Swimming: Mountaineers Complete NCAAs
March 21, 2009 10:23 PM | General
March 20, 2009
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University women’s swimming and diving team completed their trip to College Station, Texas, today, March 21, in day three of the 2009 NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships.
“It was a great week, all the women swam well this week,” Coach Vic Riggs said. “Each year we are getting more comfortable and confident at this level. Though we didn’t get any second swims, they came and competed well; better than last year.”
In her last collegiate swim at WVU, senior Lindsey Largo broke her own school record for the 1,650 free and 1,000 free. The Sarasota, Fla., native, hit the 1,000 free mark at a time of 9:54.99 and finished the race in a time of 16:22.18. Largo’s previous records were set with her first place finish in the 1,650 free at the BIG EAST Championships.
“It was great ending our season with Largo swimming the mile and setting new school records in the 1,000 free and 1,650 free,” Riggs said. “WVU will certainly miss the best distance swimmer in our history and it was an honor to coach her.”
Juniors Kayla Andrews and Morgan Callaway also swam on the final day of competition, their third consecutive day of competition.
Andrews, a native of Newark, Del., and a three-time BIG EAST Champion in the 100 free, swam to a 27th place finish in the event with a time of 48.84. Andrews swam earlier in the three-day meet in the 50 free, finishing in 43rd place in a time of 22.67. She also finished the 100 fly in 44th place with a time of 54.63.
This was Andrews third trip to the NCAA Championships; she has three individual BIG EAST Championships and has four BIG EAST Championships as part of a relay.
The Coatesville, Pa., native, Callaway swam the 200 back in a time of 1:58.10 and finished the race in 50th place. Callaway also swam earlier in the meet with a 48th place finish in the 500 free in a time of 4:47.84. Callaway finished her second event, the 200 free in 1:47.39, a 39th place finish.
Callaway joins Andrews as a three-time participant in the NCAAs. In the BIG EAST Championships, she has six individual champion medals and four relay champion medals.
“Being the toughest and fastest meet in the world, we know what we have to do to not only get back, but to get second swims and get the Mountaineers on the scoreboard,” Riggs said.
This event has ended the women’s portion of the season and the men will be done next week when senior Michael Walker finishes his record-setting career at WVU from March 26-28 in College Station, Texas at the 2009 NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships.
