record.
- Kyla Goldman secured 15th place in the 50 Free, dropping 0.22 seconds from her seed time.
- Sydney Cooper placed 27th in the 50 Breast after a 2.35-second time cut and finished 21st in the 50 Free, breaking a school record.
- Chad Campbell, competing in the 50 Free, moved up from his 32nd seed to 29th place with a 0.37-second improvement.
By the end of the first day, the MCC women's team was in 12th place with 8 points, eager for the days ahead.
Day Two: Record-Breaking Performances
The Lady Eagles climbed the leaderboard as MCC swimmers continued to make waves:
- Heggie set a new team record in the 400 IM, finishing 9th with a time of 5:35.54, cutting a remarkable 29.38 seconds.
- Goldman shattered another team record in the 50 Back, placing 10th with a 0.70-second improvement (30.88).
With these stellar performances, the Lady Eagles advanced to 11th place with 24 points, setting the stage for the final stretch of competition.
Day Three: More Records Fall
- Campbell broke a team record in the 100 Breast, finishing 21st with a time of 1:13.01.
- Goldman impressed in the 100 Back, earning 8th place with a time of 1:06.32.
At the close of the third day, the Lady Eagles held 11th place with 35 points, with the final day of Nationals promising even more action.
Day Four: A Historic Finish
MCC capped off its Nationals run with standout swims and multiple podium finishes:
- Heggie set a new school record in the 1,650 Free, taking 10th place (21:19.28), and added another record in the 200 Breast, placing 7th (2:51.62).
- Goldman continued her dominant performance, placing 10th in the 200 Back (2:27.89).
- Campbell set a team record in the 100 Free, finishing 23rd (52.66).
- Cooper recorded a new school best in the 50 Fly, placing 16th (27.34), and finished 26th in the 100 Free (52.93).
At the conclusion of the Championships, MCC's women's team finished 11th overall with 61 points, while the men's team placed 14th with 1 point. This was a historic moment for MCC, as it marked the first time the men's program competed at Nationals and the second year for the women's team.
Additionally, both Heggie and Goldman earned podium finishes, further establishing MCC's presence at the national level.
Closing a Memorable Season
With multiple team records broken and athletes making podium appearances, the MCC Eagles continue to build momentum in just their second year of competition. The performances in Buffalo underscore the program's growth and dedication, setting the stage for even greater achievements in the seasons to come.
Congratulations to our MCC Eagles Swimming & Diving team on an outstanding performance at the NJCAA National Championships.