March 21, 2009

Christensen Takes Fifth in 100 Back
Virginia’s Mei Christensen earned All-America honors with a fifth-place finish in the 100 back Friday at the 2009 NCAA Championships. The event, which is being held at the Student Rec Center Natatorium on Texas A&M’s campus, runs through Saturday. After day two, Virginia stands in 14th place with 89 points.

Christensen collected All-America honors, the second individual All-America award of her career, touching at 51.99.

Sophomore Claire Crippen picked up honorable mention All-America accolades after her 14th-place performance in the 400 individual medley. She finished in 4:08.08 to break her own ACC and school record of 4:08.78 set at the conference championships last month. 

Johnston Takes Fifth In The Nation On Three-Meter Springboard
Duke freshman Abby Johnston took fifth on the three-meter springboard at the 2009 NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships with a score of 361.80 in tonight’s finals at Texas A&M’s Student Rec Center Natatorium.

The showing earned Johnston All-America status.

Indiana senior Christina Loukas won the national title with a score of 437.75. Loukas was a ninth-place finisher on the three-meter board at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing after winning the U.S. Olympic trials. 

Jenna Dreyer Second in 3-meter Consolation Finals at NCAA's
Jenna Dreyer, a fifth-year senior diver for the University of Miami, concluded her UM career Friday afternoon with a second place finish in the consolation finals of the 3-meter springboard at the NCAA Women's Swimming & Diving Championships in College Station, Texas. This year's event is hosted by Texas A&M University inside the Student Recreation Natatorium.

After collecting her third career All-American award yesterday in the 1-meter event, Dreyer stepped onto the 3-meter board this afternoon for her last 12 dives as a Miami Hurricane. She has battled a nagging back injury throughout the season, and one that kept her away from the pool throughout the 2007-08 season with a medical hardship--earning her a fifth year.

The top eight finishers from the afternoon's prelims advance to the evening's finals. Student-athletes who finish among the top eight are named All-American. Those who place anywhere from ninth to 16th place are designated Honorable Mention All-American.

Laura Moriarty Breaks 25-Year-Old School Record In 400 IM
Freshman Laura Moriarty led the Tar Heels during Friday's preliminary session by setting a new UNC school record in the 400-yard individual medley with a time of 4:10.85. Moriarty placed 19th in a competitive field, breaking Polly Winde's 1984 record of 4:11.32 and eclipsing her previous best of 4:11.60 set last month at ACCs.

After two full days of competition, 14 of 21 evens overall, the Tar Heels are in a tie for 29th place with Kansas, both with 12 points.

The Tar Heels kicked of the preliminary session with a 22nd-place finish in the 200-yard medley relay. Junior Megan Steeves (25.92), freshman Layne Brodie (27.75), freshman Laura Moriarty (25.07), and sophomore Rebecca Kane (22.20) swam a time of 1:40.94.

Clemson Women's Swimming Completes Second Day at NCAA Championships
Senior Michelle Parkhurst and freshman Kelli Kyle competed for Clemson at the 2009 NCAA Championships on Friday at the Student Rec Center Pool at Texas A&M. Parkhurst swam in the 200 free and 100 back, while Kyle participated in the 100 back.

Fresh off her second career All-America honors on Thursday, Parkhurst entered the 200 free with the 15th best time in the nation, a 1:45.11. She is the ACC record-holder in the event as well and was an honorable mention All-American last season. In 2009, however, Parkhurst was unable to advance to finals after putting in a 1:48.49.

Parkhurst and Kyle both competed in the 100 backstroke as well. They currently sit first and second in school history, respectively. Parkhurst put in a 54.42 and Kyle a 55.30 in prelims. Neither of the times was fast enough to earn a spot in finals on Friday night.

H2Okies complete second day of action at the NCAA Championships
Hajnal leads all Tech performers in her first appearance at the championships

The Virginia Tech women’s swimming and diving team took part at the second day of competition at the NCAA Championships in College Station, Texas. The H2Okies competed in the 200-medley relay and 800 free relay events, along with the 400 IM, 100 fly and 100 back. Freshman Erika Hajnal set a new H2Okie record at the met in the 400 IM to lead the team. Tech is currently in 33rd place.

Hajnal took part at the second day of the championships for Tech in the 400 IM and clocked in a new team record for the H2Okies in the event, touching in with a time of 4:11.74. The freshman shattered the time she previously set this season by nearly two seconds.

In the 100 fly, senior Megan Newell posted the 27th best time in preliminary action at the meet. The senior from Ashburn, Va., registered a time of 52.88 in the event. Meanwhile, sophomore Steffi Drechsel and senior Jordan McHorney competed in the 100 back for the H2Okies. The former posted a time of 54.43, while the latter touched in at 55.33 in the preliminary race.

Stephanie Sarandos Competes In First Career NCAA Swimming And Diving Championships
Freshman Stephanie Sarandos swam a personal best time in the 100 back on the second day of the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships in College Station, Texas.

The Waukesha, Wis., native placed 53rd with a personal best time of 54.71. Sarandos is the lone qualifier on the women’s side for the Seminoles. She will compete in her best event, the 200 back on Saturday. Sarandos currently holds the school record in the 200 and earned All-ACC honors with her third-place finish at the conference meet.  

Davies Begins Action at NCAA Championships
NC State women's senior diver Kristin Davies began her stay at the NCAA Championships on Friday, March 20, partaking in the 3-meter dive. Davies hit a 232.10 for 34th-place in the prelim round.

Davies will continue tomorrow, Saturday, March 21, performing in her signature event - the platform dive, on the final day of the NCAA Championships.