March 17, 2018
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Aly Tetzloff will swim in Lane 6 of the 100 free championship finals as Auburn brings back three individual swims and a relay to the final session of the 2018 NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships at Ohio State. Joining Tetzloff in individual swims will be Erin Falconer and Sonnele Oeztuerk, both in the 200 back consolation final. The championships will end with Auburn in the B Final of the 400 free relay.
200 Backstroke
Falconer and Oeztuerk will each swim in the B Final after posting career bests during prelims. Falconer went 1:51.52, which is the third-fastest performance in school history, while Oeztuerk went 1:52.13, which is the fifth-fastest performance in school history behind only Kirsty Coventry and Falconer.
100 Freestyle
Tetzloff will be in the lane next to NCAA and American record holder Simone Manuel in the A Final of the 100 free after busting a personal best 47.17 in the morning. For Tetzloff, it is a big jump for her in the event as her previous best finish was 35th last year. She will be the first Auburn swimmer to swim in the 100 free A Final since Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace won the event in 46.88 in 2012. Tetzloff's performance is the ninth-fastest in program history, with Vanderpool-Wallace holding the top eight.
Julie Meynen finished 27th (48.72) and Ashton Ellzey finished 42nd (49.27), an improvement of 16 spots from last year's championships.
200 Breaststroke
Breanna Roman posted her fastest time of the season, dropping .55 seconds from her seed time to finish 46th with a 2:12.79. That was just behind freshman teammate Carly Cummings, who finished 44th in 2:12.59.
200 Butterfly
Bailey Nero won her heat in 1:56.34, which placed her 26th for the second straight year and tied for the 22nd-fastest performance in school history.
400 Freestyle Relay
Tetzloff led off with a 48.08 split, which put the team second in the heat at the first exchange. Falconer followed with a 48.47 and Jessica Merritt a 49.14 as the team dropped back to fifth in the heat. Meynen then anchored in 48.36 for a total time of 3:14.05, which was 10th-fastest of the morning.
2018 NCAA S&D Championships
NCAA Champions & Auburn Finishes
200 Backstroke
11. Erin Falconer -- 1:51.52
14. Sonnele Oeztuerk -- 1:52.13
100 Freestyle
3. Aly Tetzloff -- 47.17
27. Julie Meynen -- 48.72
42. Ashton Ellzey -- 49.27
200 Breaststroke
44. Carly Cummings -- 2:12.59
46. Breanna Roman -- 2:12.79
200 Butterfly
26. Bailey Nero -- 1:56.34
400 Freestyle Relay
10. Auburn -- 3:14.05 (Tetzloff -- 48.08, Falconer -- 48.47, Merritt -- 49.14, Meynen -- 48.36)