March 8, 2010
(CANTON, Ohio) –Thirteen Truman swimmers will compete this Wednesday through Saturday at the 2010 NCAA Div. II Swimming and Diving Championships, held at the C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton, Ohio. Twelve of the 13 qualifiers come on the women’s side, as the women’s program looks to kick off the new decade with a strong start after winning seven championships in the 2000s.
The Championships get underway on Wednesday morning and run through Saturday evening. Each morning session will consist of time trials that start at 9:30 a.m. (Central), while the evening sessions kick off at 5 p.m. (Central).
Senior Kate Aherne (Cary, Ill.) qualified in nine different events and will be looking to wrap up her Truman career with her third consecutive championship in the 200 IM. Of her nine events at the 2010 Championships, Aherne is currently seeded third or better in four of them, including the third-best qualifying time in the 200 IM (2:04.10).
A 20-time All-American, Aherne also reeled in a national championship in the 2008 800-Free relay, which the Bulldogs have qualified for once again this season. Seeded 7th heading into the event this year, Aherne is joined on that relay team by fellow senior Kendra Brunkow (Lincoln, Neb.), junior Tanya Sylvester (Rochester, Minn.) and freshman Lexi Houser (New Hope, Pa.). Brunkow, a 10-time All-American, joined Aherne on the 2008 800-Free team and, along with Sylvester – a 5-time all-American – will compete in six events at the 2010 Championships.
A quartet of juniors – Emily Buss (O’Fallon, Mo.), Anna Grinter (Manhattan, Kan.), Julia Jones (Daphne, Ala.), Claire Myers (Ellisville, Mo.) – along with sophomore Jessica Jenkot (Orland Park, Ill.) all bring top-20 times into various events this year, while freshman Stacey Wymer (New Lenox, Ill.) looks to capitalize at her first Championships with a pair of top-15 seeds.
Two other freshmen, Taylor Birsa (Joliet, Ill.) and Allison Harding (West Des Moines, Iowa), round out the dozen women headed to Ohio, with both competing solely as individuals and not part of any relay teams. Birsa is seeded 15th in the 400 IM, while Harding will look to solidify herself in the top-20 of the 1650 Free.
Truman’s lone male swimmer to qualify, freshman Jerod Simek (O’Fallon, Mo.) will get his share of time in the pool after qualifying in four separate events – headlined by three distance freestyle races.
Updates will be posted nightly at on Truman’s official Athletics Web site – www.TrumanBulldogs.com.