Ethel Walker School
March 26, 2020
Walker’s swim team was named finalists at the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Division III Championship in early March. Walker’s 15 swimmers participated in the 12-team championship hosted by Walker’s at Cornerstone Aquatics in West Hartford, CT. Walker’s earned a total of 326 points, the most ever since first competing at the meet in 2013.
Daphne Peterson ’21 was the recipient of the Robertson Award, given to the outstanding female student-athlete who best exemplifies the values of New England prep school swimming and diving. Daphne is Walker’s second swimmer to be honored with the Robertson Award; the first was earned by Abby Reynolds ’13 in the team’s first appearance at the Division III Championship. Daphne was also named a NEPSAC All-Star for her first place finishes in the 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle individual events.
All three of Walker’s relay teams medaled including Charlotte Furia ’25, Lucia Markoe ’25, Daphne and team captain Isabel (Izzy) O’Donnell ’20 earning third place in the 200 yard medley relay. They touched in at 2:01.66 beating a school record set the previous weekend at the Founders League Championship by the same trio. In the 200 yard freestyle relay, Lucia, Izzy, Alexia Grech ’20, and Daphne touched for bronze. Charlotte, Team Captain Jane Li ’20, Alexia, and Natalie Stewart ’23 also earned the team 32 points with a third place finish in the 400 yard freestyle relay.
Individual medalists included Charlotte’s 100 backstroke, where she finished third place with a new personal best time. Lucia went a season best in the 100 breaststroke, placing third for 16 points.
Additional highlights include: In the 200 IM, Natalie placed fifth and teammates Liyan Du ’23, Jane, and captain Emmy Vitali ’20 placed 10th, 11th, and 12th respectively. Alexia placed eighth and Charlotte 10th in the 200 freestyle. Lucia earned fifth place points in the 100 freestyle, with a new personal record in the morning prelims. In the consolation finals, Izzy recorded a new personal best at ninth and Ana Hunt ’22 in twelfth. Izzy dropped several seconds off her 100 fly, placing ninth. Asha Haug ’22 dropped eight seconds in her 500 freestyle, placing tenth overall.
