University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Travel to Indy for NCAA Championships
3/14/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming & Diving
March 14, 2017
Ten Minnesota swimmers and divers will compete in individual events at this week's NCAA Championships, and all five Golden Gopher relays will race. The national meet is set for Wednesday, March 15-Saturday, March 18 in Indianapolis.
Wednesday's 5 p.m. finals session will start the meet. The next three days will begin with prelims at 9 a.m. The meet will be streamed through ESPN3 and the NCAA website. ESPNU's tape delayed coverage will air March 28 at 6 p.m. CT.
"It's a team with a lot of experience, and a lot of big meet experience behind them," Minnesota head coach Kelly Kremer said. "A lot of them were at U.S. Olympic Trials. Kierra (Smith) was at the Olympic Games last summer. On the diving side, you can't beat the divers that we're taking. I think all that experience means a lot at a meet like NCAAs. I can't wait to be a part of it with them."
Smith, a senior, won the 2015 title in the 200-yard breaststroke before taking last season off to train for the Olympics. The Canadian made the 200-meter breaststroke final in Rio, and will rematch fellow Olympian Lilly King in the 200-yard breaststroke this weekend. King won the Big Ten title ahead of a late-surging Smith, who still posted one of the top five 200 breast swims ever recorded.
"I've coached Kierra for five years now and I've gotten to watch her race in a lot of big meets," Kremer said. "It's always exciting as an athlete and as a coach to work with these young people. I can't wait to watch it."
Freshman Lindsey Horejsi will join Smith in both breaststroke events. She is seeded seventh in the 100, an event in which she broke the national high school record last year before joining the Gophers. Smith and Horejsi were part of the Gophers' medal-winning medley relays at Big Tens.
Senior diver Yu Zhou was the 2015 3-meter champion and NCAA Diver of the Year the same year. This season, she won both springboard events at both the Big Ten Championships and the Zone D Diving Championships on her way to qualifying for this week's meet.
Classmate Lexi Tenenbaum makes her third NCAA Championships appearance, and will compete in all three diving events. She placed 13th on platform last year to earn All-America Honorable Mention. Freshman Sarah Bacon, a Big Ten bronze medalist in 3-meter, will make her NCAA debut.
Junior Danielle Nack makes her third NCAA Championships appearance. She was part of all five relays that qualified at the Big Ten Championships, and was invited to compete in the 200 freestyle and 200 butterfly. Her sophomore sister, Chantal Nack, dropped time in all her events this season and will compete in the 500 free as well as some relays.
Big Ten Freshman of the Year Tevyn Waddell earned a spot in the 100 backstroke by setting the Minnesota record at Big Tens. The Big Ten 100 back champion is also part of multiple Gopher relays.
Sophomore Zoe Avestruz won Big Ten bronze in the 100 free. She will compete in both sprint free events and the 100 back as well as relays this week.
Brooke Zeiger will make the trip after missing Big Ten Championships with a medical issue impeding her training. The junior and Big Ten record holder in the 1,650 free and school record holder in the 400 IM was invited in both those events as well as the 500 free.
"We're just going to enjoy being with the team and do our best, and I'm just happy she's with us," Kremer said.
Minnesota set program records in both medley relays at Big Tens, winning gold in the 200 and silver in the 400. The 400 and 800 free relays both earned bronze. Kaia Grobe is traveling with the team to NCAAs as a relay alternate.
"Our relays are in really good shape," Kremer said. "On both the women's and men's side, we have all five there, and all five are seeded very well, so it's great opportunities for those relays and for our student-athletes to work their way into All-America or All-America Honorable Mention status."
NCAA Selections and Seed Times/Zone Diving Scores
Zoe Avestruz
50 Free (22.17)
100 Free (48.33)
100 Back (52.49)
Sarah Bacon
1-meter (623.60, 12 dives)
3-meter (670.35)
Lindsey Horejsi
100 Breast (58.90)
200 Breast (2:08.89)
Chantal Nack
500 Free (4:41.84)
Danielle Nack
200 Free (1:45.27)
200 Fly (1:56.46)
Kierra Smith
100 Breast (58.95)
200 Breast (2:04.37)
Lexi Tenenbaum
1-meter (598.10)
3-meter (667.75)
Platform (527.30, 10 dives)
Tevyn Waddell
100 Back (51.96)
Brooke Zeiger
500 Free (4:39.55)
1,650 Free (15:44.00)
400 IM (4:02.71)
Yu Zhou
1-meter (658.65)
3-meter (753.45)
200 Free Relay (1:29.74)
400 Free Relay (3:15.91)
800 Free Relay (7:00.61)
200 Medley Relay (1:35.55)
400 Medley Relay (3:30.70)
| NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS | |
| Dates | Wednesday, March 15-Saturday, March 18 |
| Time | Prelims: 9 a.m. CT / Finals: 5 p.m. CT |
| Location | Indianapolis, Ind. / IUPUI Natatorium |
| Meet Information | Championship Central / Schedule (ET) / Program |
| Live Stats | Live Stats / Diving Live Scoring |
| Live Video | Day 1 / Day 2 / Day 3 / Day 4 / ESPN3 (Day 3-4 Finals) |
| Psych Sheets | Psych Sheet / Qualified Divers |
| Clips | Nack sisters take on Indy together |
| Social Media | @GopherSwimDive / Facebook / Instagram |
Ten Minnesota swimmers and divers will compete in individual events at this week's NCAA Championships, and all five Golden Gopher relays will race. The national meet is set for Wednesday, March 15-Saturday, March 18 in Indianapolis.
