Seven Kentucky swimmers and divers begin competition at the 2005 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships Thursday at Purdue?s Boilermaker Aquatic Center in W. Lafayette, Ind. The preliminary rounds will begin each day at 11 a.m. EST with the finals beginning at 7 p.m. EST. The competition runs Thursday through Sunday.
The two swimmers and one diver Kentucky sent to the 2004 NCAA Championships at Texas A&M will make a return appearance to the championships this weekend and will be joined by four new faces. Senior Jessica Siegele, and juniors Laura Graham and Jessica Thompson will make their second NCAA appearances in as many seasons, while junior Shantel Commander and freshmen Heather and Jenny Bradford will each make their NCAA debuts. Sophomore Taryn Ignacio competed for Florida State at the 2004 NCAA Championships and will make her first NCAA appearance this weekend as a Wildcat.
Kentucky has sent at least one swimmer or diver to 12 of the last 13 NCAA meets. UK competed in eight events a season ago and fell just shy of registering points. Thompson led Kentucky with a 17th-place showing on the platform, and Graham contributed an 18th-place finish in the 200 breaststroke. Kentucky will compete in each of the eight events the Cats took part in a year ago, as well as the 200 and 400-medley relays, the 50 and 100-freestyle events and the 200 backstroke.
On day one, Kentucky will compete in the 200-individual medley, 50 freestyle, 400-medley relay and one-meter diving events.
2005 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships ? W. Lafayette, Ind.
Thursday, Mar. 17
200 Individual Medley ? Laura Graham
50 Freestyle ? Heather and Jenny Bradford
400 Medley Relay ? Jessica Siegele, Laura Graham, Heather and Jenny Bradford
One-Meter Diving ? Taryn Ignacio, Jessica Thompson
Friday, Mar. 18
200 Medley Relay ? Siegele, Graham, H. Bradford, J. Bradford
100 Butterfly ? Siegele, H. Bradford
100 Breaststroke ? Graham, Shantel Commander
100 Backstroke ? Siegele
Three-Meter Diving ? Ignacio, Thompson
Sunday, Mar. 19
200 Backstroke ? Siegele
100 Freestyle ? J. Bradford
200 Breaststroke ? Graham, Commander
Platform Diving ? Ignacio, Thompson
