Women's Swimming

2013-14 Women's Swimming Season Recap

Posted: Apr 09, 2014

Written by Duncan Forbes

Another year, another AUS title for the Dalhousie Tigers women’s swim team.

They kicked off the 2013-2014 season on October 18 at the Amby Legere Invitational hosted by UNB, and they got the rest of the AUS attention when they won gold in 13 individual events as well as the 200m and 400m medley relays. Molly Wedge was named the swimmer of the meet after winning the 200m freestyle and 100m IM, and Alison Grant, Keishia Mills, Katie Webster and Rachel Shin all found themselves atop the podium in multiple events.

Their show of dominance helped the Tigers roll into the Jack Scholz Invitational at Acadia the next weekend. They secured the top spot in 10 individual events as they cruised to another victory in preparation for the first Dalhousie Invitational of the year.

In their first meet at Dalplex, Wedge, Shin, Webster, Grant, Mills, Meagan Bernier and Cara McCallum all earned CIS-qualifying times as the Tigers blew away the competition with 334 points over the two-day event. Seven Tigers found themselves in the winner’s circle in individual events, including Wedge, Bernier, Mills, Shin, Ceilidh MacPherson, Paige Crowell and Webster.

With three first-place team finishes under their belt as they headed into the holiday break, the Tigers had their sights set square on the AUS title, and making noise at the CIS championship in late February. The Tigers earned another win at the second Dalhousie Invitational in late January and were poised to capture another AUS swimming title at Memorial University on February 7-9.

Any possible doubt that the Tigers wouldn’t repeat as champs was quickly cast aside as Rachel Shin and Molly Wedge each earned an astounding six gold medals, and Grant, Mills, MacPherson, McCallum, Bernier, Wedge, Crowell and Ainsley Fraser all stood atop the podium in various events. Meagan Bernier was named the female swimmer of the meet, and Paige Robillard was named the AUS rookie of the meet after notching two bronze medals at the championship. At the 2014 Speedo CIS Swimming Championship in Toronto, Meagan Bernier was the top performer for the Tigers placing fifth in the 800m and seventh in the 400m freestyle events, respectively.

The consistency and drive shown by the Tigers did not go unnoticed by head coach Lance Cansdale. “The consistency and repetition of performances throughout the season would end up defining this year’s team,” notes Cansdale. “The swimmers started posting personal bests at the first meet of the season and continued on right to the end of the CIS championships.”

Meagan Bernier was named the AUS Swimmer of the Year, while Paige Robillard was named the AUS Rookie of Year. Head Coach Lance Cansdale was honoured as the Coach of the Year.

The Tigers will say goodbye to Ceilidh MacPherson, an outstanding relay swimmer who swam for the Tigers for four years and was a CIS qualifier each year, and team co-captain, Meagan Bernier, who was a CIS scorer every year, and a CIS Academic All-Canadian.