St. Peter, Minn. – In less than a week, six members of the Gustavus Adolphus women’s swimming and diving team will travel to Shenandoah, Texas to compete in the 2013 NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships. Senior Sarah Hund (Willmar, Minn.), junior Alissa Tinklenberg (Willmar, Minn.), sophomores Katie Olson (North Oaks, Minn.) and Jennifer Strom (Rochester, Minn.), and first-years Tarin Anding (Sartell, Minn.) and Kayla Hutsell (Apple Valley, Minn.) will represent the Three Crowns at season-capping national meet. The 2013 NCAA Championships will be held at the Conroe Natatorium, located in Shenandoah, which is a northern suburb of Houston.
“I’m excited to see what this group can do at the NCAA Championships,” said Head Coach Jon Carlson. “The ladies are so committed and so determined heading into the backstretch of their training. From their outstanding performances at the MIAC Championships to their relentless effort in practice, they have done everything the right way leading up to this point. These six individuals have tremendous pride in Gustavus swimming and diving and I look forward to seeing them put it all together on the national stage.”
Leading the Gusties at the NCAA Championships will be the 2013 MIAC Swimmer-of-the-Year Alissa Tinklenberg. Tinklenberg is no stranger to the national meet after turning in what was the single best performance at the NCAA Championships by any female swimmer in the history of the program last year in Indianapolis. Tink earned All-America honors in four events, taking seventh in both the 100 and 200 backstroke and helping the 400-medley relay place sixth and the 200-free relay also finish sixth.
Heading into the NCAA Championships, Tinklenberg ranks third in the 200 backstroke (1:59.92), 14th in the 100 backstroke (56.41), and 23rd in the 500 freestyle (5:00.90). The Willmar, Minn. product will also swim in the 200-free relay, 400-free relay, and 400-medley relay.
Also competing individually will be Jennifer Strom and Katie Olson. Coming off MIAC titles in the 100 and 200 breaststroke races, Strom will look to make a splash in the same events while in Shenandoah. The sophomore ranks second in the 100 (1:03.57) and 12th in the 200 (2:19.65). She will also race in the 400 individual medley, in which she ranks 27th (4:41.81). Olson, a four-time All-Conference performer this season, will take part in the 50 free (19th, 23.69) and 100 free (38th, 52.22).
In the relay events, the 200-free relay team comprised of Tinklenberg, Sarah Hund, Tarin Anding, and Olson ranks seventh with a time of 1:34.89. The Gusties took sixth in the 200-free relay last season, earning All-America marks. The Black and Gold will also look for a repeat All-America showing in the 400-medley relay, as Tinklenberg, Strom, Kayla Hutsell, and Olson head into the meet ranked 10th with a time of 3:51.28.
The 400-free relay featuring Olson, Hund, Strom, and Tinklenberg ranks 12th (3:29.72), the 200-medley relay of Tinklenberg, Strom, Hutsell, and Olson ranks 22nd (1:47.16), the 800-free relay of Anding, Olson, Strom and Hund ranks 23rd (7:55.60).
For more information on the 2013 NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships, please follow the links below.