BATON ROUGE — With its largest group of NCAA qualifiers in at least 15 years, the 18th-ranked LSU women’s swimming and diving team has its sights set on some lofty accomplishments at the 2011 NCAA Championships, which begin Thursday in Austin, Texas.
Eight swimmers and one relay alternate will represent the Lady Tigers at the national meet, which will run through Saturday at the University of Texas’ Jamail Swimming Center. Prelims commence each day at 11 a.m. (CT), while the finals begin at 7 p.m.
Live results for each session can be accessed here. The finals on Friday and Saturday will broadcast by www.ESPN3.com.
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The program’s initial goal at the beginning of the year was to cap the 2010-11 season with a top-15 finish at NCAA’s for the first time since 1993. With the number of qualifiers and races the Lady Tigers have attained leading into the meet, their target is well within reach.
From an individual standpoint, several LSU competitors are in position to go after first-team All-America and medal finishes.
“The women’s program is excited to be heading to NCAA’s,” co-head coach David Geyer said. “We have had a great training cycle with these women since our conference championships, and they have looked sharp in the water.
“We have some goals in mind for the meet, and we are focused on competing, not just making it this far. We are looking forward to some great relay and individual performances this year.”
LSU is coming off its highest Southeastern Conference finish in 10 seasons as the Lady Tigers placed fifth at the SEC Championships last month with 393 points. Senior Jane Trepp broke the SEC record in the 100-yard breaststroke (58.94 seconds) and became the first Lady Tiger swimmer since 1997 to win an individual title, while the squad posted 14 medal finishes, shattered 12 program marks and placed seven on the All-SEC Teams.
Trepp and sophomore Amanda Kendall lead the squad into Austin as both are seeded in the top-eight in all three of their individual races. Trepp is ranked third in the 50 freestyle (21.97), fourth in the 100 breast and seventh in the 100 butterfly (52.11).
Kendall, who won a pair of individual bronze medals at SEC’s, is seeded fourth in the 100 free (47.90), tied for sixth in the 50 free (22.04) and ranked eighth in the 100 fly (52.14).
The pair is also a force in relay competition, hoping to spearhead the Lady Tigers to a substantial point total in that facet of the meet. No sprint freestyle duo in the country has been as formidable as Trepp and Kendall to this point, and the two will form one of the most potent breaststroke-butterfly combinations in the 200 medley relay.
Junior Samantha Goates returns to NCAA’s for the second time in her career. A two-time honorable mention All-American in 2010, Goates is a critical part of the Lady Tigers’ prospects in relay competition where she will likely anchor the 200 medley relay in addition to playing significant roles on several others. Individually, the Visalia, Calif., native will compete in the 50 and 100 free.
Sophomore Jana Ruimerman stepped up big for the Lady Tigers at SEC’s, providing the team with a solid backstroker to lead off the medley relays, and was rewarded with her first invitation to the national meet. In addition to her role on the medley relays, the Aurora, Colo., product will also take part in the 100 and 200 back.
Senior Kannon Betzen earned her first trip to NCAA’s as a member of the 200 free relay squad. A native of Hobbs, N.M., Betzen may swim a leg on several relays and will race individually in the 100 breast and 200 IM.
Sophomore Sara Haley and SEC All-Freshmen Team performers Cari Blalock and Torrey Bussey each qualified for the meet individually with their stellar efforts at SEC’s.
Haley was the bronze medal winner in the women’s 200 fly with her school-record mark of 1:56.82 and will also swim the 100 fly and possibly 500 free at NCAA’s in addition to potentially playing a role in relay competition.
Blalock, who shattered a 14-year-old program record in the 400 individual medley (4:12.46) at SEC’s, took fourth overall in the 200 fly at the conference meet. In addition to the 200 fly and 400 IM, she will swim the 200 IM.
Bussey set new LSU marks in the 200 IM (1:58.23) and 200 breast (2:11.89) at SEC’s and will also compete in the 100 breast at NCAA’s.
Freshman Rainey White has traveled with the team to Austin where she will serve as a relay alternate. A sprinter from Hoover, Ala., White has the potential to contribute in the 200 or 400 free relays.
In relay competition, LSU’s 200 free and 200 medley relays are both seeded in the top eight and figure to make a strong push for first-team All-America honors, while the Lady Tigers will aim to tally points in the 400 free and 400 medley relays. The team may also compete in the 800 free relay.
NCAA Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships
Austin, Texas – Jamail Swimming Center
March 17-19
Order of Events
Thursday, March 17
Prelims – 11 a.m.
200 freestyle relay (LSU)
500 freestyle (Haley)
200 individual medley (Bussey, Blalock, Betzen)
50 freestyle (Trepp, Kendall, Goates)
400 medley relay (LSU)
One-meter diving (1:30 p.m.)
Finals – 7 p.m.
200 freestyle relay
500 freestyle
200 individual medley
50 freestyle
One-meter diving
400 medley relay
Friday, March 18
Prelims – 11 a.m.
200 medley relay (LSU)
400 individual medley (Blalock)
100 butterfly (Trepp, Kendall, Haley)
200 freestyle
100 breaststroke (Trepp, Bussey, Betzen)
100 backstroke (Ruimerman)
Three-meter Diving (1:30 p.m.)
Finals – 7 p.m. (ESPN3.com)
200 medley relay
400 individual medley
100 butterfly
200 freestyle
100 breaststroke
100 backstroke
Three-meter Diving
800 freestyle relay (LSU – TBA)
Saturday, March 19
Prelims – 11 a.m.
200 backstroke (Ruimerman)
100 freestyle (Kendall, Goates)
200 breaststroke (Bussey)
200 butterfly (Haley, Blalock)
400 freestyle relay (LSU)
Platform Diving (1:30 p.m.)
1650 freestyle early heats (4:30 p.m.)
Finals – 7 p.m. (ESPN3.com)
1650 freestyle
200 backstroke
100 freestyle
200 breaststroke
200 butterfly
Platform Diving
400 freestyle relay