Shenandoah, Texas – After scoring 19 points on the final day of competition at the 2013 NCAA Championships, the Gustavus women’s swimming and diving team finished the four-day meet in 10th place alongside Wheaton College (Ill.). The Gusties scored a total of 98 points – a team score and standing that is the second best in the history of the program. The 2009-10 Gustavus women’s swimming and diving team placed eighth with a record 114 points.
Shining on the final day was Alissa Tinklenberg (Jr., Willmar, Minn.) who swam in the 200 backstroke. In the morning time trials, Tinklenberg swam a 1:59.66 to finish fifth and secure a spot in Saturday’s finals. Her time in the prelims bested her own school record of 1:59.92 set at the 2013 MIAC Championships. The junior captain then swam a 2:00.51 in the finals to place sixth and take home All-America honors. It is Tinklenberg’s second All-American performance in the 200 backstroke as she placed seventh in the event last season. To go along with last year’s seventh place finishes in the 100 and 200 backstroke races, Alissa Tinklenberg becomes the first Gustavus swimmer to ever earn All-America marks in three individual races over a career.
Swimming to All-American Honorable Mention distinction on day four was the 400-freestyle relay made up of Katie Olson (So., North Oaks, Minn.), Sarah Hund (Sr., Willmar, Minn.), Tarin Anding (Fy., Sartell, Minn.), and Tinklenberg. The group touched the wall in 3:28.62, breaking the school record set by Hund, Tinklenberg, Dajana Vidovic, and Kelsey Lucia in 2011. The Gusties dropped two places in the finals, finishing 14th after going 3:28.83.
Competing individually on the final day as well was Jennifer Strom (So., Rochester, Minn.) and Katie Olson. Coming off her All-American showing on Friday, Strom finished 22nd in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:22.21. Olson came in 33rd in the 100 free after recording a time of 52.38.
Congratulations to the Womens and Mens GAC swim teams . on a Successful Season all around !