University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Well-Represented on Pan Am Roster
9/2/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming & Diving
Sept. 2, 2011
The Golden Gophers will have a big presence at the Pan American Games this fall, as they are sending three current representatives to the competition in Guadalajara, Mexico. Minnesota men's and women's swimming and diving head coach Kelly Kremer, and swimmers Haley Spencer and Ashley Steenvoorden, are part of the roster selected by the United States Olympic Committee. The swimming part of the games takes place October 15-22.
Kremer will be one of three assistant coaches on the women's team staff. He has coached at previous international competitions, including the 2004 World Cup in Australia and the 2002 Short Course World Championships in Russia.
Steenvoorden and Spencer both earned their spots on the roster with impressive performances at the ConocoPhillips National Championships in August. Steenvoorden won the 400-meter freestyle (4:07.63) and added a fifth-place finish in the 800 free (8:36.83). Spencer finished second by .03 seconds in the 200 breaststroke (2:27.09) after finishing sixth in the 100 breast (1:08.64).
"I'm just happy for and proud of Haley and Ashley," Kremer said. "This is the year before the Olympics, and it's an important opportunity for them to gain some international experience. I look forward to watching them swim."
In addition to the two current team members, former Gopher Christine Jennings will compete in the open water 10,000-meter race. Overall, there are 25 women on the roster.
The Pan Am games take place every four years, the year before the Summer Olympics. The Gopher program had representatives at the last Pan Am games in 2007 in Rio de Janeiro, as then-incoming freshman Jillian Tyler and former Gopher Keri Hehn competed. Hehn won a bronze medal in the 200 breast.
Players Mentioned
