Bates first-year
Sophie Cassily won the conference title in the 200-yard backstroke to highlight the fourth and final day of the NESCAC Women's Swimming & Diving Championships, as the Bobcats finished in fourth place out of 11 teams for the third straight season.
Cassily (Rye, N.H.) is now the greatest backstroker in program history, having set new team records in the 50 (26.03), the 100 (55.23, NCAA "B" Cut) and the 200 (1:57.98, NCAA "B" Cut) as just a rookie, earning All-NESCAC honors in all three events as a top-three finisher in the conference. She was runner-up in the 50 and 100 backstroke, and on Sunday she claimed the conference title in the 200 by more than 2.5 seconds over runner-up Abby Claus of Tufts University.
For her efforts, Cassily was named the NESCAC Rookie of the Year.