University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers to Send 12 Swimmers to NCAAs
3/4/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming & Diving
The University of Minnesota women's swimming and diving have 12 swimmers headed to the NCAA Championships, March 18-20 in West Lafayette, Ind, on the Purdue campus. The Golden Gophers have the largest contingent in the Big Ten (not including diving) going to the championships. Big Ten champion, Indiana, had 10 swimmers qualify, while Wisconsin has eight and Michigan and Purdue are sending seven to the national championships.
Making the NCAA field for Minnesota is Molly Belk, Loren Brandon, Megan Braun, Marissa Davies, Alison Eggers, Kaylee Jamison, Haley Spencer, Ashley Steenvoorden, Kristen Steenvoorden, Jillian Tyler, Lauren Weis and Hannah Whitehead.
Making their third appearance at the NCAA Championships is Braun and Tyler, while making their secondNCAA trek is Belk, Davies, Eggers, Jamison, Steenvoorden, Steenvoorden, and Whitehead. Freshmen Brandon, Spencer and Weis are making their NCAA debut.
Along with the participants, the psych sheets are also out for NCAAs. The Gophers are ranked high in some of the events, including third in the country. Jillian Tyler, the two-time national runner-up, is seeded third in the 100 breast behind George Mason’s Ashley Danner and Auburn’s Micah Lawrence. She also enters the championship with the fifth-fastest time in the 200 breast. Ashley Steenvoorden is seeded third in the 1,650 free behind Georgia’s Wendy Trott and Chelsea Nauta. Minnesota will compete in the 200 and 400 medley relay, holding a 12th-seeded time entering the championships. Minnesota’s 800 free relay will also compete as it is seeded 14th overall.
Minnesota will await the NCAA Diving Zones to see if any Gopher divers advance to the NCAA Championships. Minnesota competes in Zone D Diving March 12-14 at Texas A & M.
Players Mentioned
