Results: Saturday / Full /// Dive-by-Dive Scoring / Meet Central
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Lexi Vincent's fourth-place finish in platform diving Saturday gave Purdue women's swimming & diving an All-American on each of the three days of individual events at the NCAA Championships.
The Boilermakers scored in six events at the national championship meet to finish in 19th place in the team scoring with 51 points. That's tied for the third-best showing in program history. Purdue was 16th in 2010 and 17th in 2005, hosting NCAAs both years. The team finished among the top 25 at NCAAs for the 10th time since 2005.
The Boilermakers had six scoring finishes in individual events at NCAAs for the first time ever. With Kaersten Meitz (500 free), Jinq En Phee (100 breast) and Vincent (platform) all qualifying for championship finals, Purdue had three full-fledged All-Americans for only the second time (also in 2010).
Meitz (15:55.25) closed out her accomplished collegiate career with a 10th-place finish in the 1,650 freestyle Saturday, earning honorable mention All-America accolades. She improved on her time in the event from the Big Ten Championships by 6.77 seconds. The senior placed among the top 10 nationally in the both the 500 and 1,650 free this week, joining Emily Fogle (2012, 2016) and Kim Fritsch (1992-94) as the only swimmers in program history to be an All-American in two individual events in the same year.
Vincent was an All-American on platform for the second year in a row, joining Michelle Cabassol (2013-14) and Carrie McCambridge (2005-06) as Purdue divers to be full-fledged All-Americans in the same event in consecutive seasons. Vincent improved on her prelim score (261.8) by 36 points in the final (297.9), moving up from eighth place to fourth. She qualified for the championship final by a slim margin of just 0.3 tenths of a point.
Emily Bretscher (250.25) placed 17th in platform diving, the freshman's second event of the week at NCAAs. She finished 1.15 points shy of 16th place and a spot in the consolation final. Emily Meaney was an All-American on platform a year ago but was unable to overcome missed dives in rounds three and four Saturday. Her final dive produced the second-best score (72) among the entire field in the last round, but she finished in 27th place among the 47 divers competing.
Emmy Rawson (1:56.65) and Taite Kitchel (1:58.08) raced for the third day in a row, competing in the prelims of the 200 butterfly. That's the event in which both upperclassmen earned berths at NCAAs twice in their careers. Rawson competed in her final collegiate event Saturday. She'll graduate among Purdue's all-time top five in both butterfly events and the 200 individual medley. She eclipsed the program record in the 200 fly twice in her career.
The Boilermakers will have to bid adieu to an accomplished senior class headlined by Samm Reese, Meitz and Rawson, but they're scheduled to return nine of their 12 NCAA Championships qualifiers this year for the 2018-19 season.
2018 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
March 14 to 17 / Columbus, Ohio
Purdue's Saturday Results
Platform Diving
Lexi Vincent, 297.90 -- 4th in Championship Final (15 Points); ALL-AMERICA
Emily Bretscher, 250.25 -- 17th in Prelims
Emily Meaney, 233.25 -- T-27th in Prelims
1650 Free
Kaersten Meitz, 15:55.25 -- 10th Overall (7 Points); H.M. ALL-AMERICA
200 Fly
Emmy Rawson, 1:56.65 -- 28th in Prelims
Taite Kitchel, 1:58.08 -- 34th in Prelims
200 Breast
Jinq En Phee, 2:14.73 -- 53rd in Prelims
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