March 13, 2013
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky sophomore swimmer Christina Bechtel has been selected to participate in the 2013 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships set to begin March 21 at the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis, Ind.
Bechtel, who will be competing in her first NCAA Championship, notched her qualifying time of 52.62 in the 100-butterfly on the first day of the Bulldog Last Chance Meet in Athens, Ga. The time was a career best and is good for second all-time in program history.
“We are very excited about Tina,” said head coach Gary Conelly. “This is her first NCAAs, so it is a big step. She went to Olympic Trials last summer, so she should have some notion of what to expect. I think if she can shave off a few tenths, she can score. That would be a great ending to her sophomore year.”
Bechtel earned one individual victory this season, which came at Missouri against the Tigers and Southern Illinois. She earned multiple top-three finishes on the season and became the top butterfly performer on the team by season’s end.
In addition to her top time this season in the 100-butterfly, Bechtel also holds team-high times in the 50-freestyle (23.20) and the 200-butterfly (1:58.44). She was also part of the 200-medley relay team that defeated Louisville with a time of 1:43.17 and a victorious 400-medley relay squad that won at Cincinnati with a time of 3:50.60.
Bechtel will be the first female representative from the University of Kentucky to participate at the NCAA Championships since the 2010-11 season. She will be the lone swimmer from the University of Kentucky attending the NCAA Championships.
Last season, Lucas Gerotto and Tyler Reed were the lone swimmers to qualify for the NCAA Championships alongside diver Greg Ferrucci.
The championships will be held March 21-23 and is hosted by the Indiana Sports Corporation and IUPUI will serve as co-hosts.
ESPN3.com will stream finals sessions on Friday and Saturday live. ESPU will also air a 90-minute show at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 27.
