March 5, 2009
COLLEGE STATION - Texas A&M sophomore Casey Hurrell-Zitelman (San Antonio) broke the oldest women's swimming record on the A&M books on the first of four days of action at the Speedo Championship Series Southern Sectionals being held at the Student Rec Center Natatorium.
Hurrell-Zitelman surged past the 19-year-old 1,000-yard freestyle team record of 9:49.61, set by Joan Wojtowicz at the 1990 NCAA Championships in Austin, by winning in a time of 9:43.91. Hurrell-Zitelman had just missed taking the mark down during her 1,000 split while swimming the 1,650 at the Big 12 Championships five days ago in Columbia, Mo. (9:49.96).
Freshman Alyssa Conner (Granite Bay, Calif.) cleared the 10-minute mark for the first time in her career, grabbing fourth-place in 9:58.15, one spot ahead of A&M signee Maureen McLaine (10:01.52). Conner now ranks sixth in A&M history in the event. A second Aggie signee, Liz Nelson, placed eighth in 10:07.98.
Thanks to Hurrell-Zitelman's effort on Thursday, every current A&M women's swimming record has now been set by a swimmer coached by the current coaching staff. All 19 of Texas A&M's women's swimming school records have been set in the past two seasons.