A closer look at the Badgers' NCAA championships qualifiers
March 17, 2010 | Women's Swimming & Diving
March 17, 2010
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- With the Wisconsin women's swimming and diving team headed to the 2010 NCAA Women's Swimming and Divng Championships this week, UWBadgers.com takes a look at all eight of the Badgers' qualifiers for the national meet -- complete with thoughts on each swimmer from head coach Eric Hansen.
The Badgers begin competition in the NCAA meet Thursday at the Boilermaker Aquatic Center. Check out a complete preview here.
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Name: Kelsey Gergen
Hometown: Hastings, Minn.
Year: Junior
Events: Sprint freestyle
Previous NCAAs: This is Gergen’s third NCAA championships. In 2008, Gergen was a member of the 200-yard freestyle relay team that took fourth. Individually, she placed 49th in the 50 freestyle and 63rd in the 100 freestyle. In 2009, Gergen was the anchor leg on the 200-yard freestyle relay team that finished in ninth place.
NCAA Events: Gergen is invited to the championships as a member of the 200-yard freestyle relay team. Individually, she may also swim in the 50 freestyle.
Outlook: In addition to swimming on the fourth seeded 200 free relay team, Gergen is seeded No. 78th in the 50 free.
Competition: The Badgers are right in the thick of the hunt for a national championship in the 200 free relay. With only Stanford, Cal and Florida seeded faster, the Badgers are a legitimate contender. But with the top seven teams within a second of each other, it could be anyone’s race.
Hansen on Gergen: “Kelsey will be one of the most important factors in the success of our 200 free relay team. Individually she will be looking for a personal-best performance in the 50 freestyle.”
Gergen on NCAAs: “It is an extraordinary opportunity to be at NCAAs for the third time. It will be a special event that the eight of us will never forget. I can't wait to be a part of some amazing swims and make some great memories with my friends.”
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Name: Karlyn Hougan
Hometown: Olympia, Wash.
Year: Junior
Events: Freestyle/Butterfly
Previous NCAAs: This is Hougan’s second NCAA championships. In 2009, Hougan was a member of the seventh-place 400 medley relay team. Individually, Hougan swam the 100 butterfly, finishing in 40th place.
NCAA Events: This year, Hougan is invited to the championships as a member of the 200-yard medley relay team. In addition, she will swim the butterfly leg on the 400-yard medley relay.
Outlook: The lady Badgers are seeded fourth in the 200 -ard medley relay and 16th in the 400 medley relay.
Competition: In the 400 medley relay, top seeds Auburn and Stanford hold a one-second lead over the rest of the field. With 2009 champions Arizona sitting in eighth, there is plenty of parity in this year’s field.
In the 200 medley relay, the Badgers will look to improve on their 2009 runner-up performance. Standing in their way will be the fastest medley relay from 2009 in Arizona. The Wildcats easily had the fastest relay in ’09 but jumped the gun and were disqualified in the championship meet. Along with Wisconsin and Arizona, top seeds Tennessee, Virginia, and Georgia will all be in the hunt for the title.
Hansen on Hougan: “Karlyn is the one new addition to our national runner-up 200 medley relay from last year. Her butterfly legs on both medley relays will be critical to their success.”
Hougan on NCAAs: "I have never been more proud to represent myself, my team and UW at the NCAA championships. I've worked very hard and sacrificed an abundant amount of time for the opportunity. I am excited to swim fast, have a blast and share this experience with seven women who rock this world! Go Badgers!"
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Name: Ruby Martin
Hometown: Madison, Wis.
Year: Freshman
Events: Sprint freestyle
Previous NCAAs: This is Martin’s first NCAA championships.
NCAA Events: Martin is invited to the NCAA championships as a member of the Big Ten champion 200-yard freestyle relay team. Martin also swam a “B” cut and is eligible to swim in the 50-yard freestyle.
Outlook: The Wisconsin 200-yard freestyle relay is seeded fourth going into the championship meet. Martin’s time in the 50 freestyle seeded her as No. 86 prior to NCAA cuts.
Competition: The lady Badgers are right in the thick of the hunt for a National Championship in the 200 free relay. With only Stanford, Cal, and Florida seeded faster, the Badgers are a legitimate contender. But with the top 7 teams within a second of each other, it could be anyone’s race.
Hansen on Martin: “Ruby has been a really nice surprise this season in terms of her versatility. She will likely anchor our 200 free relay and we can use her on any of the four relays. For both her and Laura Miller to qualify for this meet as freshman is a testament to the hard work they’ve done and to the tradition that has been passed down on this women’s team.”
