March 13, 2004
Truman Women Swimmers Win Fourth-Straight NCAA Division II Title; Men Place 16th
The Truman women's swimming claimed its fourth-straight national title today in Buffalo, N.Y. The Bulldogs beat second-place Drury, 641-561.
Krista Pray, Michaela Osborn and Christina Blose were members of last year's national championship 200-yard medley relay team and took the title again this season, along with sophomore Whitney Jensen in 1:43.81.
Osborn also repeated as a national champion in the 400-yard medley relay, but was teamed up with Diana Betsworth, Krista Pray and Meredith Rocha this year, as the group won in 3:47.50 and broke Truman's own NCAA record in the process.
The 800-yard freestyle relay team of Diana Betsworth, Meredith Rocha, Sarah Dance and Katie May also won a national title in 7:32.01.
Freshman Lija Kaleps-Clark brought home the only individual national crown, winning the 200-yard backstroke in 2:02.40.
All three seniors earned their fourth-straight all-American honors as Alison Blyth, Katie May and Krista Pray all finished among the top 16 in at least one event. May is a three-time national champion in the 800-yard freestyle relay.
The men's team came in 16th in the team standings.
On day one of the NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships, the Truman women's swim team successfully defended the Bulldogs' national title in the 200-yard medley relay. Krista Pray, Michaela Osborn, Christina Blose and Whitney Jensen swam the event in 1:43.81, just shy of last year's NCAA record-setting Truman squad which swam the race in 1:43.73.
Katie May placed fourth in the 1,000-yard freestyle, while Lindsay McReynolds was sixth and Katie Funk was 16th.
Sarah Dance and Lija Kaleps-Clark finished third and fourth, respectively, in the 200-yard individual medley. Michaela Osborn and Sarah Wells also scored points in that event for Truman with ninth and 12th-place finishes, respectively.
Whitney Jensen was the only Bulldog to reach the finals in the 50-yard freestyle and she came in seventh.
The men's 200-yard medley relay team of Robert Fletcher, Andy Harken, Brian Teson and Josh Otis scored team points with a ninth-place finish in that race in 1:33.26.
On Day Two, the women's 400-yard medley relay team of Krista Pray, Michaela Osborn, Meredith Rocha and Diana Betsworth set a new NCAA Division II record with a time of 3:47.50. The Truman women set the record last year as well in 3:47.73.
Whitney Jensen, Betsworth, Katie May and Sarah Dance made up the fourth-place 200-yard freestyle relay team, and for the men, Andy Harken, Robert Fletcher, Chris Brammer and Josh Otis were 15th in that event.
Sarah Dance and Lija Kaleps-Clark came in second and third, respectively, in the 400-yard individual medley, while Sarah Wells scored points with a 14th-place finish.
Meredith Rocha was sixth in the 100-yard butterfly and Christina Blose was 15th.
Brian Teson finished 14th in the 100-yard butterfly.
In the 200-yard freestyle, Diana Betsworth was the runnerup, while Sarah Dance was third.
The men's 400-yard medley relay team of Brian Teson, Andy Harken, Chris Brammer and Josh Otis came in ninth.
The women finished the day just five-points shy of Drury in the team standings, while the Truman men's team was in 13th midway through the four-day event.
On Day Three, five Bulldogs placed in the 550-yard freestyle as Diana Betsworth came in second, Kathleen Moyer and Katie Funk were 10th and11th, respectively, Lindsay McReynolds was 14th and Aimee Gregor was 15th.
In the 100-yard backstroke, Katie May finished third, Lija Kaleps-Clark was fifth, Krista Pray was seventh and Emily Chadwick was ninth.
In the 100-yard breaststroke, Michaela Osborn was third and Brittany Anderson was 14th.
In the 200-yard Butterfly, Meredith Rocha placed third and Alison Blyth was seventh.
The Men's side, Andy Harken was sixth in the 100-yard breaststroke.
The women's 800-yard freestyle relay team of Diana Betsworth, Meredith Rocha, Katie May and Sarah Dance helped propel the 'Dogs into first-place in the team standings after capturing the title in that event in 7:32.01.
The Truman women's swimming team is now in first place with 429 points, while Drury is second with 423 points.
On Day Four, Lindsay McReynolds was third in the 1,650 freestyle, while Katie May was fourth.
Sarah Dance finished third in the 100-yard freestyle, Whitney Jensen was 11th and Meredith Rocha was 15th.
Lija Kaleps-Clark took home the Bulldogs only individual national title of the meet when she won the 200-yard backstroke.
Katie May was sixth, Emily Chadwick was eighth and Krista Pray was 13th.
Michaela Osborn was third in the 200-yard breaststroke and Lindsay Vaughan was sixth.
In the 400-yard freestyle relay, Diana Betsworth, Whitney Jensen, Katie May and Sarah Dance earned a second-place finish.
