INDIANAPOLIS- The LSU women’s swimming and diving team wrapped up a set of solid performances on the third day of the NCAA Championships at the IUPUI Natatorium in Indianapolis.
Senior Kara Kopcso finished 32nd in the country in the 100 fly prelims, coming in at 52.68. In the 100 breaststroke prelims, Colleen O’Neil, a senior from Massachusetts, took 26th place, clocking at 1:00.44.
“I thought Kara put a pretty good race together. She was faster today than she was a year ago here, so there is some good promise for tomorrow,” said head swimming coach Dave Geyer.
“Breaststroke was a bit of a wild card today. We thought it was going to be a really fast event, but the bottom part was within reach for Colleen, and she was a little off place-wise.
“We’re hoping to finish things off tomorrow on a high note for our three senior swimmers,” added Geyer.
In the diving portion, sophomore Lizzie Cui just narrowly missed a trip to the consolation finals on three meter, placing 17th overall with a score of 304.20. Cui, a native of New Zealand, missed the consolation round by just over a point to the University of Miami’s Wallace Layland, who scored a 305.60.
“I’m proud of Lizzie. She uncharacteristically struggled a bit in rounds three and four, which really put her behind the 8-ball, but she fought back hard and in true Tiger fashion never gave up” said head diving coach Doug Shaffer.
“Although we didn’t get the result we had hoped for, 17th out of 50 divers at this level is still a very respectable finish.”
Kopcso, O’Neil and senior Leah Troskot will conclude their careers tomorrow on the final day of the championships.
Kopcso will compete in the 200 fly and holds the school record in the event with a time of 1:54.46. A native of Mandeville, Louisiana, Kopcso boasts the 17th-fastest time in the nation in the event this season at 1:55.66.
O’Neil is slated to compete in the 200 breaststroke, where she broke the school record this season at the Art Adamson Invitational, touching the wall at 2:11.64.
Troskot, a native of Canada, qualified in the 100 free with a time of 48.53.
Prelims will start at 9 a.m. CT with finals following at 5 p.m. ESPN3.com will stream the championship finals sessions live. The morning sessions will be streamed live on www.ncaa.com and www.indianasportscorp.org/ncaasd.
Saturday, March 18
9 a.m. CT
Day 4 Swimming Trials
200 Backstroke
100 Freestyle
200 Breaststroke
200 Butterfly
11:15 a.m. CT
Platform Diving Trials
15 minutes following trials Consolation Finals (9-16)
2:45 p.m. CT (approx.)
1,650 Free (early heats)
5 p.m. CT
Day 4 Finals
1,650 Freestyle
200 Backstroke Consolation
200 Backstroke Final
100 Freestyle Consolation
100 Freestyle Final
200 Breaststroke Consolation
200 Breaststroke Final
200 Butterfly Consolation
200 Butterfly Final
Platform Diving Finals
400 Freestyle Relay Consolation
400 Freestyle Relay Final