Wednesday's 5 p.m. finals session will start the meet. The next three days will begin with prelims at 9 a.m. The meet will be streamed through ESPN3 and the NCAA website. ESPNU's tape delayed coverage will air March 28 at 6 p.m. CT.
"It's a team with a lot of experience, and a lot of big meet experience behind them," Minnesota head coach Kelly Kremer said. "A lot of them were at U.S. Olympic Trials. Kierra (Smith) was at the Olympic Games last summer. On the diving side, you can't beat the divers that we're taking. I think all that experience means a lot at a meet like NCAAs. I can't wait to be a part of it with them."
Smith, a senior, won the 2015 title in the 200-yard breaststroke before taking last season off to train for the Olympics. The Canadian made the 200-meter breaststroke final in Rio, and will rematch fellow Olympian Lilly King in the 200-yard breaststroke this weekend. King won the Big Ten title ahead of a late-surging Smith, who still posted one of the top five 200 breast swims ever recorded.
"I've coached Kierra for five years now and I've gotten to watch her race in a lot of big meets," Kremer said. "It's always exciting as an athlete and as a coach to work with these young people. I can't wait to watch it."
Freshman Lindsey Horejsi will join Smith in both breaststroke events. She is seeded seventh in the 100, an event in which she broke the national high school record last year before joining the Gophers. Smith and Horejsi were part of the Gophers' medal-winning medley relays at Big Tens.
Senior diver Yu Zhou was the 2015 3-meter champion and NCAA Diver of the Year the same year. This season, she won both springboard events at both the Big Ten Championships and the Zone D Diving Championships on her way to qualifying for this week's meet.
Classmate Lexi Tenenbaum makes her third NCAA Championships appearance, and will compete in all three diving events. She placed 13th on platform last year to earn All-America Honorable Mention. Freshman Sarah Bacon, a Big Ten bronze medalist in 3-meter, will make her NCAA debut.
Junior Danielle Nack makes her third NCAA Championships appearance. She was part of all five relays that qualified at the Big Ten Championships, and was invited to compete in the 200 freestyle and 200 butterfly. Her sophomore sister, Chantal Nack, dropped time in all her events this season and will compete in the 500 free as well as some relays.
Big Ten Freshman of the Year Tevyn Waddell earned a spot in the 100 backstroke by setting the Minnesota record at Big Tens. The Big Ten 100 back champion is also part of multiple Gopher relays.
Sophomore Zoe Avestruz won Big Ten bronze in the 100 free. She will compete in both sprint free events and the 100 back as well as relays this week.
Brooke Zeiger will make the trip after missing Big Ten Championships with a medical issue impeding her training. The junior and Big Ten record holder in the 1,650 free and school record holder in the 400 IM was invited in both those events as well as the 500 free.
"We're just going to enjoy being with the team and do our best, and I'm just happy she's with us," Kremer said.
Minnesota set program records in both medley relays at Big Tens, winning gold in the 200 and silver in the 400. The 400 and 800 free relays both earned bronze. Kaia Grobe is traveling with the team to NCAAs as a relay alternate.
"Our relays are in really good shape," Kremer said. "On both the women's and men's side, we have all five there, and all five are seeded very well, so it's great opportunities for those relays and for our student-athletes to work their way into All-America or All-America Honorable Mention status."
NCAA Selections and Seed Times/Zone Diving Scores
Zoe Avestruz
50 Free (22.17)
100 Free (48.33)
100 Back (52.49)
Sarah Bacon
1-meter (623.60, 12 dives)
3-meter (670.35)
Lindsey Horejsi
100 Breast (58.90)
200 Breast (2:08.89)
Chantal Nack
500 Free (4:41.84)
Danielle Nack
200 Free (1:45.27)
200 Fly (1:56.46)
Kierra Smith
100 Breast (58.95)
200 Breast (2:04.37)
Lexi Tenenbaum
1-meter (598.10)
3-meter (667.75)
Platform (527.30, 10 dives)
Tevyn Waddell
100 Back (51.96)
Brooke Zeiger
500 Free (4:39.55)
1,650 Free (15:44.00)
400 IM (4:02.71)
Yu Zhou
1-meter (658.65)
3-meter (753.45)
200 Free Relay (1:29.74)
400 Free Relay (3:15.91)
800 Free Relay (7:00.61)
200 Medley Relay (1:35.55)
400 Medley Relay (3:30.70)
Players Mentioned
Freestyle/Backstroke
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Diving
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Freestyle
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Breaststroke/IM
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Middle/Distance Freestyle/Backstroke
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Butterfly/Sprint Free
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Breaststroke
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Diving
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Backstroke/Butterfly/Freestyle
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
IM/Backstroke/Freestyle
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Diving
/ Women's Swimming & DivingElna Widerstrom: NCAA Bronze Medalist
Thursday, March 26
Elna Widerstrom Wins B1G 1M Title
Thursday, February 26
Vivi Del Angel Wins B1G Platform Title
Thursday, February 26
Vivi Del Angel BTN Interview
Thursday, February 26