Hurricanes Swimmer Enters Elite Company
March 5, 2011
Coral Gables, Fla. – University of Miami senior swimmer Annika Saarnak has been selected to compete in the Women’s NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships, set for March 17-19, being housed at Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center in Austin, Texas.
Saarnak, a native of Pühalepa, Estonia, was one of Shefchunas’ first recruits when she took over the UMiami swimming program. Saarnak earned a spot in this year’s NCAA Championships after registering an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 52.78 and a second place finish in the 100 butterfly at the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Championships two weeks ago in Atlanta. The time was a school-record time for the `Canes, with Saarnak breaking her own school-record time set earlier this season at the Georgia Tech Fall Invitational.
“Making NCAA’s for me is a great feeling,” said Saarnak on Saturday afternoon. “I worked hard for four years to get to this point and compete at NCAA’s. I always knew I could do it, but now I can finally show it. It’s a perfect way to finish up my collegiate swimming experience. It’s just time to enjoy the meet and represent the `U’ swimming once again.”
With her invitation to the NCAA Championships, Saarnak becomes the first UM swimmer to advance to the yearly championships since Summer Olympics Gold medalist [2008 Summer Games] – Manon van Rooijen. Van Rooijen competed for the Orange and Green at the NCAA Championships in 2002, earning All-America honors in the 100- and 200 freestyle.
“Having our first swimmer in almost 10 years make the [NCAA] meet is a huge leap for our program,” said fifth-year swimming head coach Christie Shefchunas. “I do believe it is just the tip of the iceberg for us, and it’s the start to a powerful future for UM Swimming.”
On the year, Saarnak finished with NCAA qualifying times in the 50- and 100 freestyle, in addition to the 100 fly. She ranks among the top five in the 50- and 100 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 200- and 400 free relay, 200- and 400 medley relay for the 2010-11 season.
Soon to compete in her last collegiate event for the Hurricanes, Saarnak is concluding one of the greatest careers in the Shefchunas era – holding two school records (50 freestyle, 100 butterfly) and is a part of three other schools records in relay events (800 freestyle, 200 medley, 400 medley). She is currently the national record-holder for her home country of Estonia, registering a time of 54.78 in the 100-meter freestyle in December 2009.
“I’m just so proud of Annika,” said Shefchunas. “She came in four years ago determined, and was willing to put in the work to be great. She improved every year, and this year was her breakthrough. She’s been such an amazing example for the rest of the team, and she’s been an unbelievable representative for our program.”
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