Splash! Garr, Cougars Shine At City Championships

Worcester, Mass. - Paced by a record-setting day from sophomore Ryan Garr (Kingston, R.I.) and several other strong individual performances, the Clark women finished second and the men third at the Worcester City Championships hosted by Holy Cross over the weekend.

The women registered 468 points, while the men totaled 342 points. Holy Cross (629 points) took home the women's title and NEWMAC rival WPI (367 points) claimed the men's crown by the narrowest margin in meet history.

Garr set new meet records in the 100-yard backstroke (53.28) and the 200-yard backstroke (1:54.77) and turned in a first-place performance in the 50-yard freestyle (22.62). In addition to those victories, he teamed up with Mike Smith (Milford, Conn.), Dan Howard (Bow, N.H.) and Lamar Duffy (Pen Argyl, Pa.) to grab first place in the 200-yard medley relay (1:43.63). The 2010 Swimmer of the Meet, Garr's mark in the 200-yard backstroke broke a 23-year old record Hart Center Natatorium record.

On the women's side, Eileen Garcia (New York, N.Y.), who won the 1-meter event on Friday, set a new school record in the 3-meter, posting a score of 299.65 shattering her old benchmark of 281.60. She was named the 2010 Diver of the Meet, marking the second straight year she has won that award.

A day after setting the meet mark in the 1,650-yard freestyle, Liz Rosen (Attleboro, Mass.) was at it again, this time establishing a new record in the 500-yard freestyle (5:20.70).

Both Cougar squads are back in action on Saturday when they travel to Coast Guard.