Austin, Texas¨C The Penn State women¡¯s swim team finished a respectable 21st at the NCAA Swimming Championships. The Nittany Lions finished with a total team score of 46 points, while Auburn University won the team title with a score of 474 points.
The Nittany Lions struggled on the second day of competition, but on the final day of the Championships, the Lions showed the grit and determination that led them to their first ever Big Ten Championship. The final day of the meet saw the Nittany Lions set two school records and swim five season best times.
In the championship final of the 200-yard breaststroke, Corrie Clark (Malvern, Pa.), earned the highest Penn State placing of the meet with a 7th place finish. Her time of 2:12.13 just missed lowering the school record of 2:12.11 she set in the prelims. Clark¡¯s 7th place finish earned her All-America honors.
Sally Anderson continued her strong showing at the Championships. The sophomore from Somerset, N.J. swam a season best time of 16:38.21 in the 1650-yard freestyle. In the three days of competition, Anderson, set a school record, placed 13th in the 500-yard freestyle and swam a stellar relay leg as a member of the 800-yard freestyle relay. She perhaps turned in the most successful performances of the Championship for the Nittany Lions.
In the three days of competition, Penn State garnered eight top 20 finishes, five top 16 finishes and three top ten finishes. The Nittany Lions swam to three school records and seven season best times. Corrie Clark was the sole first-team All-American with her 7th place in the 200 breast. The following swimmers earned honorable-mention All-American status: Sally Anderson (500 free), Katie Bruzda (400 MR), Piper Chamberlin (200 FR), Dieirdre Dlugonski (200 FR, 400 MR), Katie Hostetler (200 FR), Kristin Weinhold (200 FR), and Kristen Woodring (100 breast, 400 MR).
Natalie Coughlin of California was named the Outstanding Swimmer. Coughlin set four NCAA, American and US Open records. She set records in the 50 back, 100 back, 200 back and 100 butterfly. Many observers called it the greatest performance in NCAA Championships history.
