WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Senior Jessica Wantz and junior Heather Brand will represent the LSU swimming and diving team at the 2005 Women’s NCAA Championships, held March 17-19, at Purdue’s Boilermaker Aquatic Center.
Day one preliminaries begin at 11 a.m. and close with a finals session at 7 p.m.
This year’s championships will be the first for Adam Schmitt as head coach of the Tigers. Schmitt is certainly no stranger to championship swimming after spending three years as an associate head coach at Arizona State and four years at Auburn. Schmitt helped AU to one NCAA title and a pair of NCAA runner-up finishes.
For Wantz, it will be her final competition as a Tiger, wrapping up a brilliant career that so far has included three All-America honors over the past three seasons. The Houston, Texas native will have a shot at a fourth accolade on Thursday at 1 p.m. in the 1-meter springboard.
“Jessica has been an excellent student-athlete to work with,” said diving coach Doug Shaffer. “She is very talented, motivated and leads by example. She has been a solid base to help develop the program into a new era.”
Wantz leaves behind a legacy that establishes her as one of the best swimmers in the program’s history. She has twice been named SEC Diver of the Week and earlier this season won an astounding 12 consecutive events. The senior earned her first 1-meter All-American finish last season, placing fifth amongst the nation’s top divers with a score of 288.60.
“I think she’s been emotional this week — knowing that her collegiate diving career is coming to an end,” added Shaffer. “She has had a chance to reflect on her career and take notice on how she has represented LSU well.”
Brand, a native of Harare, Zimbabwe, will compete in her first NCAA Championships after an excellent junior campaign. The Lady Tiger team captain is seeded 58th in the 50 freestyle, one of six events that will take place on Thursday.
“I am just excited to be here and be a part of the fantastic Olympic-caliber athletes that are competing,” said Brand. “Most importantly, I don’t think I could have made it here without the help and support of my teammates. I love them all and have enjoyed competing with them. I have just been along for the ride. “
Brand qualified at last weekend’s Last Chance Bulldog Invitational in Athens, Ga., swimming the third-fastest mark in school history in the 100 butterfly (54.54). She will carry the 35th seed in the 100 fly, which is the third event scheduled on Friday.
She displayed her versatility also qualifying for the 50 free with the fourth-best mark in school history, 23.33, at last month’s SEC Championships.
“My hope is that her experiences here will transcend to the rest of the team,” said the first-year head coach Schmitt. “All year we have been stressing the importance of bringing championship swimming to the program. Heather has an opportunity to surprise people against some of the world’s best.”
2005 WOMEN’S NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS — WEST LAFAYETTE, IND.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS — THURSDAY, MARCH 17
(Prelims begin at 11 a.m., Finals at 7 p.m.)
200 Freestyle Relay
500 Freestyle
200 Individual Medley
50 Freestyle
1-Meter Diving
400 Medley Relay