No. 5 Trojans Head North
June 21, 1999 | Women's Swimming & Diving
January 26, 1999
LOS ANGELES - The USC women's swimming and diving team (5-0 overall, 2-0 in the Pacific-10 Conference), the fifth- place finisher at the NCAA Championships a year ago and currently ranked No. 5, travels to the Bay Area to take on No. 7 California (9-2, 1-1) on Friday (Jan. 29) at 12:30 p.m. and No. 2 Stanford (4-2, 1-1) on Saturday (Jan. 30) at 1 p.m. Last season, USC defeated California, 185-113, and fell to Stanford, 161-139. Both meets were at USC.
USC SUPERLATIVES
USC Coach Mark Schubert has built a women's team that
is dotted with national and international-caliber swimmers, many of whom
will be competing for either the U.S. or their respective countries
following the conclusion of the collegiate season. Senior All-American
Lindsay Benko will compete for the U.S. at the Pan Pacific Championships,
senior All-American Karen Campbell will compete at the Pan Am Games, senior
All-American diver Drte Lindner will compete at the Diving World Cup and
sophomore All-American Corrie Murphy will compete at the World University
Games.
OLYMPIC ACHIEVEMENT
USC Coach Mark Schubert, in his seventh year at
Troy, will serve as the head coach for the U.S. men's team at the 2000
Olympics in Sydney, Australia. It is his sixth consecutive USA Olympic
coaching position. (Schubert's wife, Joke, will be the head manager for the
U.S. contingent in Australia, as well.) Mark Schubert was an assistant
coach at the 1996 Atlanta Games. He served as the 1992 USA women's Olympic
head coach, guiding the American women to two gold medal relay world
records, four additional American records and an impressive world-leading
14 medals, including five gold. In January of 1998, he served as assistant
coach for the U.S. women's team at the World Championships in Perth,
Australia.
LINDSAY BENKO
One of the top middle-distance freestylers in the country
and a national-caliber backstroker, 1998-99 co-captain Lindsay Benko is
having a fine senior season. She owns USC's top times this year in the 100,
200, 500 and 1000 free. Her time of 9:40.63 at UC Santa Barbara in the
1000 free broke a 15-year old USC record (Carol Peterson, 9:42.80). Her
time of 4:45.85 in the 500 free is an NCAA automatic qualifying time. Benko
is a four-time NCAA titlist (winning the 200 back and 500 free as a
freshman and a sophomore), a 15-time All-American and she owns eight
individual and six relay records at USC. A U.S. National team member, she
will compete at the Pan Pacific Championships in August, 1999.
KAREN CAMPBELL
A 1998-99 senior co-captain, All-American Karen Campbell
is one of the top sprint butterflyers in the nation as well as a talented
freestyler with the potential to final in more than one event at the NCAAs.
She currently owns USC's top times in the 50 free as well as in the 100 and
200 fly. She has posted NCAA automatic times in both fly events 54.04 and
2:00.05, respectively. Campbell is an eight-time All-American and owns four
USC individual and three relay records. Campbell will swim for the U.S. at
the Pan Am Games in August of 1999.
DORTE LINDNER
One of the top divers in Europe, let alone college,
1998-99 senior Dorte Lindner will vie for All- American honors in all three
diving specialties. She is a four-time All-American, finalling in both the
1- and 3-meter events at the NCAA Championships as a sophomore and junior
the last two years. She's also the defending Pac-10 champion in the above
two specialties, earning Pac-10 Female Diver of the Meet honors last
season. She will compete for Germany in the Diving World Cup in 1999.
CORRIE MURPHY
One of the most versatile swimmers in the nation, 1998-99
sophomore Corrie Murphy is coming off of an All-American campaign and will
look to establish herself as a mainstay in USC's corps of NCAA finalists in
the back, IM and free events. Murphy currently has USC's top time in the
400 IM (4:21.20). She was a two-time All-American last year, finalling in
both the 400 IM and 200 back. She will compete for the U.S. at the World
University Games in July of 1999.
KRISTIN MacGREGOR
One of the top prep breaststrokers in the nation last
year, 1998-99 freshman Kristin MacGregor has lent immediate help in the
breast and IM events (as well as in the relays) and has NCAA finalist
potential. She has posted the top USC times this year in the 200 IM
(2:03.06), 100 breast (1:02.19 an NCAA automatic time) and the 200 breast
(2:17.09). She competed at the 1997 Pan Pacific Championships and is a
regular finalist at U.S. National meets.
NEWCOMERS
In addition to Kristin MacGregor, USC has a host of other
newcomers contributing immediately to the program. Freshman Katie Meyer has
established herself as one USC's finest, if not the finest, backstrokers
and currently has the top times in both the 100 (55.96) and 200 (1:59.91).
She is also one of USC's top butterflyers. Senior transfer Nora Zhong is an
experienced swimmer who has posted NCAA consideration times in both fly
events and is also a talented freestyler. Freshman Amy Migawa, a versatile
swimmer, is also coming on strong and recently posted an NCAA consideration
time in the 400 IM (4:24.69).
CALIFORNIA
The Golden Bears, under seventh-year coach Teri McKeever,
are led by senior Marylyn Chiang, who already has NCAA automatic qualifying
times in the 100 free (49.98), 100 back (53.74) and the 100 fly (53.50).
STANFORD
The Cardinal, under 11th-year coach Richard Quick, is the
defending NCAA champions. Stanford is highlighted by All-Americans Misty
Hyman and Catherine Fox.
