COLLEGE STATION, Texas --- Texas A&M senior Sarah Henry guaranteed her spot at the 2015 NCAA Championships with an NCAA “A” cut in the 400-yard IM to highlight the No. 1-ranked Aggies' second day at the Art Adamson Invitational on Friday.
It was another strong day for the Aggies, who maintained their spot atop the team standings with 836.5 points and posted 24 NCAA qualifying cuts. Stanford is second in the team standings with 733.5 points, followed by LSU, Boise State, Arizona State, SMU, Grand Canyon and TCU.
Henry, from Garner, N.C., led a 1-2-3 Texas A&M sweep in the race as she touched first in a season-best 4:04.92. That time was nearly three seconds faster than the nation's fastest entering the weekend. Henry was challenged by a pair of freshman teammates – Bethany Galat and Lisa Bratton. Galat took second in 4:09.58, while Bratton was third in 4:11.08.
Also logging an individual victory was sophomore diver Madison Hudkins, who took the win in the one-meter dive. Hudkins, from Murrieta, Calif., out-distanced the field with a score of 320.20.
The Aggies opened the meet with a second-place finish in the 200-yard medley relay with the foursome of senior Kelli Benjamin, sophomore Sycerika McMahon, freshman Beryl Gastaldello and senior Sammie Bosma touching in an NCAA “B” cut time of 1:38.10.
The Aggies logged a trio of NCAA “B” cuts in the 100 fly with Gastaldello finishing fifth in 52.69, Bosma taking eighth in 53.67 and senior Emily Neubert taking 10th in 54.13.
Four of the eight Championship finalists in the 200 free were Aggies with senior Ellen Quirke taking third in 1:46.25, junior Meredith Oliver and Bosma sweeping fifth and sixth and Henry taking eighth.
Three-time NCAA Champion Breeja Larson finished her eligibility after the 2013-14 season, but the Aggies remain strong in the 100 breaststroke. The Aggies put four swimmers in the 100 breast Championship final with McMahon taking third in 1:00.45, sophomore Franko Jonker and junior Ashley McGregor finishing 5-6 and Galat taking eighth.
In the 100 backstroke, Gastaldello was the Aggies' top finisher at third in 53.12, followed by Claire Brandt in fourth, Benjamin in seventh and Bratton in eighth.
The Aggies closed out the meet with second-place finish in the 800-meter free relay with the quartet of sophomore Sarah Gibson, Oliver, Quirke and Henry touching in 7:09.32.
Texas A&M Women's Results
NCAA cuts in evening finals
200 medley relay
Texas A&M (Kelli Benjamin, Sycerika McMahon, Beryl Gastaldello, Sammie Bosma)
2nd, 1:38.10 B
400 IM
Sarah Henry, 1st, 4:04.92 A
Bethany Galat, 2nd, 4:09.58 B
Lisa Bratton, 3rd, 4:11.08 B
Nancy Schuchardt, 7th, 4:17.90 B
100 Fly
Beryl Gastaldello, 5th, 52.69 B
Sammie Bosma, 8th, 53.67 B
Emily Neubert, 10, 54.13 B
200 Free
Ellen Quirke, 3rd, 1:46.25 B
Meredith Oliver, 5th, 1:46.89 B
Sammie Bosma, 6th, 1:46.98 B
Sarah Henry, 8th, 1:47.43 B
Sarah Gibson, 10th, 1:46.86 B
100 Breast
Sycerika McMahon, 3rd, 1:00.45 B
Franko Jonker, 5th, 1:00.80 B
Ashley McGregor, 6th, 1:00.96 B
Bethany Galat, 8th, 1:01.78 B
100 Back
Beryl Gastaldello, 3rd, 53.12 B
Claire Brandt, 4th, 53.39 B
Kelli Benjamin, 7th, 53.54 B
Lisa Bratton, 8th, 54.03 B
Laura Norman, 12th, 54.27 B
800 Free Relay
Texas A&M (Sarah Gibson, Meredith Oliver, Ellen Quirke, Sarah Henry)
2nd, 7:09.32 B
1-Meter Dive
Madison Hudkins, 1st, 320.20 Z
Destine'e O'Neal, 11, 248.10