Indiana University Athletics
Cardinell Top Qualifier In Platform
9/15/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving
March 19, 2005
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - No. 18 Indiana women's swimming and diving moved senior Cassandra Cardinell into this evening's championship final in the tower as well as secured 10th-place points after freshman Christina Loukas' performance at the 2005 NCAA Championships in the Boilermaker Aquatic Center.
Cardinell demonstrated uncommon heart and determination to go out with a great final memory in her last competition for the Hoosiers after struggling through the second day on three-meter. The 2004 Olympian tallied the most points in the prelims with a 501.05. Additionally, she carries over the second-most points into tonight's final. Tonight, Cardinell will look to break a nine-year national-title drought for the Cream and Crimson as the last time IU has boasted an NCAA Champion was 1996 when Kimiko Hirai claimed the one-meter crown. Moreover, a win on the platform would be IU's first such honor since Indiana's only other national titles came with AIAW one-meter triumphs by Amy McGrath (1980) and Lona Foss (1982).
Meanwhile, Loukas finished in 10th-place with a 410.60 and completed IU's fifth All-America diving trifecta in school history. Previous triple-crown winners include Sara Reiling-Hildebrand (2003, 2002, 2000) and Kristen Kane (1992). In earlier action, junior Lisa Silvestri picked up 22nd with a 348.40 tally.
Next up, the Cream and Crimson concludes the 2005 NCAA Championships at 7 p.m., on Saturday, March 19 at the Boilermaker Aquatic Center in West Lafayette, Ind., with finals.
