Dec. 21, 2002
Men's and Women's Swimming Qualify More Swimmers and Break More Records at Delta State Invite
On days 2 and 3 of the Delta State Invitational in Cleveland, Mississippi the Bulldog men's and women's swim teams qualified more swimmers for nationals. Although the main focus of the meet was qualifying swimmers for the national meet, the women finished first out of six teams scoring 859 points. Southwest Missouri State was second with 791, and the University of Tampa was third with 705 points. The Bulldog men came in third out of five teams with 613 points. The University of Tampa men won the meet with 774 points while Division I Southwest Missiouri State came in second with 717 points. The Tampa men were fourth at last year's NCAA division II national championships.
On finals of day 2, sophomore Diana Betsworth swam a 1:52.15 in the 200-yard freestyle to better her own pool record from her prelim swim. Senior Liz Hug came in second in that event with a 1:53.07.
Freshmen Katie Funk and Kristin Halet qualified for nationals for the first time as part of the 800-yard freestyle relay with team members Liz Hug and Diana Betsworth. The girls placed first in that event with a 7:36.38.
Freshman Kate Kresl qualified for nationals as part of the 200-yard medley relay along with teammates Michaela Osborn, Christina Blose, and Sara Hatcher. The women time trialed the event in a 1:47.39.
On day 2, the men qualified the 200-yard medley relay and nearly qualified the 800-yard freestyle relay. The medley relay team of Brian Teson, Andy Harken, Matt Pray, and Vince Struble qualified for nationals with their time of 1:33.24.
In the 400-yard individual medley, sophomores Phil Brown and Justin Brosseau both picked up B-cuts. Brown swam a 4:12.17 in prelims and scratched in finals to rest for relay. Brosseau swam a 4:13.23 in finals to place fourth in the event.
Vince Struble also picked up a B-cut on day 2. He swam a 59.50 in the 100-yard breaststroke to place sixth.
Day 3 saw more Bulldogs qualify for nationals and more records fall.
Robby Cooper and Ellen Frick both picked up their A-cuts in the 1,650-yard freestyle. Cooper swam a 16:03.88 and placed second in the event. Frick swam a 17:34, just under the A-standard of 17:35.19.
Senior Kelli Dudley broke a pool record in the 200-yard backstroke as she captured first place with a 2:03.58. In that same event, freshman Kate Kresl picked up her first ever individual A-cut, placing second with a 2:06.50.
Sophomore Michaela Osborn bettered her school record from last year in the 200-yard breaststroke. She placed second in the event with a 2:23.28.
Freshman Meredith Rocha also broke a school record on day 3. She swam a 2:05.16 in the 200-yard butterfly to win the event.
Freshman Aimee Gregor qualified for nationals for the first time as part of the 400-yard freestyle relay. The team of Gregor, Sarah Dance, Sara Hatcher, and Diana Betsworth won the event with their time of 3:32.08.
The men narrowly missed qualifying the 400-yard freestyle and 800-yard freestyle relays. The team of Robby Cooper, Matt Pray, Phil Brown, and Josh Otis just missed the 3:06.49 qualifying time with their 3:06.85 in the 400-yard freestyle relay. The 800-yard freestyle relay team of Brian Teson, Robby Cooper, Matt Pray, and Phil Brown swam a 6:53.21, just missing the 6:52.79 qualifying mark.
The Bulldogs swim next at the Tampa relay meet in Tampa, Florida on their
winter training trip.