Kate Zubkova celebrates her second-place finish in the 200 backstroke Saturday night. |
Zubkova Takes Second in 200 Backstroke at NCAA Championships
March 22, 2008
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Sophomore Kate Zubkova narrowly missed out on her first NCAA title with a second-place finish in the 200 backstroke to highlight the Hoosiers' final day at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion in Columbus, Ohio.
As a team the Hoosiers finished 10th with 128 points. That is the second-most points scored at the NCAA meet in school history, just off the record of 136 in 2002. Arizona took home the team title with 484 points, followed by Auburn (348) and Stanford (343). Michigan edged out Indiana for top Big Ten honors by coming in ninth with 130 points.
"In discussing it with the team, they all agreed this is the most fun they have had at a meet," said head coach Ray Looze. "For the 21st-ranked team to come in and finish in the top 10 is mind-boggling. The girls were loose, they laughed and that was the key for this team to get the most out of the meet. It is the most inspired I have been as a coach.
"Even the kids who struggled, the fought hard and stayed positive. To finish 10th is a testament to their determination."
Zubkova touched the wall in a school-record time of 1:53.17, eclipsing her old mark of 1:53.62 set in the same pool at the Big Ten Championships last month. Entered in five events at the NCAA meet, Zubkova earned All-America honors in all five with a third-place finish in the 100 backstroke, 16th in the 100 butterfly, sixth in the 400 medley relay and eighth in the 200 medley relay. Zubkova qualified for the championship final after posting the third-fastest time in this morning's preliminaries, coming in at 1:54.43. That is the third-fastest time in school history.
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"I am really happy with my finishes and I was really happy with my time in the 200 back," Zubkova said. "I wasn't really happy with my time in the 100 back, but third place isn't too bad. I am looking forward to next year already."
Zubkova entered the meet seeded fifth in the 200 backstroke.
"That was a great swim," Looze said. "I really like how she took off at the start and really went out to try and win that race."
Teammate Presley Bard finished 16th in the 200 backstroke with a consolation final time of 1:56.46. Her time of 1:55.88 in the morning prelims ranks fourth among her career marks. Overall Bard earned four All-America certificates in the 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke, 400 medley relay and 200 medley relay.
Donna Smailis finished 52nd in the 100 freestyle with a time of 50.10 in the prelims. Sarah Stockwell represented IU in the 200 breaststroke, finishing 29th (2:15.22). In the 200 butterfly, Allison Kay was first in her heat and 29th overall with a touch of 1:59.51. Christie Fuchs swam in the sixth heat of the morning and finished sixth in the heat and 39th overall (2:01.08).
Sophomore Brittney Feldman closed out her NCAA Championship with a 19th-place finish in platform diving, tallying 201.45 points. Feldman earned a pair of All-America honors with a third-place finish on the 1-meter springboard and a fifth-place finish on the 3-meter springboard.
In the 1,650-yard freestyle, freshman Amanda Smith led the Hoosiers with an overall finish of 23rd (16:28.11). Fuchs also competed in the event, recording a time of 17:05.73 (33rd).
NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships- Day 3
200-Yard Backstroke: 2. Kate Zubkova (1:53.17)- All-American; 16. Presley Bard (1:56.46)- All-American
Platform Diving: 19. Brittney Feldman (201.45)
100-Yard Freestyle: 52. Donna Smailis (50.10)
200-Yard Breaststroke: 29. Sarah Stockwell (2:15.22)
200-Yard Butterfly: 29. Allison Kay (1:59.51); 39. Christie Fuchs (2:01.08)
1,650-Yard Freestyle: 23. Amanda Smith (16:28.11); 33. Christie Fuchs (17:05.73)
