March 21, 2008
Columbus, Ohio - Kaitlin O'Brien highlighted the performances for the Penn State women's swimming team on the second day of the NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships as she finished 11th in the finals of the 400 IM on Friday night, earned her honorable mention All-American status for the second straight year. The 800 free relay team also earned honorable mention All-American status as it tied for 16th place.
This marks the third straight year that O'Brien has scored at NCAA's in the 400 IM, as she was an honorable mention All-American last year as well and was an All-American as a freshman. The junior finished the finals in a time of 4:10.79 after placing 10th in the morning prelims in 4:11.15.
The 800 free relay team of Kelly Nelson, Michelle Myers, Kailey Morris and Stephanie Roop tied for 16th place with Princeton, finishing in 7:14.25. Penn State's most competitive 800 free relay team did not qualify for NCAA's on its NCAA `B' time but both Myers and Morris, who normally did not swim in the 800 free relay this year, joined Nelson and Roop, who have swam in that event this year, as four individuals with NCAA `A' time in individual events to make up an 800 free relay team for these championships.
Nelson and Myers now each are two-time honorable mention All-Americans this year after also finishing 16th as a part of the 400 medley relay team last night, while Morris earns her second career honorable mention All-American honor, as she was the same last year in the 200 butterfly. The honor is the first of Roop's career. Penn State now has seven different individual honorable mention All-Americans this year.
As a team, the Nittany Lions are tied for 31st place after two nights of NCAA's with nine points.
While O'Brien and the 800 free relay team were the only people to score for Penn State on Friday, a few others just missed out. The Nittany Lions had entrants in five of the seven swimming events that were contested on Friday. In the 200 free, Kelly Nelson finished 20th in the prelims in a time of 1:46.55. In the 100 breaststroke prelims, Abby Hoisington finished just three spots out of a spot in the consolation finals as she took 19th in 1:01.75, the fastest time of the year on the team in that event. Michelle Myers finished just two spots out of a spot in the consolation finals in the 100 back prelims, taking 18th in :54.10, her fastest time of the year and the fastest time of the year on the team.
The 200 medley relay team of Ferguson, Caitlin Meehan, Kelly Nelson and Myers finished 19th in 1:40.50, which was the fastest time of the year on the team for a 200 medley relay team.
Also in the 200 free, Stephanie Roop finished 71st in 1:50.46. Caitlin Meehan finished 27th in the 100 breast prelims in 1:02.24. Kaitlyn Ferguson also finished 33rd in the 100 back in :55.09.
Penn State is scheduled to have entrants in five of the six swimming events scheduled for tomorrow, including the 1650 free, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly and 200 back.
Complete results of the meet and live scoring are available here.