Indiana University Athletics
Indiana University
NCAA Championships
Hoosiers Finish 10th at NCAA Swim and Dive Championships
3/21/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving
March 21, 2009
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - A school record and sixth-place finish from Allison Kay in the 1,650 freestyle was one of the Hoosier highlights on the third and final day of the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships in College Station, Texas.
Indiana finished the meet 10th with 152 points. That is the most points ever scored by the Hoosier women at an NCAA meet and led all Big Ten schools. California took home the national title with 411.5 points, followed by Georgia (400.5), Arizona (389), Stanford (312.5) and Texas (307) in the top five. Indiana has now posted back-to-back top-10 finishes at the national meet for the first time in school history.
In addition, senior Christina Loukas was named the NCAA Diver of the Year. Loukas closed out her collegiate career by placing first on the three-meter, second on the one-meter and 11th on the platform.
"It was an up-and-down meet for us," said head coach Ray Looze. "But I am really happy with how we finished. We got off to a rocky start, but with every session we continued to get better. The way this team responded to the adversity says a lot about this group. It was great to see them fight back and overcome a challenge. Any time a team finishes in the top 10 you have to be pleased."
For the second time in as many days, Kay etched her name into the IU record books with a spectacular swim in the 1,650 free. Kay took almost four seconds off the previous record with a time of 15:56.50 to finish sixth. Kay becomes the first Hoosier ever to drop below the 16-minute mark. Yesterday Kay took down her own school record in the 400 individual medley with a time of 4:06.45.
Freshman Nikki White closed out her first NCAA Championships appearance with a 10th-place finish in the mile, clocking a personal best of 16:02.98. That is the third-fastest time in school in school history and gives her two of the five fastest times in school history. Sophomore Amanda Smith also swam the event, placing 24th (16:12.97). Cassie Luhrsen was 37th with her time of 16:31.08.
Junior Kate Zubkova recorded a 10th-place finish in the 200 backstroke, finishing second in the consolation final with a time of 1:53.34. Zubkova finished fourth in her heat and 14th overall in the morning prelims with a time of 1:53.79. Ashley Jones took third in her heat and 35th overall with a career-best time of 1:56.14. That topped her old mark of 1:56.36 set at the Big Ten Championships last month.
Sarah Stockwell went 2:10.23 in her final NCAA swim to place 12th in the 200 breaststroke. That topped her prelim time of 2:10.71 and ties her own mark as the third fastest in school history. Amilee Smith topped her career best in the prelims, winning her heat in a time of 2:12.72 and finishing 33rd overall. That is more than a second better than her previous time of 2:13.74 set at last month's Big Ten Championships. Abby Cooper swam the final heat of the morning, finishing eighth in the heat and 36th overall with a time of 2:13.00.
Kay led the way in the 200 butterfly, finishing 25th in the prelims with a time of 1:57.02. Brittany Barwegen was 34th (1:58.67), with Amanda Smith 39th (1:59.98).
Competing in the 100 freestyle, freshman Margaux Farrell finished seventh in her heat and 61st overall with a time of 50.49.
The morning session concluded with the 400 free relay as Donna Smailis, Brittany Strumbel, Farrell and White finished seventh in heat one and 22nd overall with a time of 3:21.73.
Coming off her championship performance in last night's three-meter competition, Christina Loukas finished ninth in the prelims on the platform with a score of 267.65. Gabby Agostino was 18th with 228.40 points, while Brittney Feldman was 24th (167.80). In the consolation finals, Loukas placed third with 261.80 points, giving her an overall finish of 11th. Loukas earned her third All-America honor of the meet and the 11th of her career out of 12 opportunities.
200 Backstroke
10. Kate Zubkova - 1:53.34 (1:53.79 prelims) - All-American
35. Ashley Jones - 1:56.14 prelims
100 Freestyle
61. Margaux Farrell - 50.49 prelims
200 Breaststroke
12. Sarah Stockwell - (2:10.71 prelims) - All-American
33. Amilee Smith - 2:12.72 prelims
36. Abby Cooper - 2:13.00 prelims
200 Butterfly
25. Allison Kay - 1:57.02 prelims
34. Brittany Barwegen - 1:58.67 prelims
39. Amanda Smith - 1:59.98 prelims
400 Freestyle Relay
22. Donna Smailis, Brittany Strumbel, Margaux Farrell, Nikki White - 3:21.73
1650 Freestyle
6. Allison Kay - 15:56.50 - All-American
10. Nikki White - 16:02.98 - All-American
24. Amanda Smith - 16:12.97
37. Cassie Luhrsen - 16:31.08
Platform Diving
11. Christina Loukas - 261.80 (267.65 prelims) - All-American
18. Gabby Agostino - 228.40 prelims
24. Brittney Feldman - 167.80 prelims
All-America Honors
Margaux Farrell (400 Medley Relay, 200 Medley Relay)
Brittney Feldman (One-Meter, Three-Meter)
Allison Kay (400 Individual Medley, 1,650 Freestyle)
Christina Loukas (One-Meter, Three-Meter, Platform)
Donna Smailis (400 Medley Relay, 200 Medley Relay, 800 Free Relay)
Amanda Smith (500 Free, 800 Free Relay)
Sarah Stockwell (400 Medley Relay, 200 Medley Relay, 100 Breaststroke, 200 Breaststroke)
Brittany Strumbel (800 Free Relay)
Nikki White (800 Free Relay, 1,650 Freestyle)
Kate Zubkova (400 Medley Relay, 200 Medley Relay, 100 Backstroke, 200 Backstroke)
NCAA Diver of the Year
Christina Loukas
Players Mentioned
