GREENSBORO, N.C. – Eleven members of the LSU Swimming and Diving team are set to compete at NCAA Championships March 19-21 at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, North Carolina. The group of three divers, five automatic qualifiers and three relay participants marks the largest group in school history.
“It’s great to have 11 women compete at NCAA’s for our program,” LSU swimming coach Dave Geyer said. “Now it’s time to use that depth to our advantage and get those important night swims. We have to take our experience from last year and improve on it. If we do everything that we are capable of doing then good things will happen.”
Preliminary heats begin at 10 a.m. CT, Thursday-Saturday, while finals are set to start at 6 p.m. CT. NCAA.com will stream each prelim session as well as Thursday’s finals. Friday and Saturday finals will be available on WatchESPN.com with Sam Gore, Rowdy Gaines and Cynthia Potter on the call.
Alex Bettridge, Cassie Weil and Madison Sthamann qualified for NCAA’s at the Zone Diving Regional in Iowa City, Iowa last week. Bettridge qualified for all three events, Weil qualified on three-meter and platform, and Sthamann qualified on platform.
“This is as good as it gets in swimming and diving on the collegiate level,” LSU diving coach Doug Shaffer said. “I’m telling the girls that this is the reward for all of the hard work that they have put in this season. It’s just time to go out and have fun now.”
Feinswog: Divers Lead the Way to NCAA S&D Meet
Kara Kopcso, Caley Oquist, Amber Carter, Colleen O’Neil and Leah Troskot are also representing the women on the swimming side.
Kopcso qualified individually for three events at NCAA Championships. The sophomore is the school record holder in the 200 fly and owns the 24th-fastest time in the country. Kopcso will also swim the 100 fly and 200 IM.
Oquist qualified with the 200 IM and 100 back. The junior owns school records in both events and is rated 23rd and 28th respectively in the country.
O’Neil qualified for her first NCAA Championships with a time of 1:00.16 in the 100 breast, which is the second-fastest time in school history and the 29th-fastest time in the country.
Troskot is the third member of the sophomore class that qualified individually for NCAA’s. Troskot’s time of 48.65 in the 100 free, set at SEC Championships, is the third-fastest time in school history.
Rounding out the automatic qualifiers of swimmers is Amber Carter. The women’s team captain and senior is traveling to NCAA Championships for a fourth and final time after qualifying in the 100 fly.
Devon Dabney, Megan Cox and Danielle Stirrat will also make the trip to North Carolina for NCAA’s. The three swimmers will make up part of the relay teams that will compete over the course of the three-day meet.
A full recap will be available on lsusports.net at the conclusion of each day. For more information and updates on LSU Swimming and Diving please visit LSUsports.net, ‘like’ us on Facebook at LSU Swimming and Diving or follow us on Twitter @LSUswimdive.
Order of Events
Thursday, March 20
Prelims- 10 a.m.
200-yard Freestyle Relay
500-yard Freestyle
200-yard Individual Medley
50-yard Freestyle
400-yard Medley Relay
One-meter Diving
Finals- 6 p.m.
200-yard Freestyle Relay
500-yard Freestyle
200-yard Individual Medley
50-yard Freestyle
One-meter Diving
400-yard Medley Relay
Friday, March 21
Prelims- 10 a.m.
200-yard Medley Relay
400-yard Individual Medley
100-yard Butterfly
200-yard Freestyle
100-yard Breaststroke
100-yard Backstroke
800-yard Freestyle Relay
Three-meter Diving
Finals- 6 p.m.
200-yard Medley Relay
400-yard Individual Medley
100-yard Butterfly
200-yard Freestyle
100-yard Breaststroke
100-yard Backstroke
800-yard Freestyle Relay
Three-meter Diving
Saturday, March 22
Prelims- 10 a.m.
200-yard Backstroke
100-yard Freestyle
200-yard Breaststroke
200-yard Butterfly
400-yard Freestyle Relay
Platform Diving
1,650-yard Freestyle—All but last heat of time finals
Finals- 6 p.m.
1,650-yard Freestyle
200-yard Backstroke
100-yard Freestyle
200-yard Breaststroke
200-yard Butterfly
Platform Diving
400-yard Freestyle Relay