Schmidt and Vehr Represent Miami at the NCAA Championships
3/17/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving
March 17, 2009
OXFORD, Ohio - Two Miami University women's swimmers get the opportunity to test themselves at the fastest short-course meet in the world--the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships--held this Thursday, Friday and Saturday (March 19-21) at Texas A&M's Student Recreation Center Natatorium in College Station, Texas.
Senior freestyler Alyson Schmidt (Maineville) and sophomore breaststroker Kelsey Vehr (Cincinnati) are the first pair of RedHawk swimmers in 15 years to qualify for the national meet in the same season.
Schmidt has qualified in three different freestyle events and will compete all three days. She swims the 50-yard race on Thursday, matching her Miami record time of :22.57 against the nation's best. On Friday, Schmidt races in the 200 free, attempting to better her personal record of 1:49.05. Finally, on Saturday, she competes in the 100 free, looking to improve upon her varsity record time of :48.98. Schmidt says that she and Vehr have been shocked by their performances this year, but are now hoping to go out and have some fun at nationals.
"I'm happy to end my career competing against some of the greatest swimmers in the world," she said. "Kelsey and I want to show people what Miami swimming is all about. We're pleased to be considered on the same level as the swimmers we're going to face."
Vehr will participate in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke, events in which she established all-time Miami records in 2009. The prelims and finals of the 100 are scheduled for Friday, while Vehr's 200-yard event is slated for Saturday.
Vehr's time of 1:00.48 at last month's Mid-American Conference meet in the 100 breaststroke set an all-time MAC record and ranks in a tie for the nation's 19th-best time this season. Though breaking the one-minute barrier was once thought an impossibility for women's swimmers, Vehr has a realistic chance to join that elite company.
"It would be a pretty cool thing to say that I went sub one minute," she said.
Vehr admits that she takes a completely different mindset into racing for 200 yards. Her MAC-record clocking of 2:12.22 in the 200 breaststroke ranks 37th.
"In the 200, you definitely have to think and pace yourself, then figure out when to try to break away," she said. "I normally go out pretty fast, hold on in the middle, then hope that I've got enough left to take it home."
Miami coach Dave Jennings has high hopes for his swimmers at the NCAA meet.
"Kelsey is certainly capable of qualifying for the finals in her breaststroke events," said Jennings. "As for Aly, she has looked really good over these last few weeks, so I look for her to do well, too."
THE SCHEDULE:
THURSDAY
200-yard Freestyle Relay
500-yard Freestyle
200-yard Individual Medley
50-yard Freestyle
400-yard Medley Relay
One-meter Diving
FRIDAY
200-yard Medley Relay
400-yard Individual Medley
100-yard Butterfly
200-yard Freestyle
100-yard Breaststroke
100-yard Backstroke
800-yard Freestyle Relay
Three-meter Diving
SATURDAY
200-yard Backstroke
100-yard Freestyle
200-yard Breaststroke
200-yard Butterfly
400-yard Freestyle Relay
Platform Diving
1,650-yard Freestyle
--www.MURedHawks.com--
Players Mentioned
