Photo Courtesy: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Queens’ Patricia Castro-Ortega started the 2016 NCAA Division II Championships with a new NCAA DII record in the 200 IM to take the top seed heading into tonight’s final. Her time of 1:57.19 crushed her own record of 1:58.60 she set last year.
West Florida’s Theresa Michalak was the other swimmer under two minutes this morning, taking the second seed in 1:58.56. Lynn’s Rebecca Matthews was third in 2:00.75.
Wingate’s Sofia Petrenko (2:00.82), Queen’s Caroline Arakelian (2:01.52), Queen’s Josephina Lorda (2:02.42), Truman State’s Evyn Spencer (2:03.16), and Drury’s Gretchen Stein (2:04.04) rounded out the top eight.
=== Preliminaries ===
1 Castro Ortega, Patri SR Queens (NC) 2:04.73 1:57.19R
r:+0.72 25.47 55.53 (30.06)
1:29.40 (33.87) 1:57.19 (27.79)
2 Michalak, Theresa JR West Florida 1:59.82 1:58.56R
r:+0.69 26.06 55.32 (29.26)
1:29.82 (34.50) 1:58.56 (28.74)
3 Matthews, Rebecca SR Lynn 2:01.04 2:00.75
r:+0.65 26.19 57.75 (31.56)
1:31.70 (33.95) 2:00.75 (29.05)
4 Petrenko, Sofia JR Wingate 1:59.93 2:00.82
r:+0.75 26.11 56.73 (30.62)
1:31.75 (35.02) 2:00.82 (29.07)
5 Arakelian, Caroline SR Queens (NC) 2:02.56 2:01.52
r:+0.74 26.70 56.08 (29.38)
1:31.67 (35.59) 2:01.52 (29.85)
6 Lorda, Josephina FR Queens (NC) 2:03.29 2:02.42
r:+0.73 26.41 56.93 (30.52)
1:33.46 (36.53) 2:02.42 (28.96)
7 Spencer, Evyn JR Truman St. 2:00.95 2:03.16
r:+0.68 26.37 56.09 (29.72)
1:33.79 (37.70) 2:03.16 (29.37)
8 Stein, Gretchen SR Drury 2:02.51 2:04.04
r:+0.71 26.93 58.01 (31.08)
1:34.73 (36.72) 2:04.04 (29.31)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
9 Belova, Daria SO Fresno Pacific 2:02.48 2:04.20
r:+0.76 25.75 57.28 (31.53)
1:33.67 (36.39) 2:04.20 (30.53)
10 Westman, Malin SO Nova S'eastern 2:04.38 2:04.30
r:+0.75 27.61 59.53 (31.92)
1:34.12 (34.59) 2:04.30 (30.18)
11 Mattar, Hannah SR Ashland 2:06.10 2:04.41
r:+0.69 27.50 59.73 (32.23)
1:35.07 (35.34) 2:04.41 (29.34)
11 Meredith, Paige JR Jewell 2:04.01 2:04.41
r:+0.70 26.71 57.40 (30.69)
1:34.36 (36.96) 2:04.41 (30.05)
13 Basra, Bavindeep SO Fresno Pacific 2:04.67 2:04.43
r:+0.69 27.42 58.87 (31.45)
1:34.75 (35.88) 2:04.43 (29.68)
14 Huttner, Madelyn SR UCSD 2:03.49 2:04.57
r:+0.77 26.95 57.86 (30.91)
1:34.66 (36.80) 2:04.57 (29.91)
15 Tipton, Amanda FR Queens (NC) 2:05.74 2:04.80
r:+0.74 27.04 57.64 (30.60)
1:35.45 (37.81) 2:04.80 (29.35)
16 Hapsari, Patricia SR Cal Baptist 2:05.60 2:05.29
r:+0.72 27.72 58.56 (30.84)
1:35.48 (36.92) 2:05.29 (29.81)
Interesting that both DIi records broken today we’re done by foreign swimmers.
Castro-Ortega is from Spain and is obviously hoping for a spot on the Spanishbteam to Rio whikevDrury’s Wen Xu us a firmer member if China’s national team and oresumablybtherecwould intending to swim at tgeirvOkympic Trials next month.
And of course the girl who won Big Ten 50’free last month is a former Chinese national team member too as is the Muchigan girl who I think won Big Ten 400 IM.
Wonder if anyone’s tried recruiting Yang Sun or the Chinese girl who’s defending Ilymouc 400 IN champ?
Oh forgot. They!re professionals and in the case of Mr. Sun he could probably BUY any Anerican college he wanted w/ Hhis winnings!