Ruby on NCAAs: “Being able to go to NCAAs is an amazing accomplishment, and being able to be a part of something that is involving the best swimmers in the country is really exciting.”
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Name: Maggie Meyer
Hometown: North Oaks, Minn.
Year: Junior
Events: Backstroke
Previous NCAAs: This is Meyer’s third NCAA championships. In 2008, Meyer was a member of the fourt- place 200 freestyle relay, 11th-place 200 medley relay, 16th-place 400 freestyle relay, and 19th-place 800 freestyle relay teams. Individually, Meyer finished 25th in the 100 backstroke and 38th in the 100 freestyle.
In 2009, Meyer was a member of the national runner-up 200 medley relay, seventh-place 400 medley relay and ninth-place 200 freestyle relay teams. Individually, Meyer swam to an 11th-place finish in the 50 freestyle and to 17th in the 100 backstroke.
NCAA Events: This year, Meyer swam an automatic qualifying time of 52.27 in the 100 backstroke. In addition to the 100, Meyer will swim the 200 backstroke and the 50 freestyle.
Meyer will also be a member of all four Badger relays. She will swim on the 200 and 400 freestyle relays and be the backstroke leg of the 200 and 400 medley relays.
Outlook: Meyer is the highest individual seed for the lady Badgers as her qualifying time in the 100 backstroke puts her into the championship meet in fifth place. Meyer is also seeded 24th in the 200 backstroke and 30th in the 50 freestyle.
Competition: Defending National Champion in both the 100 and 200 backstroke Gemma Spofforth of Florida will look to add to her tally of five championships. Looking to unseat her in the 100 along with Meyer will be Mei Christensen of Virginia, Pressley Bard of USC and Jennifer Connolly of Tennessee.
In the 200, Katernya Fesenko of Indiana is the top seed with Bard and Spofforth right behind her in second and third respectively. Looking to break into the top three will be Christensen and Carly Smith of North Carolina.
Hansen on Meyer: “Maggie will be swimming the most events of any of the Badgers. Swimming four relays and three individual events will be a testament to her versatility, her conditioning and to the progress she has made since last year. That's why she swam her way onto the U.S. national team.”
Meyer on NCAAs: “I’m really excited to be here with my teammates. We’ve trained so hard this year, and I’m ready to see it pay off.”
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Name: Laura Miller
Hometown: Portland, Ore.
Year: Freshman
Events: Freestyle
Previous NCAAs: This is Miller’s first NCAA championships
NCAA Events: Miller is invited to the NCAA championships as a member of both the 400-yard medley relay and the 400-yard freestyle relay.
Outlook: The Wisconsin 400-yard medley relay is seeded No. 16 going into the championship meet. The 400-yard freestyle relay is seeded in 12th position. Both relays look to move into the top eight places.
Competition: In the 400 medley relay, top seeds Auburn and Stanford hold a one-second lead over the rest of the teams. With 2009 champions Arizona sitting in eighth, there is plenty of parity in this year’s field.
In the 400 freestyle relay, Stanford enters the meet seeded over a second faster than No. 2 seed Georgia. With defending champs California seeded third there are another nine teams within three seconds of the top three.
Hansen on Miller: “Laura’s made a great deal of progress this year and will be an integral part of the 400 free relay. Her main focus is to get that relay into the top eight.”
Miller on the NCAAs: “Going to my first NCAA meet is going to be such an exciting experience by itself, but being able to go with these seven other girls is going to make my first NCAAs magical.”
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Name: Rosie Morahan
Hometown: London, England
Year: Senior
Events: Freestyle
Previous NCAAs: This is Morahan’s third NCAA championships. In 2008, Morahan was a member of the 11th-place 200 medley relay and 19th-place 800 freestyle relay teams. Individually, Morahan swam to a 45th-place finish in the 100 breaststroke and 67th in the 100 freestyle. In 2009, Morahan was a member of the seventh-place 400 medley relay team.
NCAA Events: This year, Morahan is invited to the championship meet as a member of the 400 freestyle relay team. She is also eligible to swim on the 200 freestyle relay team and has “B” cuts making her eligible to swim in the 100 and 200 freestyle events.
Outlook: The 200 freestyle relay is ranked fourth going into the championship meet. The lady Badgers 400 freestyle relay team is seeded No. 12. Individually, Morahan was seeded 63rd in the 100 freestyle before cuts were made.
Competition: With only Stanford, Cal, and Florida seeded faster, the Badgers are a legitimate contender in the 200 free relay. But with the top seven teams within a second of each other, it could be anyone’s race.
