Texas A&M
Auburn
Aggie Women Sweep No. 8 Auburn, No. 19 SMU
Jan 09, 2010 | Women's Swimming and Diving
Jan. 9, 2010
The No. 6 Texas A&M women's swimming and diving team lived up to its ranking with a double dual sweep of No. 8 Auburn and No. 19 SMU on Saturday at the TAMU Student Recreation Natatorium. The Aggies beat the Tigers, 169-129, and defeated the Mustangs, 172-110.
The Aggies won 11 events with senior Olympian Julia Wilkinson leading the way with three individual wins. A&M also received a pair of wins from true freshman Alia Atkinson, and single wins from senior Kristin Heiss, sophomore Emily Neal. Wilkinson and Atkinson also helped the Aggies to a win in the 200-yard medley relay.
"Looking at this meet before, I figured it was going to be up for grabs because there was no event that we absolutely were going to win and no event where they were absolutely going to win," Aggie head swimming coach Steve Bultman said. "Sometimes you get the snowball effect. Thankfully the first couple of races went really well for us and it kind of snowballed. We got more confidence and believed that we could do it. I was very pleased. The girls did a great job."
Wilkinson posted strong victories in the 100 backstroke (53.67), 100 freestyle (49.24) and 200 IM (1:59.42), all of which are NCAA "B" cut times. She also turned in a 25.06 backstroke split on the Aggies' victorious medley relay, which staked A&M to a commanding lead.
"She's been training very well the last few days," Bultman. "Her backstroke looks very good. When she leads off the medley relay in 25.0, that's big for us."
McLaine continued the strong start to her A&M career with victories in the 500 free (4:50.94) and 1,650 free (16:31.11). She was closely trailed in both races by fellow freshman Liz Nelson, who logged second in both races.
Atkinson swept her specialty with victories in the 100 breast (1:01.98) and the 200 breast (2:13.41). Atkinson showed her fitness in the 200 breast by making up a 1.62-second deficit after the first 100 and then posting a 1.39-second victory.
Heiss took the victory in the 200 free with a time of 1:48.23, Medrano struck gold in the 200 butterfly in 1:59.03 and Neal won the 200 backstroke in 1:59.20.
The 200 medley relay team of Wilkinson, Atkinson, freshman Kendra Chernoff and junior Maria Sommer edged Auburn at the wall for the win.
