PITTSBURGH, Pa.--The Hood College women's swim team finished third out of five teams at the 2007 Atlantic Women's Colleges Conference championship hosted by Chatham College. Hood crowned three individual champions and took home the title in the 400 free relay in record-setting fashion.

Junior Katie Hitchens defended her title in the 50 free, winning the event in 25.95, her season best. She has now won this event three consecutive years. The native of West Chester, Pa., also captured the 100 free title in a season-low time of 58.83, besting the field by over a second.

In addition, Hitchens anchored the triumphant 400 free relay squad which set an AWCC record with a time of 3:56.23. Joining Hitchens on that relay squad were freshman Erica Hamor and juniors Amy Kaufman and Ashley Garyn.

Kaufman was Hood's other individual champion, capturing the 200 butterfly in 2:30.33, more than eight seconds faster than runner-up Emma Karey from Chatham. Kaufman also finished second in the 200 free in a season-best clocking of 2:06.29.

Hamor placed third and set season-best times in both the 200 free (2:07.88) and the 50 free (27.18), while Garyn lowered her season-best and placed fifth in the 50 free (27.91).

Sophomore Marie Caron took sixth in both backstroke events, finishing the 100 in 1:15.98 and the 200 in 2:44.20. Caron also finished fourth in the 100 fly (1:12.95).

Senior Meaghan Held earned two season-best times and placed 12th in the 200 free (2:32.64) and ninth in the 500 free (6:43.11). She also took seventh in the 1000 free (13:49.78).

Classmate Stephanie Cowen swam four individual events and shattered her season-best times in three of them. The native of Frederick, Md., placed 18th in the 200 free (3:00.01), 11th in the 200 fly (3:21.09), 15th in the 100 fly (1:29.70) and 20th in the 100 free (1:19.21).

Freshman Katie Reichard, competing in her first conference meet, finished seventh in the 200 back (2:45.43), ninth in the 100 back (1:18.25), 12th in the 200 individual medley (3:03.10), 18th in the 50 free (35.05). Her time in the 200 back was a season-low by over a second.

The Blazer women will conclude the 2006-07 season next weekend when they join the Hood men's team at the 2007 Capital Athletic Conference championship at St. Mary's College (Md.) Feb. 9-11.