March 20, 2008
Columbus, Ohio - The women's 400 medley relay team highlighted the first day of the NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships for the Penn State women's swimming team, as the team earned honorable mention All-American status with a 16th place finish in the finals of that event. The team was the only relay team or individual to score on Thursday for the Nittany Lions, who sit in 31st place with two points after the first day of a very fast NCAA Championships.
Of the five swimming events that were contested on Thursday, three saw new NCAA and NCAA meet records set, all five saw new pool records set, and one saw a new U.S. record set.
Penn State's 400 medley relay team of Kaitlyn Ferguson, Abby Hoisington, Kelly Nelson and Michelle Myers swam a time of 3:38.62 in the morning prelims to finish 16th. Then, in tonight's finals, the team finished in 3:39.43 to also place 16th. With the 16th place finish, it marks the eighth straight year that a Penn State relay team has been either an All-American or an honorable mention All-American. Ferguson and Myers both earn honorable mention All-American status for the first time in their careers, as they are also making their first career appearances at NCAAs. Nelson is now an honorable mention All-American for the third straight year and for the fifth time overall in her career while Hoisington earns her second career honorable mention All-American honor. Her first was in the same event as a freshman.
Also competing for Penn State on Thursday were a trio of swimmers in the 500 free. Nelson finished 27th in 4:45.55, Kailey Morris placed 42nd in 4:48.25 and Stephanie Roop took 51st in 4:54.79.
In the 200 IM, Kaitlin O'Brien just missed making the consolation finals as she placed 18th in 1:59.36. Daphne Skelos swam her best time of the year of 2:00.08 but finished 28th. Hoisington placed 58th in 2:03.05 while Clare Clemens placed 61st in 2:03.83.
Myers also swam her best time of the year in the prelims of the 50 free, missing out by just a few spots of making the consolation finals as she finished tied for 22nd in :22.71, also a career best time and lowered her own previous school record time of :22.75.
The Nittany Lions will have entrants in five of six events that are to be contested tomorrow, including O'Brien in the 400 IM, who is a former All-American and a former honorable mention All-American in that event.
Complete Results of today's action and live scoring of the rest of the championships are available here.