University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Announce Captains
10/15/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming & Diving
University of Minnesota women’s swimming and diving co-head coaches Terry Nieszner and Kelly Kremer have announced the captains for the 2009-10 season. This year’s captains include seniors Castina Wabeke and Andrea Hanson and juniors Molly Belk and Courtney Veerman.
Wabeke, a native of Loveland, Colo., is a two-time NCAA Championship competitor, earning All-American honors last year with the 400 medley relay. She also competed in the 100 and 200 backstroke at NCAAs, clocking in a career-best time in the 200 (1:55.55). Wabeke also ranks second in school history in the 200 back and sits fifth overall in the 100 back (54.48).
Edina, Minn., native, Hanson, comes into her senior season with Big Ten Championships experience, where she competed in the 100 and 200 backs and the 200 individual medley. Hanson had career-best times a year ago in the 100 (56.46) and the 200 (2:00.19) back. She also earned Academic All-Big Ten honors last season.
After narrowly missing out on the NCAA Championships last year, Belk is determined to make it back to NCAAs this season. The Minneapolis native competed at NCAAs two years ago in the 200 butterfly. She held Minnesota’s second-fastest time in the 200 fly (1:57.83) last year, ranking her second in school history.
Veerman, a native of Verona, Wis., red-shirted last season after a solid freshman season in 2007. In her freshman year, Veerman finished seventh in the 1,650 freestyle at the Big Ten Championships. She also competed in the 200 free and 200 fly at Big Tens, earning career-best times in all events.
The University of Minnesota women’s swimming and diving team will next compete Oct. 16 in the Intrasquad Meet at the University Aquatic Center. The meet will start at 6 p.m. The Golden Gophers open their regular season in Madison, Wis. against Wisconsin on Oct. 30.
Players Mentioned
