NCAA Div. I, Day One Finals: Joyce, Bulldogs, Dominate 50 Freestyle

By Dan Mihalik

WEST LAFAYETTE, Indiana, March 17. THE Georgia contingent was very loud in the 50 freestyle finals, and they had plenty of reasons to be loud.

Four Bulldogs were in the finals, led by defending champion Kara Lynn Joyce. Joyce repeated as champion after swimming a 21.97, besting the field by .30 seconds. Texas’ Sarah Wanezek was the next closest competitor, finished in 22.27.

Joyce’s teammates, Samantha Arsenault, Paige Kearns, and Amanda Weir also competed in the 50 free. Weir, who was seeded eighth, moved into third place, turning in a time of 22.28, while teammates Arsenault and Kearns finished sixth and eighth, respectively.

"It was really exciting to defend my title and help my team out," Joyce said. "This puts us in a great position going into tomorrow and Saturday."

Jenna Gresdal of Arizona and Jana Kolukanova of Auburn finished between Weir and Arsenault, placing fourth and fifth. Stanford senior Lacey Boutwell finished in seventh place for the Cardinal.

FINALS RESULTS
EVENT: 4 WOMEN's 50 Yard FREESTYLE

NCAA Record: :21.69 MARITZA CORREIA GEORGIA 2002
AMERICAN Record: :21.69 MARITZA CORREIA GEORGIA 2002
US OPEN Record: :21.69 MARITZA CORREIA GEORGIA 2002
POOL RECORD: :22.80 JENN LYMAN WISCONSIN 2003
QUALIFYING FOR "A" CUT: :22.88

RESULTS of FINALS

RANK NAME YEAR TEAM PRELIM TIME

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

1) JOYCE, KARA LYNN SO GEORGIA :21.94** :21.97
** POOL RECORD:
2) WANEZEK, SARAH SR TEXAS :22.36 :22.27
3) WEIR, AMANDA FR GEORGIA :22.57 :22.28
4) GRESDAL, JENNA JR ARIZONA :22.46 :22.38
5) KOLUKANOVA, JANA JR AUBURN :22.25 :22.43
6) ARSENAULT, SAMANTHA SR GEORGIA :22.51 :22.46
7) BOUTWELL, LACEY SR STANFORD :22.45 :22.57
8) KEARNS, PAIGE SR GEORGIA :22.32 :22.63

CONSOLATION FINAL

9) DENBY, KARA FR AUBURN :22.62 :22.68
10) NYMEYER, LACEY FR ARIZONA :22.82 :22.73
11) BISHOP, BROOKE FR STANFORD :22.71 :22.74
12) POMEROY, LAURA JR S.M.U. :22.69 :22.86
13) ANDERSON, JENNI SR AUBURN :22.77 :22.88
14) BONCHER, BROOKE JR RICHMOND :22.71 :22.89
15) BRADY, KAITLYN SO MICHIGAN :22.76 :23.01
16) SMITH, MARSHI JR ARIZONA :22.71 :23.05

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