LSU Record-holder in the 400 individual medley and 800 freestyle relay
2011 NCAA Qualifier
2011 All-SEC Freshmen Team
FRESHMAN SEASON (2010-11)
An All-SEC Freshmen Team performer who proved to be one of the top newcomers on the team … One of two freshmen to qualify for the NCAA Championships and break program records at SEC’s … Held the team’s fastest time in the 400 IM and ranked second in the 200 fly and 200 IM … Tied for 24th in the 200 butterfly at NCAA’s (1:57.64), placed 30th in the 200 IM (1:59.42) and finished 31st in the 400 IM (4:15.62) … Emerged as the highest freshman finisher in the SEC in the 200 fly, registering fourth with the second-fastest mark all-time at LSU, 1:57.30 … Qualified for the ‘A’ final of the 200 IM with a 1:58.79 clocking, second in program history … Also shattered a 14-year-old school record in the 400 IM to take 13th (4:12.46) and swam the third leg on the program record-breaking 800 free relay (7:12.73) … Won the 400 IM at the Cougar Classic Invitational (4:17.19) and claimed runner-up honors in the 200 fly (1:59.44) … Also recorded sixth in the 100 fly and ninth in the 200 IM … Captured first-place in the 100 fly at the Florida International Invite … Raced to runner-up honors in the 400 IM in wins over Florida State, Houston, Rice and Tulane … Delivered second in the 100 back in a victory over Tulane and second in the 200 IM at the Florida Atlantic Invite … Also took second in the 200 fly against Incarnate Word.
PRIOR TO LSU
A two-time North Carolina state champion who is expected to make an immediate impact in several events … A member of the CollegeSwimming.com Top 100 … Won state titles in the 100 butterfly in both 2008 and 2010 … A 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials and 2009 World Championship Trials qualifier … Served as captain of her swim team in 2009-10 and was part of four conference runner-up squads … Also a Scholastic All-American from 2007-10 … Holds lifetime bests of 53.79 in the 100 fly, 1:59.59 in the 200 fly, 4:15.68 in the 400 individual medley, 2:02.42 in the 200 IM and 2:00.27 in the 200 back … Coached by Brian Benfer.
PERSONAL
Full name is Carolyn Ruth Blalock … Goes by Cari … Born June 4, 1992, in Wilmington, N.C. … Parents are Chip and Lee Ann Blalock … Has one older sister, Scot … Plans to major in kinesiology.
CARI’S TOP TIMES
100 butterfly, 57.77, 2011 SEC Championships (Time Trial)
200 butterfly, 1:57.30, 2011 SEC Championships
200 individual medley, 1:58.79, 2011 SEC Championships
400 individual medley, 4:12.46*, 2011 SEC Championships
* – program record