Swimming World's NCAA Division I Landing Page
COLLEGE STATION, Texas, March 21. USC's Rebecca Soni became just the 11th swimmer in NCAA history to complete her career with four national titles in a single event with a triumph in the 200-yard breast.
Previous student-athletes to have accomplished the incredible feat are:
4 - Megan Neyer, Florida (one-meter diving 1982-83-84-86, three-meter diving 1982-83-84-86)
4 - Mary T. Meagher, California (200 fly 1983-85-86-87)
4 – Leigh Ann Fetter, Texas (50 free 1988-89-90-91)
4 – Nicole Haislett, Florida (200 free 1991-92-93-94)
4 – Jenny Thompson, Stanford (100 free 1992-93-94-95)
4 - Martina Moravcova, SMU (200 free 1996-97-98-99)
4 - Natalie Coughlin, California (100 back 2001-02-03-04, 100 fly 2001-02-03-04)
4 - Kara Lynn Joyce, Georgia (50 free 2004-05-06-07, 100 free 2004-05-06-07).
4 - Tara Kirk, Stanford (100 breast 2001-02-03-04)
4 – Mary DeScenza, Georgia (200 fly 2003-04-05-06).
Soni finished the race with a 2:05.52, the fourth-fastest swim in the history of the event. The victory for USC tied the Trojans with Stanford for the most 200 breast wins in NCAA history. Kristine Quance won the other three titles for USC in 1994, 1996 and 1997.
Texas A&M's Alia Atkinson showed some tremendous heart as she came charging down the final stretch with a second-place 2:06.99. Atkinson lost her brother just before the Big 12 Championships due to a plane crash, and has been preparing for the championship season through her grief. She became just the third swimmer to break the 2:07 barrier behind only Soni (2:04.75) and Kirk (2:05.43). Minnesota's Jillian Tyler clocked a 2:07.92 to complete the podium.
Georgia held onto its lead with 363.5 points, while Arizona moved back into second with 351 points. California stood just behind with a third-place 348 point tally. Stanford (255.5) and Auburn (249.5) were fourth and fifth.
Results: NCAA Division I Women's Championships
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March 21, 2009 Wow what a race; Soni on Mt. Rushmore and Atkinson triumphing over grief. I didn't know about her brother. I saw her explode off that last turn and for a second I thought she might make a go at catching Soni, but she was just too tough. Submitted by: liquidassets
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Photo By: Peter H. Bick
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