Clemson’s Parkhurst Named ACC’s Most Valuable Swimmer

Feb. 23, 2008

The Tigers found themselves in a fight with Virginia Tech for fourth place. In the end, the women’s swimming and diving team finished fifth with 350 points. Michelle Parkhurst was awarded the ACC’s Most Valuable Swimmer, as voted by the ACC coaches.

Parkhurst rewrote the Clemson and ACC record books during the weekend. She set the ACC and school record in the 200 free at 1:44.74, the ACC record in the 200 back at 1:55.33, was part of the ACC record-setting 200 free relay group, won the 100 back in 53.58, and her 100 split in the 400 free relay was second-best in school history. In all, she took home three individual ACC titles and added a fourth in the 200 free relay.

Cassy LaRussa got the Tigers started with a 8th place finish in the 1650 free, clocking in at a career-best 16:34.07, and NCAA-B mark and eighth-best in Clemson history.

Then, Michelle Parkhurst picked up her third individual ACC title and fourth overall with an ACC record of 1:55.33 in the 200 back, an NCAA-A time. The ACC record is her third of the weekend, along with her 1:44.74 in the 200 free and a 1:30.60 as part of the 200 free relay. Parkhurst is only the second swimmer in Clemson history to win ACC titles in three different individual events.

Then, Rachel Regone and Lauren Sindall finished 8th and 13th, respectively, in the 100 free. Sindall’s 50.73 was the seventh-best in Clemson history.

The 200 breast found two Tigers in the final group, Katrina Obas and Elizabeth Savage. Savage put in the second best time in Clemson history, a 2:16.63 to finish fifth, knocking Obas to third all-time. Obas finished sixth with a 2:17.17. Both times were NCAA-B cuts. Savage has had a solid meet, moving into Clemson’s all-time top ten in the 100 breast (10th), 200 breast (2nd), and 400 IM (5th).

Meggie Mizelle swam a career-best 2:02.82 in the 200 fly to finish 12th. Mizelle put in an impressive back end to pick up fourth in the heat and gather valuable points for the Tigers.

The Tigers trailed by 7 points going into the final event, the 400 free relay. The Tigers group of Michelle Parkhurst, Rachel Regone finished fourth with a time of 3:21.35, second-best in school history and an NCAA-B cut. Parkhurst added to her impressive resume by putting in the second best time in the 100 free in Clemson history, a 49.96.

The Tigers finished fifth for the second consecutive year, but will look to move up, as only two competitors from the ACC Championship team will graduate.

The men’s swimming and diving team will return to the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center on Wednesday, Feb. 27 for their ACC Championships.