Amanda Smith finished 14th in the 500-yard freestyle, earning All-America honors. |
Hoosiers 11th After Day One of NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships
March 20, 2008
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Three top-16 finishes, led by a third-place showing from Brittney Feldman in the 1-meter diving event, highlighted day one for the Indiana Hoosiers at the NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships taking place at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion in Columbus, Ohio.
Indiana is currently 11th with 45 points. Arizona leads after day one with 151 points.
Feldman recorded a third-place finish on the 1-meter springboard, finishing with 323.75 points in the six-dive final. This was the sophomore's first-ever appearance in the championship final after a 10th-place showing on the 1-meter at last year's NCAA meet. It marks the fourth-straight season that the Hoosiers have had a diver finish in the top 10 on the 1-meter. She placed second in the prelims with a score of 298.75.
"She did a great job," said head diving coach Dr. Jeff Huber. "That is probably the best performance that I have ever seen from a first-timer (in the final of an NCAA Championship). "It was a great performance and even in the dives she missed she was going after it and that is the only thing I ask that they do. Our goal is to build on this and have an even better event tomorrow."
After setting a new school record in the 400-yard medley relay in the prelims, the team of Kate Zubkova, Sarah Stockwell, Donna Smailis and Presley Bard topped that in the final with a time of 3:34.14 to finish sixth and garner All-America honors. Zubkova swam the second-fastest time in school history in the 100 backstroke with a leadoff time of 51.72. Her split of 52.35 in the morning session is the third-fastest mark. Earlier in the day the quartet recorded a time of 3:35.31 which had topped the old mark of 3:38.16.
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"That (performance) was more than we could have imagined," said head swimming coach Ray Looze. "We weren't seeded into the top eight and they fought their way in there. What a great performance tonight, just going for it. There is a great future for that group. That was a nice relay to finish the night off. All the credit goes to those young ladies and the ladies on the team."
It is the second-straight year Indiana has earned All-America honors in the 400 medley relay and its best-ever finish in the event at the NCAA Championships.
In the 500-yard freestyle, Amanda Smith placed sixth in the consolation heat and 14th overall with a time of 4:43.93, the third-fastest time in school history. She finished 14th in the prelims with a time of 4:43.45, just over one-tenth of a second off her school record and the second-fastest time in school history. The freshman now owns the four fastest times in school history. Allison Kay clocked a time of 4:50.25 in her prelim to finish fourth in the heat and 44th overall.
"I was the nervous one on the team today so I was overjoyed to make it (to the consolation final) because I wasn't expecting it," Smith said. "You expect your first year to be a learning experience and to see what happens. But I have only been swimming for five years so I know there is so much more in my future."
Smith is just the second Hoosier to earn All-America honors in the 500 freestyle, joining Jennifer Hooker who placed ninth in 1981 and second in 1980.
"For a freshman to come in here and score was just a fantastic performance," Looze said. "Look out for Amanda Smith in the future. She is going to be a force to be reckon with."
In the 200-yard medley relay, Donna Smailis was seventh in her heat and 41st overall with a time of 2:01.58.
NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships- Day 1
400-Yard Medley Relay
6. Kate Zubkova, Sarah Stockwell, Donna Smailis, Presley Bard (3:34.14)- New School Record, All-American
500 Freestyle
14. Amanda Smith (4:43.93)- All-American
44. Allison Kay (4:50.25)
200-Yard Individual Medley
41. Donna Smailis (2:01.58)
1-Meter Diving
3. Brittney Feldman (323.75)- All-American
