Indiana University
NCAA Championships
3/21/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving
March 20, 2009
PHOTO GALLERY
Watch Christina Loukas' championship performance on the three-meter springboard. Courtesy of SwimmingWorld COLLEGE STATION, Texas - After finishing second at the NCAA meet three times in her career, senior Christina Loukas finally got her turn on the top podium with an NCAA title in the three-meter springboard, highlighting day two of the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships in College Station, Texas. The Hoosiers are currently in 10th place with 114 points, two points out of the ninth-place spot. California leads the way with 302 points, followed by Georgia with 295.5. Loukas becomes the first female NCAA swimming and diving champion for Indiana since Cassandra Cardinell took the platform title in 2005. She is also the first three-meter champion for the Hoosiers, with Kimiko Hirai winning the one-meter title in 1996. This win was a long-time coming for Loukas, who finished second on the three-meter in 2006, and second on the one-meter in 2007 and 2009. Loukas tallied an NCAA-record 437.75 points, smashing the old record of 420.90 set by Cassidy Krug in 2007. It is the second time this year Loukas has topped the 400-point mark on the three-meter, tallying a then-school record 400.75 points at the Big Ten Championships in February. "I am really happy I finally put all my dives together in a final," Loukas said. "I've gotten second three times now at this meet so I was happy to finally break through and win. "I could tell I was on tonight. My nerves were up and I tend to dive better under pressure. I knew I was diving well, but I knew I could have missed any one of those dives at any point. So I tried to stay focused on what I needed to do and kept it rolling." "She showed tonight what she is capable of diving," said head diving coach Dr. Jeff Huber. "That NCAA championship has eluded her and it was nice to see her step up against really good competition and let it all hang out. That is really what we wanted to do tonight. I asked her to not hit her dives in warm-ups and save it all for the meet, and she did that. She showed a lot of experience and a lot of composure. She really did well on her last dive. We've really been trying to get her to focus and finish the contest. I thought she did a nice job from start to finish. It was a Hoosier night in the diving well as junior Brittney Feldman posted a third-place finish with a score of 366.90, beating out Texas' Jessica Livingston by three-tenths of a point. That is a career best for Feldman. "Brittney really had a rough one-meter (event) and really responded like a champ," Huber said. "She came back today and did the things I asked her to do. I am really proud of her. It was a steady list." On the swimming side, Kate Zubkova took to the pool in the championship final of the 100 backstroke and picked up her third All-America honor of the meet with an eighth-place finish, coming home in 53.34. In the morning prelims, Zubkova went 52.04 to finish third in her heat and just made the championship final, placing eighth overall. Donna Smailis was 19th with a career best of 53.02. The 800-yard free relay team of Smailis, Brittany Strumbel, Amanda Smith and Nikki White posted a time of 7:08.32, good for 11th place and All-America recognition. Allison Kay broke her own school record in the 400 individual medley, finishing third in the consolation final and 11th overall with a time of 4:06.45. That tops her previous time of 4:07.52 set at last month's Big Ten Championships. In the 400 individual medley prelims, Amilee Smith, swimming in her first NCAA Championships event, placed second in her heat with a lifetime best of 4:11.51. That is also the sixth-fastest time in school history. Kay and Ashley Jones competed in the next heat, with Kay third in a time of 4:08.05, and Jones fifth in 4:10.88. Kay's time ranks fourth on the IU all-time list, while Jones' time ranks fifth and is a personal best. Indiana took 14th in the 200 medley relay as Zubkova, Sarah Stockwell, Smailis and Margaux Farrell combined for a time of 1:38.69 in the consolation final. In the morning prelim session, Zubkova, Stockwell, Smailis and Farrell took sixth in their heat and 14th overall with a time of 1:38.77. Stockwell picked up her second All-America honor of the night with a 12th-place finish in the 100 breaststroke. She touched the wall in 1:00.23 in the consolation final. Stockwell was sixth in her heat of the 100 breaststroke, touching the wall in 1:00.15, the fifth-fastest time in school history. Abby Cooper was also sixth in her heat, clocking in at 1:00.40. Stockwell's time was 13th best on the morning, putting her into the consolation final. In the 200 freestyle, Strumbel was third in her heat with a time of 1:46.69, while Farrell was seventh in the same heat in 1:47.58. Nikki White took seventh in her heat with a time of 1:47.06. Loukas was third in the three-meter diving prelims with a score of 350.60. Feldman finished fifth with a total of 330.40 points, joining Loukas in tonight's championship final. Freshman Gabby Agostino was 31st with a score of 247.10.200 Medley Relay14. Kate Zubkova, Sarah Stockwell, Donna Smailis, Margaux Farrell - 1:38.69 (1:38.77 prelims) - All-American400 Individual Medley11. Allison Kay - 4:06. 45 (4:08.05 prelims) - All-American, School Record20. Ashley Jones- 4:10.88 prelims21. Amilee Smith - 4:11.51 prelims200 Freestyle29. Brittany Strumbel - 1:46.69 prelims34. Nikki White - 1:47.06 prelims42. Margaux Farrell - 1:47.58 prelims100 Breaststroke12. Sarah Stockwell - 1:00.23 (1:00.15 prelims) - All-American17. Abby Cooper - 1:00.40 prelims100 Backstroke8. Kate Zubkova - 53.34 (52.04 prelims) - All-American19. Donna Smailis - 53.02 prelimsThree-Meter Diving1. Christina Loukas -437.75 (350.60 prelims)- NCAA Champion; NCAA Record; All-American3. Brittney Feldman - 366.90 (330.40 prelims)- All-American31. Gabby Agostino - 247.10 prelims800 Free Relay11. Donna Smailis, Brittany Strumbel, Amanda Smith, Nikki White - 7:08.32 - All-American
Watch Christina Loukas' championship performance on the three-meter springboard. Courtesy of SwimmingWorld
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - After finishing second at the NCAA meet three times in her career, senior Christina Loukas finally got her turn on the top podium with an NCAA title in the three-meter springboard, highlighting day two of the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships in College Station, Texas.
