Feb. 20, 2011
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The final day of the Southeastern Conference Swimming Championships saw more new names etched into the UK record books. Seniors Chatham Penrod, Kayla Sergesketter and Lindsey Graessle, junior Claire Archibald, sophomores Travis Green and Megan Eppler and freshman Carlos Sierra are each in the top 10 of their respective races in UK history after their performances Saturday in Gainesville, Fla.
Penrod, who one day earlier swam the second fastest 100 backstroke in UK history to go along with the fastest and third fastest times which she already owned, moved into first place in the UK books in the 200 back with a time of 1:55.30 in the preliminaries. Penrod’s time obliterated the previous record time of 1:57.68 which she had set at last year’s SEC Swimming Championships. In the finals of the 200 back Penrod swam a 1:56.29 to finish in seventh place.
Just behind Penrod in the 200 back finals was Archibald who swam a time of 1:58.18 to finish in eighth place. Archibald, like Penrod, swam faster in the preliminaries, tapping in with a time of 1:56.15, good enough to move into second place all-time in the UK record books.
Eppler finished the 200 backstroke with a time of 1:59.32 to finish in 20th place. Eppler’s time is a career best and is the fifth fastest time in UK history. Before Saturday night’s races, specifically Penrod’s and Archibald’s, Eppler’s time would have been the third fastest in program history.
Freshman Diana Norkus led UK in the women’s 200 butterfly with a career best time of 2:01.96. Similar to Friday when Norkus entered the UK record books with the ninth fastest time in the 100 butterfly, the Sugar Grove, Ill., native etched her name in the record books again Saturday with the ninth fastest time in the 200 fly in program history.
Sergesketter, who already owns many of the top times in the sprint freestyle races at UK, swam the second fastest 100 freestyle time in program history on Saturday with a 49.30 in the 100 free finals. Sergesketter qualified for the finals with a time of 49.61 in the preliminaries.
Sierra earned his best finish of the championships with a 16th place result in the men’s 200 breast finals. Sierra swam 2:01.86 in the preliminaries, a career best mark and the seventh-best in program history. Sierra tapped in with a time of 2:04.09 in the consolation finals to finish in 16th.
Not to be outdone, Graessle turned in her season best time in the women’s 200 breast. Graessle swam a 2:16.39 in the prelims, the sixth best mark in program history, and a 2:16.81 in the consolation finals to finish in 16th place.
Green also recorded a top-10 time in UK history when he finished in 10th place in the men’s 1,650 free finals with a time of 15:21.27. Green’s time is the third fastest in UK history.
As a team, the Kentucky women finished in seventh place at the 2011 SEC Swimming and Diving Championships with 236 points. The University of Georgia women won the championship. On the men’s side, Kentucky finished in eighth place with 199 points. Auburn won the men’s championship.
Kentucky will hit the pools again Saturday, Feb. 26 in Knoxville, Tenn., for a last chance meet for the men and women. One week later the Kentucky men will compete in another last chance meet in Columbus, Ohio.
Go to UKathletics.com for all Kentucky swimming and diving news and information.
SEC Swimming Championships
Feb. 16-19, 2011
Gainesville, Fla.
DAY FOUR (Kentucky results only)
Men’s 200 backstroke
19 Will Heidler (1:48.77)
22 Ramon Walton (1:51.18)
— Nick Crosthwaite (1:51.76)
Women’s 200 backstroke
7 Chatham Penrod (Prelims – 1:55.30) (Finals – 1:56.29)
8 Claire Archibald (Prelims – 1:56.15) (Finals – 1:58.18)
20 Megan Eppler (1:59.32)
27 Samantha Wright (2:01.89)
27 Marisa McGlynn (2:01.89)
Men’s 100 freestyle
20 David Sanders (45.06)
21 Colin Faris (45.12)
23 Stevie Wimmer (45.18)
24 Chip Aplin (45.19)
26 Reinhardt Strijdom (45.28)
29 Matt Russell (45.43)
32 John Bullock (46.12)
33 PK Kemme (46.35)
35 Jake Thomas (46.44)
— Chris Lott (45.93)
Women’s 100 freestyle
10 Kayla Sergesketter (Prelims – 49.61) (Finals – 49.30)
19 Kristen Wilson (50.22)
22 Jenna Newsome (50.59)
24 Chelsea Peterson (51.02)
27 Mandy Myers (51.44)
32 Lindsay Lash (51.95)
34 Anna Mattox (52.15)
Men’s 200 breast
16 Carlos Sierra (Prelims – 2:01.86) (Finals – 2:04.09)
Women’s 200 breast
16 Lindsey Graessle (Prelims – 2:16.39) (Finals – 2:16.81)
19 Jenna Willis (2:17.51)
22 Kelly Titus (2:18.57)
Men’s 200 butterfly
20 Tripp Crosthwaite (1:48.56)
23 Ben Russell (1:49.27)
25 Jon Keltner (1:51.92)
Women’s 200 butterfly
21 Diana Norkus (2:01.96)
30 Kelcy Perry (2:07.48)
— Carmen Pleasants (2:06.40)
Men’s 1,650 freestyle
10 Travis Green (15:21.27)
Men’s 400-freestyle relay
6 Kentucky – Chip Aplin, David Sanders, Stephen Wimmer, Colin Faris (2:57.74)
Women’s 400-freestyle relay
6 Kentucky – Jenna Newsome, Kayla Sergesketter, Megan Eppler, Kristen Wilson (3:19.78)
FINAL TEAM RANKINGS
Men
1. Auburn – 799
2. Florida – 782
3. Tennessee – 602.5
4. Georgia – 496
5. LSU – 271.5
6. Alabama – 271
7. South Carolina – 217
8. KENTUCKY – 199
Women
1. Georgia – 720
2. Florida – 678
3. Auburn – 563
4. Tennessee – 466.5
5. LSU – 393
6. South Carolina – 252
7. KENTUCKY – 236
8. Arkansas – 210
9. Alabama – 195.5
10. Vanderbilt – 78
