The swim team’s Sarah Reddick took first in three individual races and was a member of the winning 200 meter individual medley team Thursday as the Huskies knocked off crosstown rival Boston College. The sophomore has been named The Northeastern News Player of the Week for the second time this season. She is the only athlete this year to be twice-honored.
Reddick took firsts in the 50 freestyle (25.29), 100 butterfly (56.78) and the 200 IM (2:10.20). The strong performance at Bartletta Natatorium continues a streak of dominance for the Texas native, who has won 11 of her last 15 races, against such stiff competition as BC, Princeton, Harvard and University of California-Berkley.
“[The win against BC] meant a lot,” said NU coach Roy Coates. “Basically there are a lot of recruits that look to come to Boston, and there are only four Division I teams, BU, BC and ourselves. Harvard tends to recruit a different type of kid than all of us. The rest of us all fight for the same recruits, usually a kid that comes to see BU also comes to see BC and Northeastern at the same time, so that means a lot.
“But more importantly than that, they are our crosstown rival, we see them a lot, and it’s always good to be the best in the town,” he added.
Reddick also has the chance to qualify for the NCAA Tournament, something that no Husky swimmer has done in Coates’ 11-year tenure. The NCAA Swimming Tournament is run differently than other team sports, in that it is picked individually based on a swimmer’s top time throughout the season. If a swimmer hits an automatic entrance time, they are guaranteed a spot on the team. There is also a consideration time that earns the swimmer an opportunity to make the team, depending on the times of other swimmers around the country.
Reddick made the consideration time last year, but not the final cut for the tournament. Coates said he thinks she has a “very good” chance of making the team this year, with a time that will most likely be set at the America East Championships. The current consideration time for the 100 butterfly, Reddick’s best event, is 55.36. Her best time so far this year is 55.61.
“We knew she was talented all along,” said Coates. “But this year she stepped it up to a whole different level. She is by far our best, most versatile swimmer. In college swimming there is a lot of international swimmers, so if you make NCAA’s you are one of the best swimmers in the world, that’s how good the United States is at swimming.”
This weekend the Huskies will head north to compete in the America East Championships, which will be held at the Univeristy of Maine.
In Orono, NU will hope to lock up its fourth straight AE title, while Reddick will shoot for a time of 55.36 to earn herself a spot in the NCAA tournament.
If all goes well, Reddick will be making a homecoming on March 18 when the NCAA’s will be held at Texas A’M.
– Peter Conroy, News Staff
