Nationals Recap

The 2013 NCAA DIII Nationals came to a close this evening but not before our Whitman swimmers had one more swim each.  Karl started the morning off with a great effort in his 100 freestyle.  His time of 45.72 was was his second fastest of the year, just missing his Conference and school record swim from the NWC Championships of 45.46.  As was the trend this year, it took a very fast 45.08 to make the top 16 and a 44.81 to make the top 8.  Claire swam the 200 breaststroke this morning with a very good time of 2:22.10.  She swam a very strong race but didn't quite match her NWC Championship effort. 

Galen had yesterday off to rest and prepare for this afternoon's 1650 freestyle.  Galen's race came at the end of this final morning session.  The men and women with the top 8 entry times swam the race at the beginning of the evening session.  Two things became clear as Galen got underway in his race: he wasn't going to hold anything back, and he was going to have a race on his hands.  Galen and Stevens Institute's Wesley Elford were within three seconds of one another for the duration of the race.  Galen was out in 4:38.77 at the 500 mark, and a new school record 9:21.73 at the 1000.  Galen led the race until the final 150 yards when Elford took control, eventually winning the heat and placing 5th overall.  Even though Galen finished second in his heat, his final time of 15:34.00 was a lifetime best, school record and Northwest Conference record, and fast enough for 7th place overall and his second All-American Award of the meet. 

In the end, Whitman finished 17th in the Men's team score with 56 total points. The  University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, was 16th with 63.  On the Women's side, Claire Collins was responsible for the first points ever scored by a Whitman woman.  Her 5 points placed Whitman 47th in the team division, tied with the State University of New York, New Palz.

Here are the Quick Stats from the meet:

• 4 NCAA All-American awards, 2 for Karl and 2 for Galen, and one NCAA All-American Honable mention for Claire, the first All-American award for a Whitman women's swimmer
• Whitman's highest finish at an NCAA Swimming National Championship for our Men's team at 17th overall
• Whitman's first ever points scored by a woman swimmer from Claire's 12th place finish in the 100 breaststroke
• 4 more school records were broken, bringing the season total to 24
• Galen had the highest individual event finish in school history with his 2nd place effort of 4:27.47 in the 500 free
• Whitman set three new NWC records: Galen 500 free: 4:27.47; Karl 200 butterfly: 1:47.50; Galen 1650 free: 15:34.00

In the end, we had a phenomenal meet!  All of us are thrilled with the way things turned out.  We just wish that everyone could have been here with us for this awesome experience!  I feel extremely inspired by the experience and want nothing more than to give the rest of our Whitman swimmers the opportunity to compete at the National level.  Look out 2014 National Championships! 

Here are some photos form the day:

Jenn helping Claire with her cap before the 200 Breaststroke

Galen chilling before his 1650

Congratulations Galen, Claire, Jenn, and Karl

Galen getting his second All-American award

Day Three Recap

It was another exciting day in Texas!  Karl starting things off this morning with fantastic 200 butterfly to qualify him 5th for the finals of the event.  His prelims time of 1:48.37 lowered his own school and Conference record in the event.  Claire Collins then followed Karl's performance with an outstanding swim of her own, swimming a 1:04.87 to qualify her 14th for finals.

In finals, Karl put together a superb swim to get 3rd place overall with a time of 1:47.50 and lower his school and Conference record yet again!  In the prelims, Karl's first 100 split was 50.30, and his second 100, 58.07.  However, in finals, Karl led off with a more conservative first 100 yards, touching at 51.68 at the halfway point.  The energy he saved on the first half of the race turned into an explosive last 50 yards--the fastest final 50 yards in the top 8--that propelled Karl home with a 55.82 split on his second 100 yards, and ultimately a third place finish.  Karl also became an All-American for the second time this week.  His last 50 yards was foreshadowed by Galen's unbelievable come from behind finish in the 500 freestyle on Wednesday.  Galen's final 50 in the 500 was also the fastest in the top 8. 

Claire's final in the 100 breaststroke was also a come from behind effort!  After her great morning swim, Claire was fired up for finals!  And, just like Karl and Galen before her, she closed down the race with a phenomenal last 50 yards--tying the fastest split in her heat at 33.67--for a 1:04.57.  Her finals effort knocked another .3 off of her prelims swim and moved her from 14th to 12th place overall.  Her swim also made Claire the first Whitman woman to become an All-American Honorable Mention!  That's 4 All-American awards so far!

Galen had the day off today but will swim the 1650 tomorrow at the end of the morning session.  Galen is seeded 10th in the event and will be swimming in lane 5.  The top 8 qualifiers will swim at the beginning of the finals session and because the event is a timed final, meaning that it is only swum once by each athlete rather than prelims-finals format, it doesn't matter whether an athlete swims in the morning or evening.  Karl starts the morning off in the first event, the 100 freestyle.  Finally, Claire will swim the 200 breaststroke tomorrow as well. 

Prelims start at 10am central time!  Keep checking the Twitter @WhitmanSwimming for results!

Now here are some fun pictures from today!

Keller and Claire.  Thanks for the support Keller!

Karl getting his trophy!

Galen makes sure Karl gets dried off for his award

Claire and the scoreboard.  12th place!

Karl and Jenn celebrating All-American no. 2

Day Two!

Day two started off with a bang this morning when Karl Mering swam a 48.67 in the 100 butterfly, the 6th fastest time of the prelims session.  His finals effort of 48.70 earned him 8th place overall and his first All-American honor.  The 100 butterfly was sure to be one of the fastest events at the Championships this year, after 24 men met the "A" qualifying standard in the event.  MIT's Wyatt Ubellacker broke the DIII National Record in the event with his winning time of 47.41.  And all of this happened on Karl's 20th birthday!

Claire had the day off today and will compete in the 100 breaststroke tomorrow.  Galen swam in the 200 freestyle this morning as well but after two unbelievable 500 swims yesterday, he didn't make the top-16 in the event.  The Men's 200 freestyle was perhaps the deepest event of the day.  To qualify 16th took a 1:39.35; to qualify 8th, a 1:38.81.  Kenyon's Austin Caldwell won the event in 1:37.01, missing the National record by just .03.  Galen has the day off tomorrow and will compete in the 1650 at the end of the morning session on Saturday.  He is seeded 10th in the event. 

Karl's meet continues with the 200 butterfly tomorrow.  The 200 fly is the first event of the morning session which starts at 10am Central Time.  Claire's 100 breaststroke is the final individual event of the morning. 

The birthday boy and Claire share a moment this morning at prelims

Karl receiving his award for 8th place

Karl's birthday dinner at Chipotle!  He got to choose the restaurant and his parents, uncle, and cousin joined us with the cake

All-American Karl and Jenn after his 100 butterfly