search
Donate

Sports

Bobcats Battling Injury Before Bowling Green Meet

By:
Posted on:

< < Back to bobcats-battling-injury-bowling-green-meet

Ohio Swimming and Diving had its last competition marred by injuries as it lost to Akron, leaving multiple Bobcats out of commission.

The sequence of events was started by diver Haleigh Bartlett on Jan. 22 when she was involved in an accident up on the boards. Diving coach Russ Dekker was unable to speak about the issue for privacy concerns, but could say that it is up in the air if Bartlett will be able to return to the water for the Mid-American Conference Tournament.

The next injuries took place on the day of competition as Green and White anchor Tori Bagan woke up the morning of Jan. 25 with MRSA infection in her eye. Interim head coach Derick Roe explains Bagan is “not doing well” and that they hope to be able to have her back in competition against Xavier on Feb. 7. Bagan is currently on medicine and restricted from practices.

“Being out of the water, especially at this time in the year, is always concerning,” Roe said. “Tori is pretty talented and with the longest event she does being the 200-yard breaststroke, she’s able to get back into it pretty quick.”   

Next to go for the Bobcats was Rachel Stearns, who finished her 200-yard backstroke in third, but was talking about extreme fatigue that ended up keeping her from competing the rest of the day. She came back to Athens and was still not feeling 100 percent, so she visited a health center, where she was diagnosed with the early stages of the flu.

“She [Stearns] said she was having trouble breathing during her race,” Roe explained. “She got out and her legs just kind of gave out from under her and kind of collapsed.”

Stearns was able to get back in the water Wednesday for light exercise, but Roe is unsure if she will be able to return to competition but said he hopes that it will be this weekend against Bowling Green.

The ‘Cats enter competition this weekend at Bowling Green down a few major components on their roster. Despite injuries, Ohio seeks to right the ship after its loss to Akron.