University Southern California Trojans
USC
2011 NCAA Championships (Prelims Day 1)
No. 6 USC Opens NCAAs With Strong Prelim Session
March 17, 2011 | Women's Swimming & Diving
March 17, 2011
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Junior Katinka Hosszu was the top qualifier in the 200y IM, while senior Lyndsay DePaul (200y IM), sophomore Haley Anderson (500y free), freshman Kasey Carlson (50y free) and the 400y medley relay also posted finals berths as USC turned in a strong first day of prelims at the 2011 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships at Texas' Jamail Swim Center in Austin on Thursday (March 17).
Hosszu, the Pac-10 champion in the 200y IM and the top seed at NCAAs, finished first overall in 1:54.19, more than a half second ahead of second-place Morgan Scroggy off Georgia (1:54.76).
DePaul qualified for her first NCAA final in the 200y IM, finishing fifth in prelims with a 1:56.16 (PR). She was second for most of the heat before taking third. Freshman Stina Gardell, who swam in the final heat of the 200y IM with Hosszu and DePaul, just missed joining them in the final and qualified as the top seed in the consolation final (1:57.22) with a season-best.
Anderson lowered her PR in the 500y free with a 4:37.92 and came within 0.16 of Kalyn Keller's 2004 school record of 4:37.76 to qualify for the final for the first time, seventh overall. Anderson was in third late in her heat but motored home over the final 100 yards, overtaking Florida freshman Elizabeth Beisel to win the heat. Beisel finished eighth in prelims (4:38.47) to claim the final spot in finals.
Carlson became USC's first swimmer to earn a championship final berth in the 50y free since 1999 when she tied for sixth in prelims in 22.16. The time was 0.01 off of senior Presley Bard's school record. Bard just missed a second swim herself after going 22.36 in prelims, her best effort in the event this year.
USC's 400y medley relay of Bard, Carlson, DePaul and Hosszu wrapped up prelims with a 3:31.41 in the 400y medley relay, qualifying third for the final behind Arizona (3:31.07) and Cal (3:31.11). It marked the fourth year in a row the Trojans earned a finals berth in the event and the fifth time in six years.
The Trojans broke the school record in the 200y free relay in prelims as Bard, Carlson, sophomore Lindsay Parrish and DePaul went 1:29.33. The time was 10th fastest overall, sending Troy to the consolation final as the second seed.
Junior Amanda Smith set a season-best in the 500y free in 4:42.93 in prelims and finished 27th overall. Sophomore Jessica Schmitt was 23rd in the 200y IM (1:59.10) while Meghan Hawthorne was 39th (2:00.72) and junior Tanya Krisman, swimming it for the first time at NCAAs, finished 45th (2:01.48).
"It was a good first session," USC head coach Dave Salo said. "The kids stepped up. There is always so much emotion on the first day. We did a lot better today than on the first day last year. We have someone in finals in each race.
"I think we can go faster in the 200 free relay and the medley relay was a good morning swim. It will be heck of a battle in the final with Cal and Arizona, just like at Pac-10s."
**USC junior diver Victoria Ishimatsu, a two-time All-American in 2010 on both springboard events, participates in prelims following the swim session.
Note: ESPN2 will air a 90-minute recap show at 1:30 p.m. ET on April 5.
