UM Swimmers Defeat Illinois and Nebraska in Tri-Meet

Jan. 8, 2010

Complete Results in PDF Format

Coral Gables, Fla. – In the middle of three consecutive home meets, the University of Miami swimming & diving team completed its second meet in seven days on Friday, Jan. 8, defeating Illinois and Nebraska in a tri-meet at the Norman A. Whitten University Center Pool in Coral Gables, Fla.

The Hurricanes opened the day with a third place finish in the 200-yard medley relay, completing a time of 1:49.98 behind the swims of Hannah Kling (leadoff), Sofia Johansson (second leg), Deidre Novotny (third leg) and Hagar Elgendy (anchor). Miami’s second team of Roxanne Meyer, Dana Hatic, Erin Simpson and Kayla Smith enjoyed a time of 1:53.73.

Junior Annika Saarnak took second place in the 200-yard freestyle, touching at 1:53.70. For Saarnak, the second place finish marked her fifth top five finish of the year. Fellow junior Ryann Labreche touched at 1:55.64, giving her a fifth place finish overall.

Freshman Hannah Kling, competing in just her second 50-yard freestyle of the year (the second in as many events), took a fifth place mark in the 50 free, coming in at 25.30.

Junior Deidre Novotny claimed the win in the 200-yard individual medley, finishing the event in 2:09.71. Teammate Roxanne Meyer was fifth at 2:12.38. For Novotny, the win allowed her to claim her third top five performing time of the 2009-10 campaign.

Sofia Johansson took part in her first collegiate 100-yard butterfly, finishing second for the event in a time of 58.50. Coming in fifth for the `Canes was Novotny (59.10), while Erin Simpson (1:00.43) and Taylor Grenda (1:01.30) also took part in the event for UM.

Saarnak and Lauren Jacoby went first and second in the 100-yard freestyle, with Saarnak leading the way with a time of 52.39 – followed closely by sophomore Jacoby at 53.88. In the 100-yard backstroke, Miami’s Kling (1:00.06) and Meyer (1:01.08) finished third and fourth, respectively.

Freshman Christine Anderson, another of head swimming coach Christie Shefchunas’ prized 2009-10 signing class, took home first place in the 500-yard freestyle, as she would touch the wall in 5:01.52. For Anderson, the 500 free was the first of its kind for the native of Chattanooga, Tenn. Junior Ryann Labreche was just behind Anderson in second place, finishing at 5:06.39, and fellow Hurricanes Grenda (5:13.10) and Gina Mayer (5:16.14) came in fourth and fifth in the event.

It was Johansson claiming a win in the 100-yard breaststroke, as her time of 1:04.74 gave her a team-leading five wins in the 100 breast on the year. Anderson was third for UM, touching at 1:07.07, and Dana Hatic was fifth at 1:07.27.

In the final event of the day, Miami’s 400-yard freestyle relay team swam its way to a first place finish in a time of 3:31.81, securing its first 400 free relay win of the season. The winning team consisted of Saarnak (leadoff) – starting things off with a split time of 52.22 – followed by Elgendy (second leg), Kayla Smith (third leg) and Jacoby (anchor).

The 400 free relay time was the second-best of the season for the Hurricanes.

Miami concludes its home slate for the 2009-10 season next weekend, wrapping up three consecutive home meets when playing host to Central Connecticut State on Jan. 16 at 11 a.m. Swimming will take place back at the Norman A. Whitten University Center Pool, and admission to the event is free.

For more information on the University of Miami Swimming & Diving team, please log on to www.hurricanesports.com. Once there, you will find up-to-date news, results and information regarding the Hurricanes Swimming & Diving program.