MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.?The University of Kentucky women?s swimming and diving team finished in ninth place after the first day of competition at the 2007 NCAA Championships on Thursday at the University Aquatic Center on the campus of the University of Minnesota. Kentucky saw two individual performers and one relay team all place seventh in the country.
?I thought we had a pretty good start tonight,? said Coach Gary Conelly. ?We had a very good morning. We were really pleased with our 200-free relay and our 50-freestylers. We were just a little off tonight, but there?s still a good chance that we can stay in the top-ten which is an excellent showing.?
The 200-freestyle relay team placed seventh in the finals competition that saw Arizona set a new National and NCAA record in their win with a time of 1:27.23. Heather Bradford, Lauren Willis, Nikia Deveaux and Jenny Bradford tapped in a time of 1:29.86 as they edge SEC-rival Tennessee who placed eighth.
The Kentucky relay team has enjoyed a remarkable ride as they achieved many firsts in program history. The quartet becomes the first UK women?s relay team to ever place in the top-eight at the national event. In addition, the women were the University of Kentucky?s first ever SEC relay Champions. All four women earn an automatic place on the All-America team with their showing in the top eight in the country.
Deveaux?s participation in the 200-free relay marks her final event in the Blue and White. She concludes her career as an All-American and a two-time All-America honorable mention selection. Deveaux holds Kentucky?s ninth best time in school annals in the 50-freestyle.
?You always want good things to happen to great people,? said Conelly. ?It was nice to get her here. She had a good swim in the relay and it was a great way for her to finish her career.?
Jenny Bradford returned to the top-eight in the country in the 50-freestyle finals when she took seventh place with a time of 22.23. The feat marks the second consecutive season the junior will be honored as an All-American in the event.
Heather Bradford earned her first ever individual All-America honorable mention nod when she took 16th place in the 50-free. Bradford tapped in a time of 22.73 in the consolation heat tonight. Last season Bradford finished in 32nd, so she improved 16 spots in a year?s time.
Senior Taryn Ignacio earned her third All-America honor when she placed seventh on the one-meter board with a score of 323.95. She bested her junior year showing where she place eighth. Ignacio?s sixth round dive score of 57.60 was her best.
Junior Kari Retrum, appearing in her first-ever NCAA Championships capped off the scoring for the Wildcats with a 12th place overall showing in the one-meter board consolation final. Retrum scored a career-best 325.55 points pushing her into fourth place in the consolation heat which becomes 12th overall. She bettered her previous clip by six points, and her sixth dive scored 65.00 points easily the best round of the six.
With her finish on the one-meter board, Retrum earns All-America honorable mention for the first time in her career.
Tomorrow?s preliminary rounds begin at 11 a.m. CST with diving to follow. Kentucky has athletes in the 200-medley relay, 100-butterfly, 100-breaststroke, 200-freestyle and three-meter diving.
Live stats are available at the University of Minnesota?s website www.gophersports.com.
Complete coverage of the University of Kentucky squad can be found at www.ukathletics.com.
