Olympian and all-time great Michael Phelps once said, “Records are always made to be broken no matter what they are. Anybody can do anything that they set their mind to.”

We’re not sure if the Rowan women’s swimming and diving team rehearsed or thought of this quote before the WPI Gompei Invitational this past weekend, but they sure did take a page out of Phelps’ book and broke some school and personal records.

Sophomores Carlee Timmins and Alex Bambrick etched their names into the Rowan women’s swimming and diving records.

Timmins broke her own record, as well as Rowan’s record, in the 500 freestyle with a time of 5:04.94. Her previous personal best was 5:08.19 in last year’s Metropolitan Championships, which stood as the school’s top record at the time as well.

“What I saw individually was Carlee swimming a best time and smashing her best records, both in the mile, 1,000 and 500,” said Brad Bowser, head coach. “She dropped four seconds there [in the 500], nine seconds in her 1,000 and 16 in her mile. She had a really awesome meet.”

Bambrick’s performance in the 200 backstroke is what put her name on the top. She came in third at the meet, but her time of 2:06.42 broke her personal set last year of 2:10.49 and Rowan’s record of 2:06.63 set back in 2011.

“Seeing Alex have a great last day in the 200 back, she had a great meet but her 200 back, breaking a school record and all, that was a huge accomplishment for her,” Bowser said. “Because I know last year she had a rough time at Mets with being sick with the flu. For her to be able to come back this season and do that was really special to see.”

Sophomore Megan Miller won the 50 breaststroke with a time of 30.44 and junior Miranda Coughlan finished third in the 100 freestyle with a time of 52.34. Unusual to this story by now, both times served as both swimmers’ best times in their collegiate careers in those events. Miller’s previous best in the 50 breaststroke was 32.14 last February, as Coughlan’s best time in the 100 freestyle was 52.37 in last year’s Metropolitan Championships.

“We’re 100 times better than where we were last year at this time,” Bowser said. “The program is really seen a lot from that sophomore class and I think they are just a year older and a little bit more experienced. I see the fact that the girls are really performing at a higher level and we’re itching to get into that national scene. Hopefully when the next poles come out in a week or two we’ll be ranked in the top 25.”

The team returns to the pool on Jan. 15 to host Montclair State University and go for their fourth win in the New Jersey Athletic Conference.

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