Nov. 21, 2009
The Texas A&M women's swimming and diving team delivered seven more wins and 15 NCAA qualifying cuts on the second day of the Cougar Classic Fall Invitational on Saturday at the University of Houston's Campus Recreation and Wellness Center Natatorium.
The Aggies have doubled up the next closest team in team standings with 1,054 points. SMU and LSU are battling for runner-up honors with 496 and 436 points, respectively, and the host Cougars are in a solid fourth place with 355 points.
"It was another good, solid day for us," Aggie head coach Steve Bultman said. "We had two good sessions, both morning and evening. We picked up a number of NCAA cuts and lot of lifetime bests, which is good to see at this time of the year. We were solid in both relays, especially the 200 medley."
Senior All-American Alia Atkinson posted the Aggies' lone NCAA "A" cut of the day with a strong 59.98 clocking in her victory in the 100-yard breaststroke.
A&M grabbed the top two spots in the 400 IM and both were NCAA "B" cuts. Junior Emily Neal was second in 4:17.15.
The Aggies posted three "B" cuts in the 100 butterfly as freshman Kendra Chernoff touched first in 53.22, sophomore Rita Medrano was second in 53.91 and Atkinson placed fourth in 54.28.
A&M's depth shined in the 200 freestyle with four Aggies logging NCAA "B" cuts. Senior Julia Wilkinson was first in 1:45.10, senior Kristen Heiss was second in 1:45.69, freshman Maureen McLaine placed fourth in 1:48.18 and freshman Kristina Kontrimas was fifth in 1:48.79.
Wilkinson grabbed her second victory of the day with a win in the 100 backstroke with a "B" cut time of 53.39.
Divers Jaele Patrick and Janie Potvin both earned NCAA Zone qualifying scores as Patrick took second with a total of 294.10 and Potvin was fifth with a score of 275.65.
The Aggies swept both relays with the foursome of freshman Melissa Hain, Heiss, McLaine and Wilkinson outclassing the field in the 800 free relay with a time of 7:11.21.09