The Hoosiers are currently in 10th place with 114 points, two points out of the ninth-place spot. California leads the way with 302 points, followed by Georgia with 295.5. Loukas becomes the first female NCAA swimming and diving champion for Indiana since Cassandra Cardinell took the platform title in 2005. She is also the first three-meter champion for the Hoosiers, with Kimiko Hirai winning the one-meter title in 1996. This win was a long-time coming for Loukas, who finished second on the three-meter in 2006, and second on the one-meter in 2007 and 2009. Loukas tallied an NCAA-record 437.75 points, smashing the old record of 420.90 set by Cassidy Krug in 2007. It is the second time this year Loukas has topped the 400-point mark on the three-meter, tallying a then-school record 400.75 points at the Big Ten Championships in February. "I am really happy I finally put all my dives together in a final," Loukas said. "I've gotten second three times now at this meet so I was happy to finally break through and win. "I could tell I was on tonight. My nerves were up and I tend to dive better under pressure. I knew I was diving well, but I knew I could have missed any one of those dives at any point. So I tried to stay focused on what I needed to do and kept it rolling." "She showed tonight what she is capable of diving," said head diving coach Dr. Jeff Huber. "That NCAA championship has eluded her and it was nice to see her step up against really good competition and let it all hang out. That is really what we wanted to do tonight. I asked her to not hit her dives in warm-ups and save it all for the meet, and she did that. She showed a lot of experience and a lot of composure. She really did well on her last dive. We've really been trying to get her to focus and finish the contest. I thought she did a nice job from start to finish. It was a Hoosier night in the diving well as junior Brittney Feldman posted a third-place finish with a score of 366.90, beating out Texas' Jessica Livingston by three-tenths of a point. That is a career best for Feldman. "Brittney really had a rough one-meter (event) and really responded like a champ," Huber said. "She came back today and did the things I asked her to do. I am really proud of her. It was a steady list." On the swimming side, Kate Zubkova took to the pool in the championship final of the 100 backstroke and picked up her third All-America honor of the meet with an eighth-place finish, coming home in 53.34. In the morning prelims, Zubkova went 52.04 to finish third in her heat and just made the championship final, placing eighth overall. Donna Smailis was 19th with a career best of 53.02. The 800-yard free relay team of Smailis, Brittany Strumbel, Amanda Smith and Nikki White posted a time of 7:08.32, good for 11th place and All-America recognition. Allison Kay broke her own school record in the 400 individual medley, finishing third in the consolation final and 11th overall with a time of 4:06.45. That tops her previous time of 4:07.52 set at last month's Big Ten Championships. In the 400 individual medley prelims, Amilee Smith, swimming in her first NCAA Championships event, placed second in her heat with a lifetime best of 4:11.51. That is also the sixth-fastest time in school history. Kay and Ashley Jones competed in the next heat, with Kay third in a time of 4:08.05, and Jones fifth in 4:10.88. Kay's time ranks fourth on the IU all-time list, while Jones' time ranks fifth and is a personal best. Indiana took 14th in the 200 medley relay as Zubkova, Sarah Stockwell, Smailis and Margaux Farrell combined for a time of 1:38.69 in the consolation final. In the morning prelim session, Zubkova, Stockwell, Smailis and Farrell took sixth in their heat and 14th overall with a time of 1:38.77. Stockwell picked up her second All-America honor of the night with a 12th-place finish in the 100 breaststroke. She touched the wall in 1:00.23 in the consolation final. Stockwell was sixth in her heat of the 100 breaststroke, touching the wall in 1:00.15, the fifth-fastest time in school history. Abby Cooper was also sixth in her heat, clocking in at 1:00.40. Stockwell's time was 13th best on the morning, putting her into the consolation final. In the 200 freestyle, Strumbel was third in her heat with a time of 1:46.69, while Farrell was seventh in the same heat in 1:47.58. Nikki White took seventh in her heat with a time of 1:47.06. Loukas was third in the three-meter diving prelims with a score of 350.60. Feldman finished fifth with a total of 330.40 points, joining Loukas in tonight's championship final. Freshman Gabby Agostino was 31st with a score of 247.10.200 Medley Relay14. Kate Zubkova, Sarah Stockwell, Donna Smailis, Margaux Farrell - 1:38.69 (1:38.77 prelims) - All-American400 Individual Medley11. Allison Kay - 4:06. 45 (4:08.05 prelims) - All-American, School Record20. Ashley Jones- 4:10.88 prelims21. Amilee Smith - 4:11.51 prelims200 Freestyle29. Brittany Strumbel - 1:46.69 prelims34. Nikki White - 1:47.06 prelims42. Margaux Farrell - 1:47.58 prelims100 Breaststroke12. Sarah Stockwell - 1:00.23 (1:00.15 prelims) - All-American17. Abby Cooper - 1:00.40 prelims100 Backstroke8. Kate Zubkova - 53.34 (52.04 prelims) - All-American19. Donna Smailis - 53.02 prelimsThree-Meter Diving1. Christina Loukas -437.75 (350.60 prelims)- NCAA Champion; NCAA Record; All-American3. Brittney Feldman - 366.90 (330.40 prelims)- All-American31. Gabby Agostino - 247.10 prelims800 Free Relay11. Donna Smailis, Brittany Strumbel, Amanda Smith, Nikki White - 7:08.32 - All-American
Mar 21 (Sat)
