Florida W. Capture Pool Record in the 2005 NCAA Championships
Thursday, March 17, 2005 | Women's Swimming & Diving
The No. 3 University of Florida swimming team began day one of the three-day 2005 NCAA Championships on Thursday morning at the Doris Z. Holloway Pool at the Boilermaker Aquatic Center in West Lafayette, Ind. The prelims began at 11 a.m. ET.
Beginning the national meet for Florida was the women's 200-free relay team, consisting of senior Maureen Farrell (Northridge, Calif.), freshman Caroline Burckle (Louisville, Ky.), junior Mary Uhle (Sankt Ingbert, Germnay) and freshman Natalie Pike (Boca Raton). The sqaud combined for a time of 1:30.70 to take third place in their heat. Farrell began the race with a 22.68 split time.
The Gators' overall time was good for a sixth-place finish in the preliminary round, and advanced the women onto the championship final. It was also the fastest time recorded in that event this season and the seventh-fastest time ever swam in the 200 FR by a Gator squad.
In the second event of the 2005 meet, Burckle swam the 500 free in 4:40.50 to capture second place and a seat in the championship final. Burckle swam the second fastest time in the preliminary round, just behind Wisconsin's Carly Piper who set a new pool record. Burckle won the 2005 Southeastern Conference Championships in the event, clocking a SEC record with a 4:38.32 effort.
Also in the prelims of the event, freshman Joanna Maranhao (Recife-PE, Brazil) touched the wall in 4:47.18 for fourth place in her heat and a 22nd-placing overall. Sophomore Katie Ball (Cincinnati, Ohio) clocked a 4:47.20 to finish sixth in her heat (23rd overall), while senior Meredith Green (Chapel Hill, N.C.) swam a 500 time of 4:48.76. Ashley Carusone (High Springs) finished in 56th place with a 4:56.46. Only Burckle advanced onto this evening's finals in the 500-yard free.
In the 200-yard individual medley, sophomore Leah Retrum (Columbus, Ind.) qualified for the finals after clocking a 1:59.07, the fastest time by a Gator this season and the sixth-fastest time ever recorded by a Gator swimmer. Retrum's time was good for seventh place, while teammate Candace Weiman (Castro Valley, Calif.) clocked a 2:00.38 for a career-best and a seat in the consolation finals.
Finishing in 13th place was senior Katie McCann (Walpole, Mass.) after a 200-IM time of 2:00.10. McCann swam the 10th-fastest time in UF history, earning a seat in the consolation finals. Also in the event was junior Vipa Bernhardt (Bad Hersfelt, Germany) with a 2:01.40 effort for fifth in her heat, 24th in the field. Sophomore Jamie Reid (Orlando) also competed, finishing 40th overall with a 2:02.65.
Competing in the 50 free as the Gator's lone swimmer was freshman Pike with a 23.73 effort for sixth in her heat. Pike didn't qualify for the finals of the 50 free, as a 22.82 was the cutoff for a position in the consolation final.
The final event of the morning session was the women's 400-yard medley relay. The Gator team (Farrell, Bernhardt, Weiman and Burckle) captured first place in their heat with a 3:34.87 performance, a pool record at the Holloway Pool. The Gators leading leg, Farrell clocked a 53.91 100-back time to put the team in the lead. Florida stayed out front the entire relay, finishing with the fastest time overall and the fastest time in the 400 MR in Gator history. The previous best of 3:35.22 was set when UF won the 400 MR title at last month's SEC Championships. The relay team will advance onto the finals.
Sixteenth place through ninth place guaranteed the swimmer as seat in the consolation final. Eighth place through first gave a chance for the competitor to finish as the event champion. The competition will resume at 7 p.m. ET this evening as the Gators vie for top placings in their final heat.
Day One Florida Prelim Results
200 Free Relay Time
6. Florida (Farrell, Burckle, Uhle, Pike) 1:30.70
500 Free Time
2. Caroline Burckle 4:40.50
22. Joanna Maranhao 4:47.18
23. Katie Ball 4:47.20
32. Meredith Green 4:48.76
56. Ashley Carusone 4:56.46
200 Individual Medley Time
7. Leah Retrum 1:59.07
13. Katie McCann 2:00.10
15. Candace Weiman 2:00.38
24. Vipa Bernhardt 2:01.40
40. Jamie Reid 2:02.65
50 Free
60. Natalie Pike 23.73
400 Medley Relay
1. Florida (Farrell, Bernhardt, Weiman, Burckle) 3:34.87
- Holloway pool record
-UF-
