BATON ROUGE, La. — LSU senior swimmers Kara Kopcso, Colleen O’Neil and Leah Troskot have qualified for the 2017 NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships from March 15-18 at the IUPUI Natatorium in Indianapolis, Indiana.
“We’re obviously thrilled that these three seniors have the opportunity to close out their collegiate careers at the National Championships. We would have loved to get a few more into the meet, but we were just a little bit off with some of our underclassmen in those areas,” said head swimming coach Dave Geyer.
“The great news is that all of them have good experience at this meet now after participating in it through their time here, and they are aiming at swimming their fastest times of the year there.”
For the fourth consecutive year, Kopcso has qualified for the NCAA Championships. A native of Mandeville, Louisiana, Kopcso boasts the 17th-fastest time in the country in the 200 fly, clocking at 1:55.66 in the championship final of the SEC Championships for fourth place overall. Her time of 52.34 in the 100 fly is also ranked 31st in the nation.
Kopcso holds school records in the 100 fly (52.07), 200 fly (1:54.46) and 200 IM (1:56.55).
Colleen O’Neil earns her third NCAA berth in the championships. The Massachusetts native led the team in wins this season with 11 and also set the school record in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:11.64 at the 2016 Art Adamson Invite.
O’Neil also holds the second-fastest time in school history in the 100 breast at 59.86, becoming just the second female swimmer to go under a minute in the event. At SEC’s, O’Neil grabbed fifth overall in the ‘A’ final of the event at 1:00.18.
Leah Troskot will also make her third appearance at the NCAA Championships. Troskot competed in the championship finals of both the 50 and 100 free at SEC’s, finishing eighth and fifth overall respectively in the events.
A native of Canada, Troskot has posted top-four times on LSU’s all-time list in the 50, 100 and 200 free during her tenure. Troskot holds the 35th-best time in the nation in the 100 free, clocking at 48.53. Her times in the 100 free and 200 free (1:45.81) this season are also good enough for top-10 times in the Southeastern Conference.
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.