Nov. 19, 2005
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Boilermaker Aquatic Center's 'fast-pool' reputation was further solidified Saturday morning when Tennessee senior Jacque Fessel recorded the nation's fastest 100-yard backstroke time of 54.05 seconds.
This year's previous best of 54.51 was originally posted by Stanford sophomore Brooke Bishop, and Fessel's previous best this season was 55.86. Fessel's 25-yard splits were clocked at 12.90, 13.40, 14.03 and 14.72.
In addition to Fessel's NCAA automatic qualifier performance, 18 other swimmers posted NCAA provisonal cuts in their respective events.
Purdue's Jenae Gill was among those who posted a NCAA 'B' Cut, finishing behind Fessel with a season-best time of 55.85. Florida's Samantha Vanderbilt was third with her provisional cut of 56.07. Fessel, Gill and Vanderbilt are currently ranked among the top-15 fastest swimmers in the 100 back.
Gill also was one of 19 Boilermakers who qualified for either a championship or consolation final, which should keep Purdue in contention with No. 4 Florida for the team title. By comparision, the Gators qualified 17 swimmers for Saturday night's swims.
Senior co-captain Erica Chandler led the Boilermakers in the pool for a second-consecutive day, posting the morning's fastest times in both the 400 individual medley and the 200 freestyle. Chandler began the meet with a provisional cut of 4:18.73 in the 400 IM, which broke another 14-year-old varsity record once held by Susan Wolfle (4:18.81).
In two days of competition this weekend, Chandler has erased two Wolfle varsity records. Friday, Chandler twice eclipsed Wolfle's varsity record of 4:48.11 in the 500 free, first posting a 4:48.01 in prelims and a 4:47.09 in finals.
Two events later, Chandler prevailed over Florida's Natalie Pike for the best time in the 200 free, 1:49.26 to 1:49.77.
Purdue claimed a total of six finalists for the 200 free, including Jennifer Merte (3rd; 4:22.48) and Stacie Lesneksi (4th; 4:23.95); Yvonne Laaper, Rory Belk and Nicole Weatherman placed among the top 16 and will compete in the consolation finals.
Four Boilermaker women, including Chandler, qualified for finals in the 200 free. Joining Chandler in the championship race will be Kat Telfer, who placed eighth at 1:50.38. Susan Hentschel and Lauren Willis just missed the top eight, with their ninth and 11th-place times of 1:51.10 and 1:52.56.
Purdue also will have four finalists in the 100 breaststroke. Shannon Grace (1:04.15) and Jennifer Lavers (1:04.63) placed second and fourth, while Merte (1:05.39) and Belk (1:05.88) claimed ninth and 11th.
Carlene Takaki highlighted Purdue's run in the 100 fly, finishing fifth with a time of 55.85. In the 100 fly consolations, Purdue will be represented by Rachel Murphy (58.07) and Rachael Helman (58.31).
Purdue's men's team had a turnaround day, qualifying 14 swimmers for night swims, double the number it had after Friday's prelims.
Five of Purdue's finalists are in the 100 butterfly. Giordan Pogioli posted the fastest Boilermaker time, placing fourth in 49.85; Jon Ranochak (50.28), Jin-Soo Kim (50.29), Joe Colley (50.64) and Blake Scholz (50.72), all finished between ninth and 16th.
Pogioli and Kim doubled their workload after placing first and third in the 100 breast. Pogioli posted a season best and NCAA provisional cut of 54.91, while Kim's third-place mark was clocked at 57.20. Junior Chris Lashely also recorded a top-eight time in the 100 breast, coming in seventh at 58.27. Steve Miskovetz qualified for consolations after posting an 11th-place mark of 58.42.
Divers Steven LoBue, Josh Karshen, JR Hillis and Zach Schultz all finished among the top eight off the 1-meter springboard. This group also made the finals of last night's 3-meter competition. LoBue had the best score of all the Boilermakers, finishing second with 307.05 points, five points behind leader Evan Watters of Missouri.
In women's 3-meter competition, Carrie McCambridge and Amanda Miller once again qualified for finals. McCambridge placed second behind Northwestern's Chelsea Davis, 329.90 to 318.05, while Miller placed third with 295.55 points.