CSR (Weima Captures National Title in 200 Freestyle With Record Time - Calvin 7th After Day Two)

CALVIN SPORTS REPORT FOR MARCH 10, 2006 (PART TWO)

NCAA III WOMEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS REPORT FOR DAY TWO

MINNEAPOLIS, MN * Calvin College junior Becky Weima picked up her second national title in as many days with a record-setting performance Friday night at the NCAA III Women's Swimming and Diving Championships at the University of Minnesota.

Weima defended her national title in the 200 freestyle on Friday with an NCAA III record-setting time of 1:49.02. Weima's time eclipsed the previous record of 1:49.09 set by Marie Marsman of Carleton College in 2003. With Carleton College serving as host, Marsman was there in person Friday night to shake Weima's hand.

"That was a very classy move by Marie (Marsman)," said Calvin women's swim coach Dan Gelderloos. "I know that meant a lot to Becky and it made the night all the more special for her."

Heading into the race Friday night, Gelderloos had a feeling that Weima would make a serious run at the national record. "Becky has been on fire in this meet and she's full of confidence," said Gelderloos. "I knew she had a chance to get the record. It was just a matter of hitting all of her turns and finishing strong and she followed the game plan perfectly."

Weima is the second MIAA athlete to set a national swimming record as Josh Boss of Hope College holds the NCAA III record in the 100 and 200 breaststroke on the men's side. Kalamazoo's Jeff Gorton also owns a national men's diving record on the three-meter board.

Weima was also part of an All-America swim in the 800 freestyle relay as the Calvin quartet of sophomore Stephanie Duncan (Long Grove, IL), senior Abby Johnson (Grand Haven HS) freshman Julie Wolfe (Westerville, OH) and Weima took seventh with a time of 7:42.82. Calvin has now posted All-America swims in three of the four relays and posted an honorable mention All-America effort in the fourth as the Knights took 15th in the 200 medley relay Friday night in a time of 1:50.12. The Calvin 200 medley relay team was made up of freshman Jordan Scott (Oakville, ON), junior Alex Wilson (Ellsworth, OH), Johnson and sophomore Kat Vinson (Kaneohe, HI).

The Knights are now in seventh place in the team standings with a total of 135 points, just six points behind sixth place Denison. Defending national champion Emory University took over the first place lead from Kenyon, building a total of 311 points with Kenyon in second with 274.

"Our biggest goal as a team is to finish in the top 10 and improve upon our 10th place finish from last year," said Gelderloos. "We've got an excellent chance of doing that and if we have a big finish tomorrow, we might even be able to move up a spot or two."

Weima is scheduled to compete in the 100 freestyle tomorrow where she is the top seed. Freshman Erica Deur (Holland Christian HS) is slated to compete in the three-meter diving competition while Wilson will swim in the 200 breaststroke, Vinson in the 100 freestyle and Johnson in the 200 backstroke. In addition, Weima, Duncan, Vinson and junior Liz Ingebrigtsen will compete in the 400 freestyle relay.

Women - Team Rankings - Through Event 13
 
  1. Emory University 311
2. Kenyon College 274
  3. Williams College 191
 4. Washington University 174
  5. Amherst College 164
6. Denison University 141
  7. Calvin College 135
8. Middlebury College 119
  9. Claremont M-S 104
10. UW Stevens Point 99

Jeff Febus
Sports Information Director
Calvin College
(616) 526-6169 Office
(616) 526-8551 Fax
Received on Fri Mar 10 22:32:00 2006