2005-06

Emory University’s Women’s Swimming and Diving Team won its second consecutive NCAA Division III national team championship, cementing itself as one of the top teams in Division III history.  Head coach Jon Howell’s squad finished in the top three in the nation for the fifth consecutive year, and in winning the national championship, the Eagles became only the second team to win at least two team titles in a row.

Emory had 12 different individuals named to the All-America team by the College Swim Coaches Association of America. In total, Eagle swimmers earned a total of 30 All-America certificates with their performances at the national meet. Emory won the University Athletic Association (UAA) title for a record eighth consecutive year and the 14th time in 15 years.   

Distance freestyler Sam White led the squad throughout the year. After winning UAA Swimmer of the Year honors for winning three individual events at the conference championships, the senior set the tone at the national meet. She defended her national championship in the 500-yard freestyle in a school record 4:55.24, and added another title with gold in the 1,650-yard freestyle in 16:56.72 (another school record).  In addition, White also placed seventh in the 200-yard freestyle.  She teamed with Holly Hinz, Ali Smith and Sara Hostalet to finish second in the 800-yard freestyle relay. She ended her Emory career with 13 All-America team honors, as well as three school records.  In addition, she was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Team and was awarded a prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.

Along with White, Hinz formed the best distance swimming duo in the nation.  At nationals, the senior finished second to White in the 1,650-yard freestyle and third in the 500-yard freestyle. She added a third place national finish in the 400-yard individual medley, the event in which she had won the UAA title. In all, Hinz scored in five events at nationals, ending her career with 10 All-America certificates.  Smith was the team most versatile swimmer, placing fourth in the 400-yard individual medley, and sixth in the 200-yard breaststroke.  The junior also scored points in the 200-yard individual medley. Hostalet, a freshman, made an immediate splash, placing second in the nation in the 100-yard backstroke, touching in an Emory record 57.54.  She was also a part of the second place 200-yard medley relay, and the third place 200-yard freestyle relay. 

Tess Pasternak, the UAA Rookie of the Year, turned the national meet into her coming-out party.  The freshman backstroker earned All-America honors with her second place finish in the 200-yard backstroke (Emory record 2:03.04) and third place finish in the 100-yard backstroke. She also swam the backstroke leg on the Eagles’ school record-setting 400-yard medley relay, which finished fifth at nationals in 1:46.03, along with Jamie Lawler (freestyle), Ellen Flader (breaststroke), and Laura Conter (butterfly).  Lawler, a junior, won All-UAA honors in a team-leading six events, including titles in the 100-yard backstroke and on three relays. In total, the veteran scored points at nationals in six events, and won All-America honors in three.  Flader, a sophomore, swept the 100- and 200-yard breaststoke events at the UAA Championships, and went on to score in both events at nationals, including seventh place in the 100-yard breaststroke.

Senior Lisa Parton earned All-America honors after her eighth place finish at nationals in the one-meter event. She was the UAA’s Diver of the Year, on the heels of a double-gold medal-winning performance at the conference championships on both the one-and three-meter boards.

Versatile senior Sarah Gardiner placed seventh in the nation in the 200-yard backstroke and 14th in the nation in the 200-yard butterfly. Earlier in the season, she had finished second in the UAA in both events. Freshman Lyle Holmes won the UAA title in the 100-yard freestyle, and then lent her talents to three of the Eagles’ conference champion relays. At nationals, Holmes earned All-America honors as part of the third place 200-yard freestyle relay.  Junior Sarah Nicholson earned two All-America honors with a second place finish in the 200-yard medley relay and a third place finish in the 200-yard freestyle relay. 

Throughout the season, the Eagles tested themselves with dual meets against some of the best squads in the region, including the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech. In addition, with a team grade point average of 3.46 for the semester, Emory was named by the College Swim Coaches Association of America as an Academic All-America Team.

NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship
Sam White                                              Silver Spring, MD (Blake)

CoSIDA Academic All-America
Sam White                   First Team           Silver Spring, MD (Blake)

CoSIDA Academic All-District
Sam White                   First Team           Silver Spring, MD (Blake)               

College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) All-America
Holly Hinz                    4 events               Marietta, GA (Westminster School)  
Sara Hostalet                4 events               Skokie, IL (Evanston Township)       
Sam White                   4 events               Silver Spring, MD (Blake)                
Ellen Flader                  3 events               Arlington, VA (H-B Woodlawn)       
Jamie Lawler                3 events               Winchester, VA (Neuqua Valley, IL)
Tess Pasternak             3 events               Ukiah, CA (Ukiah)                           
Ali Smith                      3 events               Stafford, NH (Coe-Brown Northwood Academy)    
Sarah Nicholson           2 events               Lake Oswego, OR (Jesuit)               
Laura Conter                1 event                Manchester, CT (Manchester)          
Sarah Gardiner             1 event                Milwaukee, WI (Whitefish Bay)        
Lyle Holmes                 1 event                Englewood, CO (Cherry Creek)       
Lisa Parton                   1 event                Setauket, NY (Ward Melville)          

