Jan. 3, 2009
CORAL GABLES, Fla. - The eighth-ranked Texas A&M women's swimming team swept all nine races in an exhibition meet against the University of Miami on Saturday morning at the Norman Whitten Student Union Pool.
The Aggies (5-0) won all nine races, all swam at unconventional distances, and captured first place in both relays. Each Aggie swimmer contested three events each.
"We've been working pretty hard while we've been down here," A&M head coach Steve Bultman said. "We are definitely tired but we had some girls step up and swim extremely well. It was great to see a number of the girls get up and race hard even though they are tired."
Junior Emily Neal (Plano) was the Aggies' top performer against the Hurricanes, winning two individual races and leading off the first relay victory of the day. Neal won the 125-yard backstroke in 1:13.3 while edging out junior teammate Melissa Hain (Kingwood) in the 300-yard individual medley (3:13.5). Neal teamed with junior Renee Iserman (Spring), senior Triin Aljand (Tallinn, Estonia), and junior Sarah Woods (Birmingham, Ala.) to win the 300-yard medley relay as well (2:47.0).
Melissa Hain, and junior Alia Atkinson (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) to win the 500-yard freestyle crescendo relay (50-100-150-200) in 4:35.1.
Both Atkinson and Hain added individual wins prior to swimming on the victorious final relay. Atkinson easily won the 125-yard breaststroke in 1:21.8 while Hain edged out senior Codie Hansen (Arlington) to grab the 125-yard freestyle in 1:07.4.
Sophomore Casey Hurrell-Zitelman (San Antonio) led a strong A&M effort in the 400-yard freestyle (3:58.7) while freshman Lauren Clifford (Pollock Pines, Calif.) in the 125-yard butterfly in 1:12.3.
"Rita and Lauren had some outstanding butterfly swims and relays," Bultman said. "Emily also had two good swims. Her 300 IM was particularly good."
The Aggies will continue training in Miami until Wednesday, Jan. 7. A&M will resume its competition schedule one week from today when they take on No. 18 SMU in Dallas at 1 p.m.