NCAA Division I Women's Championships: Texas' Kim Brackin Provides Statement to Swimming World Regarding Meet Controversy -- March 20, 2010
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WEST LAFAYETTE, Indiana, March 20. EARLIER today, one of the most procedure-oriented controversies one could imagine occurred involving a swimmer from Texas at the NCAA Division I Women's Championships. Instead of just requesting a sound bite from Texas head women's coach Kim Brackin, we asked for, and were granted, a personally-written statement from Brackin.
For some background on the issue, Lady Longhorn Kelsey Amundsen, who was invited to the meet by way of the Texas 400 free relay, drew a meet misconduct penalty by not showing up for the 100 free and the Texas staff failed to declare a false start for her. Typically, a meet misconduct is punished by ejection from the rest of the meet. Amundsen's invited event for the meet, however, was the 400 free relay and she must compete in that specific event to be an eligible swimmer at the meet.
Consequently, since she drew the meet ejection, Texas was unable to legally finish the 400 free relay this evening because Amundsen was not allowed to swim as part of it. Texas' appeal of Amundsen's disqualification was rejected, and Texas wound up scratching the 400 free relay for finals.
Additionally, since Amundsen swam the third leg of Texas' 14th-place 200 free relay on the first night and never competed in the event (the 400 free relay) that drew her into the meet's invitee list, she was ruled an illegible swimmer for the entire meet. Therefore, Texas's 200 free relay was disqualified according to an NCAA official. All other swims by Amundsen also were disqualified.
Kim Brackin's statement: "Due to a clerical error by our staff, a declared false start was not turned in for Kelsey Amundsen in the 100 freestyle. Because it was not turned in, she was disqualified from participating on the 400 freestyle relay. Since Kelsey qualified for the meet on that relay, she was required to swim it. We were in a no-win situation where we were required to put her on the relay but could not. As a result, the 400 freestyle relay, and the 200 freestyle relay in which Kelsey competed on Thursday, have been disqualified.
In times of adversity, like this meet has been for our swimmers, I ask my athletes to remain focused on the moment, control only what they can control and do their best to push through rough spots; that is the lesson of sport. Our swimmers and divers have done an exceptional job following that advice and will certainly learn and grow from this experience. I am extremely proud of all 13 women here for the resilient attitude they have shown. As a staff, we certainly could have done a better job with that same challenge but, like those athletes, we'll learn from the unfortunate mistake and hold ourselves to a higher standard in the future."
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March 20, 2010 This is ridiculous that a coach could fail in completing such an important task for their team. I do not know if the coaching staff has single handily dq two relays at NCAAs. Submitted by: swimfan27
March 21, 2010 Well, I guess this will now be used as the sole excuse why Texas came 11th and not Top 3 at NCAA's this year, huh SWM?
I am sick to death of this website constantly hyping up Texas. They are so overrated. Kathleen on the cover yet only making 1 A Final at the meet, what a joke. What an embarrassment.
When are you ever going to expose or publicize some amazing swimmers that actually need to be recognized? Julia Smit should be on the cover of that magazine. How about Julia Wilkinson, or Morgan Scroggy, or Elaine Breedan? Why can't we ever hear about these girls and their stories? The superstar you endorsed crashed and burned this week, and please get the courage to show a little more diversity.
The rankings you produced couldn't be any further away from the truth. Did you really think the Longhorns were going to get 3rd this year? If you did, you are so out of touch with the swimming world its ridiculous and humorous. Submitted by: feisty
March 21, 2010 Have you seen the latest magazine where we picked Texas to be third? Pretty sure that's Julia Smit on the cover. Julia Wilkinson also had a great appearance on the Morning Swim Show recently.
Those are just two off the top of my head based on what you've commented on. Not sure where you have us having Kathleen on our cover. Submitted by: Jason Marsteller
March 21, 2010 sorry i got confused with Splash magazine. Submitted by: feisty
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