Corrin Van Lanen continued her strong start to the season in Ohio’s meet against Akron.
“Courageous.”
That’s how Ohio coach Rachel Komisarz-Baugh summarized freshman Corrin Van Lanen’s start to the season.
“As a freshman to be able to come out swinging, and put herself in a place to win, I think it is not always the easiest thing to do,” Komisarz-Baugh said. “(Van Lanen) has shown a lot of courage to get out there and do what she needs to do.”
Van Lanen won the 50-yard freestyle in each meet so far this season, winning her third with a time of 23.51 against Akron on Friday.
Van Lanen's 200-yard freestyle relay team came in second with a time of 1:35.38, finishing just behind Akron’s time of 1:35.11.
Despite Van Lanen's "courageous" efforts, Ohio lost 167-133 to Akron.
“If you saw that last split on the relay, I don’t know what it is yet, but it was fast,” Komisarz-Baugh said of Van Lanen’s contribution to her relay team.
In Van Lanen’s other event, the 100-yard freestyle, she finished second with a time of 51.76. Akron's Ragen Engel finished in first with a time of 51.75.
Earlier in the year, Komisarz-Baugh said Van Lanen was on the track to reach the NCAA Championships, and with strong early season performances, Komisarz-Baugh’s preseason prediction looks realistic.
“We’ve been working really hard,” Komisarz-Baugh said. “They’re so tired right now, so to come out and swim with this much passion and this much spirit shows what this team is all about.”
Despite dropping the first three meets of the season, Komisarz-Baugh said she is proud of her team for coming that close to beating the defending Mid-American Conference Champions.
“I’m very impressed with the way our girls swam today," Komisarz-Baugh said. "Whenever you go up against the (MAC Champion), I think it’s going to bring some emotion to it. The girls definitely brought the emotion today."
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Komisarz-Baugh said she believes the Bobcats are on the verge of being a top team in the MAC. Ohio will return to action Nov. 13 against Marshall in the Aquatic Center.
“We are lacking a little bit of depth in some events, and we have a couple people out right now," Komisarz-Baugh said. "If we can get them healthy by the end of the year and have a full squad at the MAC Championships, we will be a force to be reckoned with."
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