Sofia Johansson Earns NCAA "B" Cut at ACC Championships
Feb. 19, 2010
Chapel Hill, N.C. – Freshman swimmer Sofia Johansson turned in an NCAA “B” cut qualifying time, and senior men’s diver Reuben Ross took fourth place on the 1-meter springboard, highlighting the University of Miami’s action Fri., Feb. 19, on the third day of the 2010 Atlantic Coast Conference Women’s Swimming & Diving and Men’s Diving Championship at Koury Natatorium on the University of North Carolina campus.
Several more team season records and personal-best times fell on Friday, as the Hurricanes continued to blaze times in the lanes at the annual ACC Championships. The Hurricanes have generally performed better at the ACC Championships, and this year has proven to be no exception under the guidance of fourth-year head swimming coach Christie Shefchunas.
In the morning session of Friday’s action, UM freshman Sofia Johansson (Ramlösa, Sweden), posted a time of 1:03.42 to finish eighth in the finals of the 100 breaststroke to earn the Hurricanes’ first NCAA “B” cut qualifying time of the year. Her time of 1:02.80 in the prelims was the time that put her over the top, also posting a season-best mark for one of Shefchunas’ star recruits during the summer of 2009.
Over at the diving well, senior seven-time All-American Reuben Ross (Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada) took fourth place on the 1-meter springboard, finishing with a score of 409.75 in the finals. Ross made a valiant comeback after sitting fifth (375.75) after the prelim round of diving. Ross will now look to claim an ACC title in his best event, the 10-meter platform, on Sat., Feb. 20.
In other swimming action, freshman Christine Anderson (Chattanooga, Tenn.) posted a time of 4:24.46 in the finals of the 400 individual medley, while touching the wall in 4:22.40 during the prelims. The preliminary round time was a season-best for Anderson, while she turned in a season second-best mark in the finals.
Sophomore Roxanne Meyer (Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa ) had a time of 4:28.21 – a personal-best – in the preliminary round, while classmate Taylor Grenda (Hockessin, Del.) turned in a time of 4:29.66; freshman Gina Mayer (Land O’Lakes, Fla.) had a time of 4:37.87; and freshman Haley Nicholson (Pensacola, Fla.) touched at 4:42.32.
In the prelims of the 100 butterfly, junior Deidre Novotny (Palm Harbor, Fla.) was the first Hurricane to touch the wall, finishing at 56.41 – a team season-best mark for UM. Sophomore Erin Simpson (Lookout Mountain, Tenn.) finished in 58.89 for Miami.
During the 200 freestyle, junior Annika Saarnak (Puhaleda, Estonia) registered a time of 1:49.27 in the prelims, serving as a season-best mark for her. Following her with solid marks of her own was redshirt freshman Lauren Jacoby (Vienna, Va.) at 1:52.19; continuing with junior Ryann Labreche (Ft. Myers, Fla.) at 1:54.13; as well as sophomore Hagar Elgendy (Alexandria, Egypt) with a finishing time of 1:55.83.
Also performing for UM in the 200 free was Tiffany Petzold (Andover, Mass.), finishing with a time of 1:56.33. Susan Smiddy (Miami, Fla.) turned in a time of 1:57.09, and teammate Nicole Wright (Leesburg, Va.) concluded the times for UM in the prelims of the race at 2:06.41.
Sophomore Dana Hatic (Coral Springs, Fla.) finished first in the C-Final of the 100 breaststroke, following the overall eighth place performance from teammate Johansson in the A-Finals, as Hatic collected a time of 1:03.36 in the finals. That time was a personal season-best for Hatic, as her previous-best occurred at the Ohio State Invite in December. Following Hatic was Anderson (1:06.27), as she claimed a positive time in the prelims, turning in a time of 1:04.69 (a season personal-best).
During the 100 backstroke, the `Canes only participant was Hannah Kling (Miami, Fla.), as she claimed a time of 58.79 in touching the wall during the prelims.
The final event of the day for UM occurred as part of the 400 medley relay, as the Hurricanes produced a performance of 3:46.88, serving as a season-best for Miami. The `Canes used the swims of Kling (leadoff), Johansson (second), Novotny (third) and Saarnak (anchor). This was just the third 400 IM for the `Canes on the season, and the first time Shefchunas employed the services of this particular team together on the lanes.
After day three of the championship, Virginia maintained its lead atop the team standings with 601 points. North Carolina stands in second with 443 points, and is followed Florida State, Virginia Tech, and Maryland with 363, 266.5, and 253 points, respectively. Duke (193) moved to sixth place after standing in seventh after day two, while NC State (181), which was in sixth place after day two, stands in seventh. Clemson (133.5), Georgia Tech (115.5), Miami (72.5), and Boston College (36) round out the order.
The final day of action can be seen live on theACC.com tomorrow beginning at 7 p.m. Patrick Kinas and Pat McNew have the call. Follow all the 2010 Men’s and Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships action at the official championship website, http://www.theacc.com/championships/10-sd-championship.html.
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.