CSCAA All-America (Honorable Mention)
Jamie Lawler                3 events               Winchester, VA (Neuqua Valley, IL)
Suzanna Zifkin              3 events               Evanston, IL (Evanston Township)    
Kate Gunning               2 events               Dallas, TX (Lake Highlands)             
Lyle Holmes                 2 events               Englewood, CO (Cherry Creek)       
Sara Hostalet                2 events               Skokie, IL (Evanston Township)       
Sarah Axtell                  1 event                Henderson, NV (Coronado)             
Laura Conter                1 event                Manchester, CT (Manchester)          
Ellen Flader                  1 event                Arlington, VA (H-B Woodlawn)       
Sarah Gardiner             1 event                Milwaukee, WI (Whitefish Bay)        
Karyn Henderson         1 event                Solon, OH (Solon)                           
Holly Hinz                    1 event                Marietta, GA (Westminster School)  
Sarah Nicholson           1 event                Lake Oswego, OR (Jesuit)               
Tess Pasternak             1 event                Ukiah, CA (Ukiah)                           
Ali Smith                      1 event                Stafford, NH (Coe-Brown Northwood Academy)    

University Athletic Association (UAA) Champion
Lyle Holmes                 4 events               Englewood, CO (Cherry Creek)       
Jamie Lawler                4 events               Winchester, VA (Neuqua Valley, IL)
Sam White                   4 events               Silver Spring, MD (Blake)                
Ellen Flader                  3 events               Arlington, VA (H-B Woodlawn)       
Holly Hinz                    2 events               Marietta, GA (Westminster School)  
Laura Ortega                2 events               Tulsa, OK (Jenks)                            
Lisa Parton                   2 events               Setauket, NY (Ward Melville)          
Laura Conter                1 event                Manchester, CT (Manchester)          
Keely Delcore              1 event                Barrington, IL (Barrington)                
Sara Hostalet                1 event                Skokie, IL (Evanston Township)       
Sarah Nicholson           1 event                Lake Oswego, OR (Jesuit)               
Tess Pasternak             1 event                Ukiah, CA (Ukiah)                           
Suzanna Zifkin              1 event                Evanston, IL (Evanston Township)    

All-UAA
Jamie Lawler                6 events               Winchester, VA (Neuqua Valley, IL)
Lyle Holmes                 5 events               Englewood, CO (Cherry Creek)       
Laura Conter                4 events               Manchester, CT (Manchester)          
Ellen Flader                  4 events               Arlington, VA (H-B Woodlawn)       
Holly Hinz                    4 events               Marietta, GA (Westminster School)  
Sam White                   4 events               Silver Spring, MD (Blake)                
Keely Delcore              3 events               Barrington, IL (Barrington)                
Laura Ortega                3 events               Tulsa, OK (Jenks)                            
Sarah Gardiner             2 events               Milwaukee, WI (Whitefish Bay)        
Karyn Henderson         2 events               Solon, OH (Solon)                           
Sara Hostalet                2 events               Skokie, IL (Evanston Township)       
Lisa Parton                   2 events               Setauket, NY (Ward Melville)          
Tess Pasternak             2 events               Ukiah, CA (Ukiah)                           
Sam Gillen                    1 event                Bethlehem, PA (Moravian Academy)
Kate Gunning               1 event                Dallas, TX (Lake Highlands)             
Sarah Nicholson           1 event                Lake Oswego, OR (Jesuit)               
Randi Palmer                1 event                Monroe, IL (Monroe)                       
Suzanna Zifkin              1 event                Evanston, IL (Evanston Township)    

CSCAA Academic All-American Award
Sarah Axtell                                             Henderson, NV (Coronado)
Ellen Flader                                             Arlington, VA (H-B Woodlawn)
Sarah Gardiner                                        Milwaukee, WI (Whitefish Bay)
Kate Gunning                                          Dallas, TX (Lake Highlands)
Karyn Henderson                                    Solon, OH (Solon)
Holly Hinz                                               Marietta, GA (Westminster School)
Jamie Lawler                                           Winchester, VA (Neuqua Valley, IL)
Sarah Nicholson                                      Lake Oswego, OR (Jesuit)
Lisa Parton                                              Setauket, NY (Ward Melville)
Ali Smith                                                 Stafford, NH (Coe-Brown Northwood Academy)
Sam White                                              Silver Spring, MD (Blake)