University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
NCAA Championships
Smith Earns NCAA Title, Gophers Finish 12th
3/21/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming & Diving
GREENSBORO, N.C. - The 2015 NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships concluded tonight at the Greensboro Aquatic Center as the University of Minnesota claimed 12th place, with 118 points. California took home the NCAA title, while Georgia and Stanford rounded out the top three. Although the Gophers began the NCAA Championships with a major setback when six-time All-American Kiera Janzen had to scratch from the meet due to medical reasons, they showed great adversity competing against the nation's best. The final night of the NCAA Championships was highlighted by Minnesota's second National Champion of the meet, this time from junior Kierra Smith, as well as sophomore Yu Zhou being selected as the NCAA Diver of the Year.
Smith posted a 2:04.56 to become the 2015 National Champion in the 200 breaststroke. Her time marked the fourth time this season she has broken the Minnesota school record, and recorded her as the NCAA's third fastest performer of all-time. In the past five years, head coach Kelly Kremer has now coached three women's breaststroke NCAA Champions. Smith will be taking an Olympic redshirt next season, focusing all of her energy on qualifying for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio, where she hopes to represent Canada. She will return to Minnesota for the 2016-17 season for her senior year.
In her first NCAA Championships, sophomore Zhou was named the NCAA Diver of the Year after placing fifth in platform diving with 301.70 points. Zhou was the National Champion in three-meter diving, and took home the bronze on the one-meter. Minnesota boasted an impressive four divers in the NCAA Championships, tied for the most in the nation with Virginia Tech. Credit is due to head diving coach, Wenbo Chen, who will coach another four divers at the 2015 NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships next week.
Junior Samantha Harding clocked in a 16:11.55 in the 1650 free, finishing 21st in the event.
Minnesota's 400 free relay included three seniors, competing in their final race as Golden Gophers and fueled by their desire to end their career on a high-note, the team of Rebecca Weiland, Lauren Votava, Tori Simenec and Jessica Plant issued a 3:15.40 to win the B final for ninth place.
Minnesota Performances at the 2015 NCAA Championships
Individual
Katy Etterman
Three-Meter 263.75 (45th)
Platform 222.45 (33rd)
Samantha Harding
500 Free 4:41.80 (18th)
1650 Free16:11.55 (21st)
Danielle Nack
100 Fly 53.53 (47th)
200 Fly 1:58.97 (44th)
Jessica Plant
200 Free 1:45.61 (21st)
Jessica Ramberg
One-Meter 296.80 (18th)
Tori Simenec
200 IM 1:58.76 (35th)
100 Fly 52.87 (33rd)
Kierra Smith
200 IM 1:57.56 (24th)
100 Breast 59.02 (7th)
200 Breast 2:04.56 (National Champion)
Lexi Tenenbaum
Three-Meter 229.40 (49th)
Platform 218.60 (35th)
Lauren Votava
200 Free 1:46.96 (41st)
100 Free 49.16 (38th)
Rebecca Weiland
50 Free 22.21 (14th)
100 Fly 52.40 (22nd)
100 Free 48.98 (32nd)
Brooke Zeiger
500 Free 4:47.32 (48th)
400 IM 4:05.27 (6th)
200 Back 1:58.83 (53rd)
Yu Zhou
One-Meter 338.00 (3rd)
Three-Meter 410.25 (National Champion)
Platform 301.70 (5th)
Relays
200 free relay - 1:29.63 (22nd)
Rebecca Weiland, Lauren Votava, Danielle Nack, Blake Zeiger
400 free relay - 3:15.40(9th)
Rebecca Weiland, Lauren Votava, Tori Simenec, Jessica Plant
800 free relay - 7:07.33 (16th)
Jessica Plant, Tori Simenec, Lauren Votava, Brooke Zeiger
200 medley relay - 1:38.62 (26th)
Tori Simenec, Kierra Smith, Danielle Nack, Rebecca Weiland
400 medley relay - 3:34.79 (22nd)
Tori Simenec, Kierra Smith, Rebecca Weiland, Lauren Votava
Players Mentioned
