March 15, 2002

Truman Women Extend Lead on Day 2 at NCAA D-II Swimming Championships

The defending national champion Truman State University women's swimming team grabbed two more national championships on Thursday and widened its lead over Drury at the NCAA Division II Championships in Orlando, Fla. The Bulldogs have 382 points to lead Drury by 61. West Chester is third with 182 points.

Freshman Diana Betsworth (East Moline, Ill./United Township) captured her second individual national championship of the meet by winning the 200-yard freestyle in 1:49.06. In the preliminary for the event, Betsworth finished in 1:48.75, a mark that broke the 11-year-old NCAA Division II championship record and also beat Jess Martin's school standard.

The 'Dogs also captured the national title in the 400-yard medley relay in a Division II and school record time of 3:48.85. Members of that team were junior Kelli Dudley (Topeka, Kan./Topeka West), freshman Megan Losee (Omaha, Neb./North), junior Liz Hug (Maryville, Ill./Collinsville) and junior Sara Hatcher (Kingdom City, Mo./North Callaway). Truman shaved more than a second off of the previous Division II championship record, which was set by Air Force in 1996.

Dudley also logged a second-place finish individually on Thursday in the 400-yard individual medley with a time of 4:24.03. In the preliminary for that event, Dudley broke her own Truman record with a time of 4:23.94.

Betsworth had a hand in the 200-yard freestyle relay team's second-place finish with a school record-tying time of 1:34.17. Sophomore Katie May (Westmont, Ill./Hinsdale Central), freshman Sue Ellen Thoma (Jefferson City, Mo.) and Hatcher also served on that squad. The previous school mark had been set at last year's national meet.

Also on Thursday, freshman Sarah Dance (Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln Southeast) set a new Truman standard in the 100-yard butterfly with her time of 57.04 seconds, a figure that beat Hug's school record set last year.

So far, the Truman women have won championships in five events this year and have broken or tied nine school records. The 'Dogs have also topped five NCAA Division II marks at this season's meet.

On the men's side, the Bulldogs slipped into eighth place with 105 points. Cal State University-Bakersfield continues to hold a slim lead, 279-275, over North Dakota. Only 80 points separate third from eighth place in the men's team standings.

Three men's school records fell on Thursday, as junior Matt Pray (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North) beat his own Truman mark in the 100-yard butterfly with a third-place time of 48.96 seconds. In the 200-yard freestyle, sophomore Robby Cooper (Holden, Mo.) finished 14th in 1:41.67, a mark that broke senior Kyle Sterup (Fremont, Neb.)'s record set in 2001.

Pray also had a hand in another Truman record on Thursday as he helped the 400-yard medley relay to a seventh place finish in 3:25.48. Sophomore Brian Teson (Kansas City, Mo./St. Pius X), sophomore Andy Harken (Liberty, Mo.) and junior Drew Yemm (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley Northwest) were also members of the team.

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