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MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota, March 21. PAIGE Miller made history for Texas A&M as the first Aggie to ever win the 100-yard back as she followed teammate Breeja Larson’s American record in the 100 breast with a win tonight at the NCAA Division I Women’s Championships.
Miller joined the upper echelon of Aggie NCAA winners with a blazing time of 50.77 for the win. That swim bettered her lifetime best of 50.91, but came up just short of clearing Courtney Bartholomew (50.73) for fifth on the all time list. Miller now joins Larson, Julia Wilkinson, Alia Atkinson, and Cammile Adams as Aggie NCAA titlists.
California’s Cindy Tran, a two-time winner of the event as a freshman and sophomore, came up just short of a third victory with a time of 50.81. That was a bit off her third-ranked time of 50.31 that she used to win in 2012, but was enough to earn runner-up status tonight.
Stanford’s Felicia Lee, who also scorched the field in the 100 fly for a win tonight, placed third in 50.91 to break 51 seconds for the first time. Her previous record had been a 12th-ranked 51.29.
Indiana’s Brooklyn Snodgrass finished fourth overall in 51.05 to move to 10th all time in the event, while Bartholomew picked up fifth in 51.12.
California’s Melanie Klaren (51.32), FGCU’s Kira Toussaint (51.81) and Auburn’s Emily Bos (51.84) rounded out the rest of the finale.
In what felt a bit like an A final, Georgia’s Olivia Smoliga won the consolation heat in 51.47, while Florida’s Sinead Russell placed second in 51.82. Last year’s NCAA winner, Rachel Bootsma of California, obviously had a tough day falling to the B final with a third-place time of 51.85.
Auburn’s Jillian Vitarius (52.30), Texas’ Lily Moldenhauer (52.43), San Diego State’s Anike Apostalon (52.54), Michigan’s Alex Deloof (52.66) and Florida State’s McKayla Lightbourn (52.90) closed out the rest of the B final.
Splits
1 Miller, Paige SR Texas A&M 50.97 50.77 20
r:+0.55 24.70 50.77 (26.07)
2 Tran, Cindy SR California 51.17 50.81 17
r:+0.50 24.44 50.81 (26.37)
Team Standings
1. Georgia 315
2. Stanford 265
3. California 245
4. Texas A&M 202.5
5. USC 155
6. Tennessee 137
7. Florida 132
8. Arizona 80
9. Indiana 71
10. Texas 70