Truman Women's 2003-04 NCAA Division II Place Finishers
Freshman Brittany Anderson (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Coffman): 14th in100-yard breaststroke (1:06.75)
Junior Diana Betsworth (East Moline, Ill./United Township): 4th in 200-yard freestyle relay (1:34.62); 2nd in 200-yard freestyle (1:49.45); 1st in 400-yard medley relay (3:47.50-NCAA DII record); 5th in 100-yard freestyle (51.79); 2nd in 400-yard freestyle relay (3:27.62); 2nd in 500-yard frestyle (4:57/96); 1st in 800-yard freestyle relay (7:32.01)
Junior Christina Blose (St. Charles, Mo./Francis Howell North): 1st in 200-yard medley relay (1:43.81); 15th in 100-yard butterfly (58.72)
Senior Alison Blyth (Clive, Iowa/Dowling): 7th in 200-yard butterfly (2:06.95)
Freshman Emily Chadwick (Hutchinson, Kan.): 8th in 200-yard backstroke (2:07.18); 9th in 100-yard backstroke (58.72)
Junior Sarah Dance (Lincoln, Neb./Southeast): 3rd in 200-yard IM (2:05.10); 4th in 200-yard freestyle relay (1:34.62); 2nd in 400-yard IM (4:24.83); 3rd in 200-yard freestyle (1:52.46); 3rd in 100-yard freestyle (51.14); 2nd in 400-yard freestyle relay (3:27.62); 1st in 800-yard freestyle relay (7:32.01)
Sophomore Katie Funk (Iowa City, Iowa/City High): 16th in 1,000-yard freestyle (10:35.17); 11th in 500-yard freestyle (5:05.80)
Sophomore Aimee Gregor (Southlake, Texas/Keller): 15th in 500-yard freestyle (5:08.34)
Sophomore Whitney Jensen (Grinnell, Iowa): 7th in 50-yard freestyle (23.96); 1st in 200-yard medley relay (1:43.81); 4th in 200-yard freestyle relay (1:34.62); 11th in 100-yard freestyle (52.56); 2nd in 400-yard freestyle relay (3:27.62)
Freshman Lija Kaleps-Clark (Westerville, Ohio/Westerville North): 4th in 200-yard IM (2:06.32); 3rd in 400-yard IM (4:28.07); 1st in 200-yard backstroke (2:02.40); 5th in 100-yard backstroke (58.33)
Senior Katie May (Westmont, Ill./Hinsdale Central): 4th in 200-yard freestyle relay (1:34.62); 4th in 1,650 freestle (17:14.05); 6th in 200-yard backstroke (2:06.47); 2nd in 400-yard freestyle relay (3:27.62); 3rd in 100-yard backstroke (57.82); 1st in 800-yard freestyle relay (7:32.01)
Freshman Lindsay McReynolds (Bloomington, Ill./University): 6th in 1,000-yard freestyle (10:21.27); 3rd in 1,650 freestyle (17:13.35); 14th in 500-yard frestyle (5:06.16)
Freshman Kathleen Moyer (Birmingham, Mich./Seaholm): 10th in 500-yard freestyle (5:05.20)
Junior Michaela Osborn (Tipton, Iowa): 9th in 200-yard IM (2:07.51); 1st in 200-yard medley relay (1:43.81); 1st in 400-yard medley relay (3:47.50-NCAA DII record); 3rd in 200-yard breaststroke (2:17.36); 3rd in 100-yard breaststroke (1:02.69)
Senior Krista Pray (Naperville, Ill.): 4th in 1,000-yard freestyle (10:18.09); 1st in 200-yard medley relay (1:43.81); 1st in 400-yard medley relay (3:47.50-NCAA DII record); 13th in 200-yard backstroke (2:09.28); 7th in 100-yard backstroke (58.92)
Sophomore Meredith Rocha (Whitehouse, Texas/Grace Community): 6th in 100-yard butterfly (56.49); 1st in 400-yard medley relay (3:47.50-NCAA DII record); 15th in 100-yard freestle (53.12); 3rd in 200-yard butterfly (2:05.99); 1st in 800-yard freestyle relay (7:32.01)
Freshman Lindsay Vaughan (Leawood, Kan./St. Thomas Aquinas): 6th in 200-yard breaststroke (2:22.91)
Junior Sarah Wells (Carrollton, Texas/Newman Smith): 12th in 200-yard IM (2:08.65); 14th in 400-yard IM (4:36.09)
Truman Men's 2003-04 NCAA Division II Place Finishers
Sophomore Chris Brammer (Omaha, Neb./Burke): 15th in 200-yard freestyle relay (1:26.04); 9th in 400-yard medley relay (3:25.69); 11th in 800-yard freestyle relay (6:57.24)
Freshman Robert Fletcher (Broken Arrow, Okla.): 9th in 200-yard medley relay (1:33.26); 15th in 200-yard freestyle relay (1:26.04); 11th in 800-yard freestyle relay (6:57.24)
Senior Andy Harken (Liberty, Mo): 9th in 200-yard medley relay (1:33.26); 15th in 200-yard freestyle relay (1:26.04); 9th in 400-yard medley relay (3:25.69)
Sophomore Josh Otis (Johnston, Iowa/Dowling): 9th in 200-yard medley relay (1:33.26); 15th in 200-yard freestyle relay (1:26.04); 9th in 400-yard medley relay (3:25.69); 11th in 800-yard freestyle relay (6:57.24)
Senior Brian Teson (Kansas City, Mo./St. Pius X): 9th in 200-yard medley relay (1:33.26); 14th in 100-yard butterfly (50.73); 9th in 400-yard medley relay (3:25.69); 11th in 800-yard freestyle relay (6:57.24)