In the 400 freestyle relay, Stanford enters the meet seeded over a second faster than number two seed Georgia. With defending champs California seeded third, there are another nine teams within three seconds of the top three.
Hansen on Morahan: “Rosie is a freestyle specialist that will be utilized on the 400 free relay and possibly the 200 free relay. As a senior, we look to her to help lead our team at the NCAA championships.”
Morahan on NCAAs: “I can’t think of a better way to end my swimming career than being at the NCAA meet, which is one of the fastest meets in the world, and sharing that with my great Badger teammates who are also my closest friends in the world. I am really excited to give it my all on that last relay and go out with a bang!”
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Name: Beckie Thompson
Hometown: New Berlin, Wis.
Year: Sophomore
Events: Sprint freestyle
Previous NCAAs: This is Thompson’s second NCAA championships. In 2009, Thompson finished 16th in the 50-yard freestyle. She was also a member of the 200 freestyle relay that finished in ninth place, the 400 freestyle relay that took seventh, and was the anchor leg of the national runner-up 200-yard medley relay.
NCAA Events: Thompson, a two-time individual Big Ten champion, is invited to the championships for the 50 freestyle. Thompson also received a “B” cut and is eligible to swim in the 100-yard freestyle. Thompson will likely be a factor in the 200-yard medley, 200-yard freestyle and 400-yard freestyle relays, as well.
Outlook: In the 50 free, Thompson is seeded as the sixth-fastest swimmer heading into competition.
The Badgers will look to do one better than last year in their hunt for a relay national championship in the 200 medley relay. Wisconsin is seeded No. 4 for the relay, for which Thompson will likely swim the anchor leg.
Competition: While Thompson is seeded in the top 10, the 50 free is a wide-open event with 34 swimmers within a half-second of top-seeded Elizabeth Webb of Stanford. The runner-up from 2009, Anne-Marie Botek of Georgia, is seeded fifth with 2008 runner-up and 2009 third-place finisher Michelle King of Tennessee seeded second.
Hansen on Thompson: “Beckie will play a vital role in everything that happens for us at these championships. As the two-time defending Big Ten champion and current Big Ten record holder in the 50 freestyle, she will be an important factor on all four relays as well as individually in the 50 and 100 freestyle events.”
Thompson on NCAAs: “I am really looking forward to NCAAs. We all have worked so hard to get to where we want to be and the big meet is finally here! Our relays and also our individual events are all set up to do amazing things at this meet and I can't wait to watch them happen. I am proud to be a part of such a strong group of girls who work well together. This is going to be a fun meet.”
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Name: Ashley Wanland
Hometown: Long Grove, Ill.
Year: Sophomore
Events: Breaststroke
Previous NCAAs: This is Wanland’s second NCAA championships. In 2009, Wanland had the highest individual finish for the lady Badgers with a third place finish in the 100 yard breaststroke. Wanland also posted a ninth-place finish in the 200-yard breaststroke. She was also a member of the seventh-place 400 medley relay and second place 200 medley relay teams.
NCAA Events: Wanland, a 2009 Big Ten champion, is invited to the championships as a member of the 200 medley relay team that received an automatic “A” cut time. Wanland will also be a member of the 400 medley relay team. Individually, Wanland will compete in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke events.
Outlook: In addition to the relay teams, Wanland is seeded No. 9 in the 100 breaststroke. She is also seeded 17th in the 200 breaststroke.
Competition: With the graduation of Olympic gold medalist Rebecca Soni of USC, the championships will see the first new 100 breaststroke champion since 2007 and the first new champion in the 200 breaststroke since 2005.
In the 100 breaststroke, 2008 and 2009 runner-up Jillian Tyler of Minnesota will be looking for her first championship. Looking to stop her will be Wanland, top-seeded Ashley Danner of George Mason and 2009 All-Americans Samantha Maxwell of Notre Dame and Alia Atkinson of Texas A&M.
In the 200 breaststroke, 2008 national runner-up Elizabeth Smith of Stanford is the top seed. Smith will be looking for redemption after a disappointing 2009 championships where she failed to make the finals. Looking to knock her off the top spot will be Atkinson, Danner, Tyler and Big Ten champion Haley Spencer of Minnesota.
Hansen on Wanland: “Ashley will swim the breaststroke leg on both of our medley relays in addition to the 100 and 200 individual breaststroke events. We will look for Ashley to improve both her times and her third place finish from last season’s championships.”
Wanland on NCAAs: “Here's the quote I will be taking with me to NC's: 'Winning is about heart, not just legs. It's got to be in the right place.' - Lance Armstrong.”
