Women’s NCAA Div. 1 Champs, Day 3 Finals: Georgia Rolls in 400 Free Relay, Takes Team Title

By Dan Mihalik

WEST LAFAYETTE, Indiana, March 19. THE Georgia Bulldogs wrapped up the 2005 NCAA Championships with one of the most exciting relay finishes of the meet. The 400 free relay was tight from start to finish between Georgia, Auburn, and Arizona and ended with another relay victory for the Bulldogs in a pool record time of 3:13.56. Auburn was a close second followed by Arizona in third.

The relay win for Georgia marked the first sweep of all five relays in the history of the NCAA Championships. It also sealed Georgia's team championship, its first since 2001. Georgia's relay contingent featured Kara Lynn Joyce, Paige Kearns, Mary DeScenza and Amanda Weir.

Southern Methodist was fourth in the 400 free relay, coming in ahead of Florida. California, Michigan and Texas finished sixth, seventh, and eighth, respectively.

After losing the title three straight years to Auburn, Georgia regained the crown after amassing 609.5 points over the three-day meet. The defending champion Tigers finished in second with 492 points, with Arizona close behind with 440 points.

EVENT: 21 WOMEN's 400 Yard FREESTYLE RELAY

NCAA Record: 3:13.47 GEORGIA 2005
NCAA Meet Record: 3:13.71 GEORGIA 2002
AMERICAN Record: 3:13.47 GEORGIA 2005
US OPEN Record: 3:13.47 GEORGIA 2005
POOL RECORD: 3:18.42 WISCONSIN 2003
QUALIFYING FOR "A" CUT: 3:18.95

RESULTS of FINALS

RANK TEAM PRELIM TIME

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

1) GEORGIA 3:17.06 3:13.56**
1) JOYCE, KARA LYNN SO :48.02 3) DESCENZA, MARY JR :48.74
2) KEARNS, PAIGE SR :49.08 4) WEIR, AMANDA FR :47.72
** NCAA Meet Record: POOL RECORD:
2) AUBURN 3:17.71 3:13.94
1) KOLUKANOVA, JANA JR :48.87 3) KUKORS, EMILY FR :48.56
2) HOELZER, MARGARET SR :48.45 4) COVENTRY, KIRSTY SR :48.06

3) ARIZONA 3:17.12 3:14.30
1) GRESDAL, JENNA JR :48.93 3) HAYES, JESSICA SR :48.81
2) CASHION, COURTNEY FR :48.75 4) NYMEYER, LACEY FR :47.81

4) SOUTHERN METHODIST 3:18.01 3:17.68
1) DARLING, LEANE SO :49.65 3) BLACKMAN, CANDACE FR :49.52
2) POMEROY, LAURA JR :49.25 4) LEMMEN, CELINA SO :49.26

5) FLORIDA 3:19.14 3:18.18
1) FARRELL, MAUREEN SR :49.11 3) WEIMAN, CANDACE SO :50.22
2) BURCKLE, CAROLINE FR :49.19 4) UHLE, MARY SR :49.66

6) CALIFORNIA 3:19.44 3:18.48
1) MEDINA, LAUREN SR :49.84 3) TSAI, SHERRY SO :50.36
2) ANDREWS, LAUREN SO :50.04 4) SILVER, EMILY FR :48.24

7) MICHIGAN 3:19.90 3:18.83
1) BRADY, KAITLYN SO :49.57 3) SESKEVICS, ABBY JR :50.87
2) SMITH, LINDSEY SO :49.15 4) McCULLOUGH, AMY SR :49.24

8) TEXAS 3:18.97 3:19.54
1) SIMINSKI, KRISTY JR :50.19 3) BROWN, CONNIE SO :49.97
2) HUMPHRIES, KAELA SR :49.71 4) WANEZEK, SARAH SR :49.67

CONSOLATION FINAL

9) TEXAS A&M 3:21.00 3:19.96
1) TOWNSEND, DANIELLE SR :49.90 3) LIEB, CATY JR :49.60
2) ZWIERZYKOWSKI,EWELI JR :50.19 4) PESEK, BRITNEY JR :50.27

10) STANFORD 3:20.54 3:20.83
1) BISHOP, BROOKE FR :49.70 3) KIRK, DANA JR :51.16
2) BRUCE, CAROLINE FR :51.23 4) BOUTWELL, LACEY SR :48.74

11) WISCONSIN 3:20.50 3:20.90
1) TRINIDAD, ANNA JR :50.11 3) JOHNSON, SUSAN SO :50.05
2) HERNANDEZ, SARAH SO :50.77 4) PIPER, CARLY SR :49.97

12) ARIZONA STATE 3:23.34 3:21.04
1) ANDREW, CAITLIN FR :50.26 3) BALDINGER, ERIN JR :50.75
2) SZIGETI, FLORENICA SR :49.25 4) SCHMITT, HEIDI JR :50.78

13) PENN. STATE 3:22.26 3:21.86
1) EBERST, JENNIFER SR :51.49 3) PREYSS, LAUREN SO :49.77
2) DLUGONSKI, DEE SR :49.74 4) SEMCHYSHEN, LAUREN SR :50.86

14) PURDUE 3:22.64 3:22.36
1) LEUPOLD, CHRISTINE SR :50.83 3) DUCHAC, TRACY SR :50.83
2) SELESKIE, KATIE SR :50.84 4) HENTSCHEL, SUSAN SO :49.86

15) INDIANA 3:22.14 3:22.50
1) VAZIRI, LEILA SO :50.51 3) COLGIN, DOHERTY JR :50.29
2) LOFSTEDT, ANNICA SO :50.88 4) SMITH, ERIN SR :50.82

16) MARYLAND 3:24.08 3:23.01
1) MILLER, CHRISSY SR :51.18 3) WEIR, CYNTHIA SR :50.59
2) KNEPPER, MEGAN SR :50.81 4) MULYAYEVA, MARINA SR :50.43

TEAM SCORING
1) GEORGIA 609.5
2) AUBURN 492
3) ARIZONA 440
4) FLORIDA 355
5) STANFORD 313
6) TEXAS 218
7) S.M.U. 170
8) CALIFORNIA 149
9) INDIANA 112
10) SOUTHERN CAL. 108
11) WISCONSIN 107
12) ARIZONA STATE 90
13) PENN. STATE 87
14) TEXAS A&M 84
14) MICHIGAN 84
16) HAWAII 68
17) PURDUE 59
18) UCLA 52
18) KENTUCKY 52
20) HOUSTON 47
21) ALABAMA 44
22) MARYLAND 40
23) IOWA 36
24) TENNESSEE 32
24) NOTRE DAME 32
26) VIRGINIA 21
27) MIAMI – FLORIDA 19
28) RICHMOND 15.5
29) RUTGERS 13
30) VIRGINIA POLYTEC 12
31) FLORIDA STATE 11
32) OHIO STATE 10
33) CINCINNATI 9
34) CLEMSON 6
34) SOUTH CAROLINA 6
36) HARVARD 4
36) NORTHWESTERN 4
38) NEW MEXICO 2
39) ILLINOIS 1

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