On Friday, the Ashland University’s swim team had their final start of the 2016 year at the Eastern Michigan Invitational.

Junior Madison Olander lead the women’s 1,650 yard freestyle by finishing with a time of 18:57.22, which landed her into sixth. For the women’s 200 breast stroke junior Grace Reichard placed sixth as well, with a time of 2:24.30.

On the men’s side, sophomore, Ben Keliholz placed himself sixth in the men’s 100 free with a time of 47.24. While sophomore Daniel Callis also placed sixth, but in the men’s 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:08.82.

For the 400 freestyle relay, the women took fifth and the men took sixth. The women’s team who was made up of Reichard, freshman Rebecca Prexta, sophomore Julia Grady, and junior Zoe Scarpone with a time of 3:40.80.

While the men’s group for the 400 free had a time of 3:14.85 and the team was made up with Keliholz, sophomore Keegan Goeke, senior John Scalli, and freshman Charles Sutton.

Ending the first day of events, the lady Eagles were placed third and the men were in fourth place.

Ending with the second day of events neither women nor men’s teams moved up or down in this invitational.

On day two junior Grace Reichard placed sixth in the women’s 200 yard freestyle with a time of 1:57.87.

For the men individuals’ sophomore Daniel Callis landed seventh finishing with 58.53 in a 100 breaststroke. Junior Ryan Deemer also placed seventh in the 500 free with a time of 4:54.19.

The AU women’s 200 free relay team who consists of Reichard, freshman Rebecca Prexta, sophomore Julia Grady and senior Megan Schultz who finished fifth with a time of 1:41.74.

The men’s 800 free team consists of Deemer, freshman Aaron Bradfield, Malcolm Doepke and Charles Sutton landed themselves in fifth place as well with a time of 7:16.55. Another Ashland men’s 200 free team placed fifth with a time 1:27.68, consisting with the team of Sutton, senior John Scalli, and two sophomores Ben Keliholz and Keegan Goeke.

This was also Ashland’s first meet of the 2016-17 season that had Division 1 teams. Coach Ron Allen wanted to make note that their main focus for that week, was not on results, but it was to becoming better. The team is staying very positive and is pushing forward, with that a few members drop their times. Deemer swam his best in the 500 freestyle, Grady’s 100 butterfly is her lifetime best and Zoe Scarpone took eight seconds off of her 200 butterfly time and was only a second off of her best time.

This was Ashland’s last meet of 2016, the next meet is in on January 13th at 5 p.m. at Malone against the Pioneers and Urbana.