By
Lindsey Manroel
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Arizona earns multiple qualifying times for NCAA Championships
If its performance in Texas is any indication of what is in store for the Arizona women's swimming team at the NCAA Championships this March, then UA could be on its way to a national championship.
While competing at the Texas Invitational this past weekend in Austin, Texas - a meet that was host to swimming programs No. 1 UCLA, No. 4 Stanford, No. 5 California, Texas, Michigan, Wisconsin, Southern Methodist, Arizona State, Nebraska, Rice and Texas Christian - No. 3 Arizona performed at their prime.
"It was really good competition," 100- and 200-meter breaststroker Jessamyn Miller said. "There were some really good teams with some really good swimmers. We made mental notes of what was around us, and based on this weekend, it was a really good indicator of what's to come in March."
With the invitational concluding Sunday, Arizona walked away with eight individual and two relay team automatic qualifying times for the NCAA Championships.
UA's list of accomplishments also included one school record and two Texas Invitational records.
Junior Sarah Tolar and sophomore Beth Botsford led the way for the Wildcats, both earning three individual and two relay qualifying times.
Tolar took home an automatic qualifying time in the 200m and 500m free. She also set a school record in the 400 IM with a time of 4:13.12.
Botsford walked away with qualifying times in the 100m fly and 100m back. With a time of 1:54.77 in the 200 back, Botsford set a meet record and qualified in another event for the 2001 NCAA Championships.
Tolar and Botsford both were a part of the 400 medley relay - along with freshman Jessica Wagner and junior Erin Vogt - that earned a qualifying time.
The 200 medley relay set a meet record with a time of 1:39.79. The medley team was made up of junior Maria Papadopoulou, Botsford, Wagner and Tolar.
Vogt and Wagner both earned individual qualifying times as well. Vogt swam the 200m fly and Wagner the 100m breast - sending them both to the championships in March.
Wagner, the youngest Wildcat to earn an automatic qualifying time, was pleased with her performance.
"It was really exciting because I went into the meet not really knowing that much," Wagner said. "I'm really excited, but I'm still going to work just as hard to try to improve even more."
With their performance this past weekend, the Texas Invitational has left the UA women with a renewed sense of determination as they head into the spring season.
"We had great performances this weekend," Miller said. "We definitely matched last year's meet and maybe even exceeded it. Now we just have to raise the bar to the next level."
Lindsey Manroel can be reached at sports@wildcat.arizona.edu.
