Thursday Results / Dive-by-Dive Scoring / Meet Central
INDIANAPOLIS - Kaersten Meitz and Samm Reese earned All-America honors for Purdue women's swimming & diving on the first full day of action at the NCAA Championships.
Meitz finished fifth in the consolation final (13th overall) of the 500 freestyle. Reese was sixth in the consolation final (14th overall) of 1-meter diving. Both claimed honorable mention All-America accolades. The Purdue women had All-Americans in both individual swimming and diving events in the same year for the fifth time since 2007.
Meitz was ninth in the prelims with a time of 4:38.14, posting four sub-28 second splits. After finishing 14th in the 500 free a year ago, she became the first Purdue swimmer to repeat as an All-American in an individual event since Caitlin Hamilton in 2010 and 2011. Meitz had a time of 4:39.94 in the consolation final.
Reese placed 11th among a field of 50 divers in the 1-meter prelims, posting a score of 279.7. That clinched the junior her first career All-America honor. The Purdue women have had at least one diving All-American 13 times in the last 14 years. Reese recorded a list score of 278.4 in the consolation final.
Meitz is scheduled to compete again in the 200 (Friday) and 1,650 free (Saturday) at NCAAs this week. Reese will represent the Boilermakers again in 3-meter diving Friday.
Like Reese, Indianapolis-area natives Morgan Meixner and Taite Kitchel also made their debuts at the national championship meet Thursday. Meixner (268.8) finished 20th in the 1-meter prelims. Kitchel was 56th in the 200 individual medley prelims (2:00.73).
Kitchel is scheduled to compete again in the butterfly events the next two days.
Meitz and Reese accounted for seven team points with their scoring finishes. The Boilermakers are in 26th place of the 34 scoring teams at NCAAs after Thursday's events.
Action continues Friday with swimming prelims at 10 a.m. ET and 3-meter diving prelims at 12:30 p.m.
Purdue's Thursday Results at NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships
1-Meter Diving
Samm Reese, 279.7 (Prelim Score) -- Finished 6th in Consolation Final (3 Points)
Morgan Meixner, 268.8 (Prelim Score) -- Finished 20th in Prelims
500 Free
Kaersten Meitz, 4:38.14 (Prelim Time) -- Finished 5th in Consolation Final (4 Points)
200 IM
Taite Kitchel, 2:00.74 (Prelim Time) -- Finished 56th in Prelims