Nov. 22, 2008
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Sophomore diver Jessie Snowden captured her second consecutive win on the boards, and senior Joe Retrum tallied a career-best time in the 200-butterlfy to wrap up the Tennessee Invitational and the fall season for the University of Kentucky.
Snowden who won the three-meter diving event just a night earlier, edged out Virginia Tech’s Sarah Miltor on the one-meter tonight. Snowden scored 278.80 points in the finals competition to just slip past Miltor who was 1.75 points behind the UK standout’s total.
Retrum erupted for second place in the 200-fly with a career-best time of 1:47.96, bettering his previous time by more than two seconds. Additionally, Retrum’s time meets the NCAA `B’ qualifying standard for 2009.
Junior Kyle Greene also captured a career-best time this evening. Greene taking the first leg of the second-place 400-free relay team tapped the wall in a time of 44.78, bettering his previous time in the 100-free by more than a second. In the second-place finish, Greene was followed by sophomore Tyler Reed, junior Chris Richard and junior Eric McGinnis who clocked in a time of 2:57.50 in the event. The time is a new season-best for the Blue and White. Green’s 100-free time as well as UK’s 400-free relay time are NCAA `B’ qualifying times.
Freshman Morne’ Boshoff finished in third place in the grueling 1650-freestyle with a time of 15:28.41 to lead the Wildcats. The time is also an NCAA `B’ qualifier, and a career-best clip.
Other top finishers on the men side were senior Shane Eliason and freshman Grant Cooksey. Eliason claimed fifth place in the 200-back with a season-best time of 1:47.86. Cooksey clocked in a time of 2:02.98 for fifth in the 200-breast. The time is a career- and season-best for the freshman.
The women had an equally impressive day for the Blue and White. Freshman Claire Archibald and junior Megan Pulskamp both earned second place finishes in individual events. Archibald placed second in the 200-back with Pulskamp taking second in the 200-fly.
Archibald needed just 2:00.29 in the event to achieve a career-best clip. Sophomore Chatham Penrod tapped in fourth, just behind her teammate, with a season-best time of 2:03.32 in the race.
Freshman Chelsea Peterson touched in third place in the 100-free to earn the best finish of the day for the Wildcats in the event. Peterson earned a time of 51.14, which is the top time of her young career.
Sophomore Lindsey Graessle earned fourth place in the 200-breast with a time of 2:19.97–a season-best time. Senior Leah Harms rounded out the top-five finishes individually for the women’s team. Harms tapped in 17:07.65 in the 1650-free.
To finish out the night, UK’s 400-free relay team touched in third place. Peterson, senior Kristina Sledge, sophomore Kayla Sergesketter and Pulskamp touched in a season-best time of 3:25.11 in the event.
Tonight wraps up the fall slate for the UK swimming and diving teams. The Wildcats will return to the pool January 7, 2009 in a dual meet with SEC foe LSU.
