March 7, 2016
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. ââ'¬" Led by seniors Alyson Ackman (Montreal, Quebec) and Melissa Rodriguez (Chihuahua, Mexico) making their fourth appearances, six individuals and four relay teams from Penn State have qualified for the NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships. The NCAA Championships will be hosted by Georgia Tech in Atlanta Mar. 17-19
Joining Ackman and Rodriguez in individual events will be classmates Katie Rowe (Glenville, N.Y.) 0and Kailtin Jones (Midlothian, Va.), and juniors Katelyn Sowinski (Severna Park, Md.) and Casey Francis (East Meadow, N.Y.). Joining the relays will be senior Haley Sinatro (West Hartford, Conn.), juniors Megan Wujciak (Livingston, N.J.) and Katie Saloky (Bloomsburg, Pa.) and sophomore Niki Price (Manchester, Pa.)
Ackman will be capping her standout collegiate career competing individually in the 50, 100 and 200 freestyles. She ranks highest in the 200 in which her season-best time of 1:44.70 ranks 16th nationally. Her 100 time of 48.67 ranks 33rd. Ackman has garnered 10 All-America honors and placed fifth in the 200 freestyle as a sophomore.
Rodriguez will look to continue to lead the Lions in the 200 breaststroke. She will enter the meet ranking 20th in the 200 with a time of 2:08.83 and ranking 41st in the 100 with a time of 1:00.76 . She will also compete in the 200 IM on the first day of competition. Rowe is making her third appearance at the NCAA Championships after swimming a seasons best of 1:56.23 in the 200 butterfly at a Last Chance qualifier. In addition to the 200 Fly, she will compete in the 200 IM and 400 IM. Her 200 butterfly time currently ranks her 27th nationally.
Jones is making her second NCAA Championships appearance after competing on three relay teams at the 2015 Championships and earning First Team All-America honors as a member of the 800 freestyle relay. This year she will expand her role, qualifying to compete individually for the first time by posting a 1:45.67 200 freestyle. She will join Ackman competing in the 50,100 and 200 freestyles as well as the Nittany Lion relays.
Sowinski, a junior, will be making her third appearance. She and classmate Francis tied at the Big Ten Championships in the 500 free, posting identical season-best times of 4:42.06 at the Big Ten Championships, ranking them 32nd nationally. Sowinski's Championship line up will include the 500 freestyle on Thursday and two events on Sunday, the 200 butterfly and 1650 freestyle. Francis, making her second appearance, will compete in the 500 freestyle, 1650 freestyle and 400 IM. Her school record time in the 1650 freestyle of 16:05.37 currently ranks 14th in the country.
The Nittany Lions will compete in the 200, 400 and 800 freestyle relays and the 400 medley relay at the Championship.
Sinatro returns to the NCAA Championships for the first time since her sophomore year when she garnered honorable mention All-America honors as a member of Penn State's 200 medley relay team. Sinatro has contributed to season-best efforts in the 200 and school record 400 freestyle relay this season.
Saloky will be making her second appearance after earning honorable mention All-America honors as part of the 200 freestyle relay team that placed 12th at the NCAA Championships last season in a school-record 1:28.30.
Wujciak and Price will be making their NCAA debuts. Price has contributed to season-bests in the 400 medley relay and 400, 800 freestyle relays, with Wujciak joining her on the 800 freestyle relay.