as part of all three relays and was a seven-time
All-American. She was also part of the second place 400 free relay (3:30.07). She finished
her career as a 27-time All-American, one short of the NCAA maximum.
Swimming women take a national fourth
Clarion University's women's swimming and diving team finished fourth in the team scoring with 399 points at the NCAA Division II championships, trailing Drury College, Oakland, MI, and North Dakota.
The Golden Eagles set seven school records and won four events in Clarion record times, including Christina Tillotson's individual win in the 100 yard breaststroke with a school record time of 1:05.20, and three relay championships in the 200 medley (1:46.11), the 400 medley (3:51.73) and the 200 free (1:35.83), setting seven school records.
Tillotson, a sophomore from York, set three individual Clarion records, was part of three event championships and was a seven-time All-American. Her breaststroke time broke the record set by Becky Jushchshyn (1:05.20) set in 1992. In individual events she reestablished her own school records in placing 2nd in the 200 I.M. (2:05.87) and 2nd in the 400 I.M. (4:28.04). She is a 14-time All American, the maximum for Division II.
Seniors Lauri Ratica (Sr. Mckeesport/Elizabeth Forward) and Regan Rickert (Shillington/Gov. Mifflin) were also big contributors.
Ratica was part of all three relays and was a seven-time
All-American. She was also part of the second place 400 free relay (3:30.07). She finished
her career as a 27-time All-American, one short of the NCAA maximum.
Rickert, a backstroke specialist, earned four All-American honors and two NCAA Championships. She was part of the winning 200 and 400 medley relays, was second in the 100 backstroke (58.48) and fourth in the 200 back (2:05.46), finishing her career as an 18-time All American.
Also part of the championship winning relays were Kelly Gould (Jr. Mechanicsburg/Cumberland Valley), Jana Salisberry (Fr. Wooster, Ohio) and Stephanie Wigfield (Sr. Clearfield). Scoring valuable points were Nikki DiLoreto (Fr. Erie/McDowell), Alison Jung (Fr. Bernville/Tulpehocken), Sarah Yocum (Fr. Alburtis/Emmaus), and diver Julie Murray (So. Library/South Park).
The Golden Eagles have finished in the top five at nationals eight times in Bill Miller's ten years as head coach. Clarion was second in 1993; third in 1994; fourth in 1997, 95, and 88; and fifth in 1996, 92, and 91. Clarion had a 10-0 dual meet record this season pushing Miller's 10-year dual meet record at Clarion to 71-18.