UK sophomores Laura Graham and Jessica Thompson took part in the preliminary rounds Thursday at the 2004 NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships in College Station, Texas.

Graham, who will participate in Friday?s 100-meter breaststroke and Saturday?s 200-meter breaststroke, placed 54th in the 69-competitor 200-meter individual medley event with a time of 2:17.50. Thompson, who is slated for Friday?s three-meter diving and Saturday?s platform diving events, placed 26th in the 41-competitor one-meter diving event with a score of 242.25. The top 16 finishers score in each event, thus, Kentucky will remain scoreless after day one.

Friday shapes up as a busy day for UK?s three-woman NCAA contingent. Junior Jessica Siegele joins Graham and Thompson in Friday?s competition and will participate in the 100-meter backstroke and butterfly events. Friday?s preliminary rounds are scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. CST, while the finals will be held beginning at 7 p.m. CST.