ATHENS, Georgia, March 17. STARTING out the day in third place behind Arizona and Auburn, defending national champion Georgia made a strong move upward during today\u2019s preliminaries at the 2006 NCAA Division I Women\u2019s Swimming and Diving Championships at Gabrielsen Natatorium on the University of Georgia campus.<\/p>\n
Through six events, the No. 1-ranked Bulldogs \u2013 who have not lost at home in their last 50 dual meets and won the national championship here in 1999 – had nine swimmers or relay teams qualify for today\u2019s finals, which begin at 7 p.m. Auburn, ranked second nationally and just 10 points behind Arizona, had seven qualifiers and the Wildcats qualified five.<\/p>\n
In today\u2019s first event, the 200-yard medley relay, defending champion Georgia finished second behind Florida State\u2019s team of Christie Raleigh, Lauren Brick, Lauren Sparg and Carrie Ellis. The Seminoles recorded a time of 1:39.01 while the Bulldogs finished at 1:39.25. Florida State and Georgia were followed by Texas (1:39.37), Arizona (1:39.41), California (1:39.47), Auburn (1:39.65), Southern Cal (1:39.67) and Wisconsin (1:40.03).<\/p>\n
In the 400-yard individual medley, Auburn made a strong showing as Julie Stupp finished first at 4:10.43, Lauren Duerk was second at 4:12.89 and Adrienne Binder came in third at 4:12.93. The Tiger trio was followed by Stanford\u2019s Kristen Caverly (4:13.14), Arizona\u2019s Whitney Myers (4:13.29), Penn State\u2019s Kaitlin O\u2019Brien (4:13.66), Yi Ting Siow of Wisconsin (4:14.78) and Georgia\u2019s Lauren Conway (4:15.48).<\/p>\n
Mary DeScenza began defense of her 100-yard butterfly title by finishing first in today\u2019s preliminaries in a time of 52.07. She was followed by Florida\u2019s Candace Weiman (52.67), Tricia Harm of Georgia (52.87), Chelsea Nagata of California-Irvine (53.18), Caitlin Andrew of Arizona State (53.24), Stanford\u2019s Dana Kirk (53.30), Michigan\u2019s Kaitlyn Brady (53.43) and Tawnie Bethune of Auburn (53.74).<\/p>\n
In the 200-yard freestyle preliminaries, Georgia\u2019s Kara Lynn Joyce \u2013 who set an American record in the 50-yard freestyle on Thursday night \u2013 finished first in a time of 1:44.72, followed by California\u2019s Erin Reilly (1:45), Arizona\u2019s Lacey Nymeyer (1:45.43), Auburn\u2019s Emily Kukors (1:45.89), Ashley Chandler of California (1:46.49), Texas A&M\u2019s Codie Hansen (1:46.43), Georgia\u2019s Jessica Cole (1:46.92) and Georgia's Elizabeth Hill (1:46.96).<\/p>\n
Georgia and Arizona both placed swimmers in the 100-yard breaststroke finals, but it was California\u2019s Jessica Hardy who came out on top, finishing in a time of 59.54. Hardy was followed by Georgia\u2019s Sarah Poewe (1:00.44), Florida\u2019s Vipa Bernhardt (1:00.55), Florida Atlantic\u2019s Ellie Weberg (1:00.72), Elizabeth Tinnon of Texas (1:00.97), Lauren Brick of Florida State (1:01.24), Southern Cal\u2019s Rebecca Soni (1:01.31) and Arizona\u2019s Erin Sieper (1:01.35).<\/p>\n
In the 100-yard backstroke, Auburn\u2019s Rachel Goh was first at 53.07, followed by Arizona\u2019s Jenna Gresdal (53.19), Virginia\u2019s Brielle White (53.36), Georgia\u2019s Tricia Harm (53.41), Hayley McGregory of Southern Cal (53.48), Nicole Mackey of Hawaii (53.53), Brooke Bishop of Stanford (53.61) and Rutgers\u2019 Kelly Harrigan (53.63).<\/p>\n