University of Minnesota Athletics
Tyler to Compete in Tonight's Championship Final
3/21/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming & Diving
Jillian Tyler will compete in the 100-yard breaststroke championship final after coming in fourth during the preliminary heats, this morning at the NCAA Championships in Columbus, Ohio. Tyler touched the wall in a time of 1:00.38 to finish fourth overall. Tyler, a freshman from Calgary, Alberta, entered the championship with the second-fastest time in the country. She will be the first Minnesota swimmer to earn first-team All-America honors in the 100 breast since Gretchen Hegener accomplished the feat in 1998.
The Gophers will also have the 200 medley relay and Jenny Shaughnessy (400 IM) in tonight's consolation finals. Minnesota opened the second day with a 13th-place finish in the 200 medley relay prelims. Minnesota had the same foursome compete in the 200 medley as last night's first-team All-American relay in Roxane Akradi, Tyler, Megan Braun and Stacy Busack. The relay combined for a time of 1:39.85 to place 13th overall and will compete in tonight's consolation finals.
Jenny Shaughnessy just missed the 400 individual medley A final when she placed ninth in the prelims with a time of 4:11.10. The last competitor to make the A final was Texas A & M swimmer Melissa Hain, who clocked a time of 4:11.02. Kait Strickland also competed in the 400 IM and placed 20th with a time of 4:14.66
Megan Braun led the Gophers in the 100 fly event when she finished in a time of 53.79 and placed 32nd overall. Her time broke her school record, which she previously set at the Big Ten Championships at 53.93 earlier this year. It is the freshmen's first year at the NCAA Championships and has already set a school record and competed in the 200 and 400 medley relays.
Minnesota had four participants in the 200 free with Yuen Kobayashi leading the pack. Kobayashi finished 26th overall in a time of 1:47.10, followed by Stacy Busack in 45th (1:48.15), Meredith McCarthy in 55th (1:48.78) and Christine Jennings in 63rd (1:49.32). Akradi competed in the 100 backstroke and finished 19th overall in a time of 54.11. Castina Wabeke also competed in the event and finished in 55.33 and 37th overall.
Finals begin tonight at 7 p.m. (ET). The Gophers will also compete in the 800 free relay. The relay enters the NCAA Championships with the 11-fastest time in the country at 7:07.43.
Players Mentioned
