Update: Schedule of events has been released with live results and live video links. Click on the links below and view the events Gustavus is participating in.
ST. PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus Adolphus College women’s swim team is sending five swimmers to Greensboro, N.C. to compete in the NCAA Championships March 16-19. The team leaves Gustavus on Monday to allow time for getting acclimated to the pool environment at the Greensboro Aquatic Center and will be ready to race on Wednesday.
Representing the Black and Gold at this year’s NCAA Championships are seniors Leah Anderson (Apple Valley, Minn.) and Tarin Anding (Sartell, Minn.), along with junior Nicole Lohman (North Mankato, Minn.), sophomore Kate Reilly (Hastings, Minn.), and first-year Maggie Webster (Apple Valley, Minn.).
“The girls are excited to head to nationals,” said Head Coach Jon Carlson. “They’ve been training hard the past three weeks and they all have great attitudes heading into the meet. Everything the girls have done in and out of the water in these last few weeks has set them up for some great performances next week.”
The Gustavus women are most recently coming off a second place finish at the 2016 MIAC Championships. Gustavus put up a tough battle but fell 180.5 points behind St. Thomas. On day one of the meet, the Tommie women edged out Gustavus by three points taking an early lead. From there on out, it was a duel back and forth until finally the Tommies pulled ahead and held on until the end, giving them their first women’s conference championship win.
Now less than a week away from the NCAA Championships, the women will need to narrow their focus one last time in order to perform at their peak against some of the best swimmers in the country. This year’s national team is comprised of both new and returning national team members. Returning national team members include Anderson, Anding, and Reilly.
“Anding and Anderson have provided great senior leadership for this group,” Carlson said. “Even better, having all three returning national team members who know what to do and have done it before has given each practice a fun, calm, and focused atmosphere.”
New to the national team this year are Lohman and Webster who “have made improvements between the conference meet and now, which I believe will pay off in big dividends next week,” according to Carlson.
“The girls have prepared well and I’m excited to see what they can do at nationals this year.”
The Gusties will appear in several events throughout the week.
- 50 freestyle: Kate Reilly (No. 5 seed)
- 100 butterfly: Reilly (No. 25)
- 100 freestyle: Reilly (No. 25)
- 400 freestyle relay: Lohman, Webster, Anderson, and Reilly (No.16)
- 200 freestyle relay: Reilly, Webster, Anding, and Lohman (No. 7)
For more information about the meet, head to the NCAA DIII National Championship Website.