March 19, 2011
AUSTIN - The Auburn women's swimming and diving team advanced two swimmers and one diver to Saturday night finals at the 2011 NCAA Championships held at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center in Austin.
Junior Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace swam the fastest 100 freestyle in Saturday morning heats, hitting the wall in 46.91. The Nassau, Bahamas, native will defend her NCAA and American records tonight in the championship finals.
The 2008 Olympian and 10-time SEC Champion earned her records at last month's SEC Championships in Gainesville, Fla., twice throwing down a time of 46.81 to beat Natalie Coughlin's four-year U.S. Open and eight-year NCAA record times.
Senior Caitlin Geary will make her second appearance in an NCAA 100 freestyle final after swimming a heats time of 48.60, her fastest of the season. The Orlando, Fla., native earned an eighth-place finish in the 100 free at the 2009 NCAA Championships in College Station, Texas.
Sophomore Hannah Riordan hit a new top time in the 100 free, touching in at 48.95 to place 20th, followed by freshman Olivia Scott (49.90) in 48th and sophomore Becca Jones (50.32) in 57th.
The Auburn 400 freestyle relay team of Vanderpool-Wallace, Geary, Riordan and Emily Bos hit its top time of the season during heats, hitting the wall in 3:12.30. The Tigers will look to claim the school's second 400 freestyle relay title. The Auburn team of Short, Coparropa, Coventry and Bowen claimed the Tiger's only national title in the event at the 2003 NCAA Championships.
Arizona advanced to tonight's finals with a 3:12.77 followed by Georgia (3:12.89) and Stanford (3:12.90).
Junior diver Vennie Dantin booked a trip to her second championship finals of the 2011 Championships, placing fifth of the tower with a 303.05 in prelims. The three-time All-American placed sixth off the one-meter springboard in Thursday competition. Dantin recently placed third off the tower at the 2011 SEC Championships.
Bos nearly earned a second finals appearance, just grazing the 200 back consolation finals with a 1:54.93 to take 17th in prelims. The Holland, Mich., native earned her first All-America honors with a fifth-place finish in the 100 back "B" final.
Junior Micah Lawrence placed 21st in the 200 breast, swimming a 2:11.59. Lawrence earned her seventh All-America honor in Thursday's 400 medley relay.
Saturday is the third and final day of the 2011 Women's NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships. Cal holds the lead with 295 points heading into Saturday's final session, followed by Georgia with 274.5 and USC with 252. The Tigers, with 127 points, are bookended by Minnesota with 139 and Texas A&M with 124.
Saturday night finals are set to commence at 7 p.m. CST. Live streaming video will be made available via ESPN3.
Complete NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championship information can be accessed via www.TexasSports.com.