Miami University
NCAA Div. 1 Women's Swim. & Dv. Champs.
Miami's Kelsey Vehr Places Seventh at NCAAs
3/20/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving
March 20, 2010
Capped by her seventh-place finish in the finals
of the 100-yard breaststroke, Miami University's
Kelsey Vehr became the school's first-ever women's swimming All-American.
Following is her blog after her "best day ever"!
Event 11 Women 100 Yard Breaststroke =============================================================================== =============================================================================== A - Final
1. Chandler, Ann -ARIZ ... 58.06
2. Danner, Ashley -GMU ... 59.29
3. Baumgardner, Ellyn -ARIZ ... 59.44
4. Tyler, Jillian -MINN ... 59.63
5. Ejdervik, Rebecca -ASU ... 59.90
6. Atkinson, Alia -Tex A&M ... 59.91
7. Vehr, Kelsey -MIOH ... 1:00.60 (final) - (1:00.07 prelim)
8. Barsanti, Alexandra -TENN ... 1:00.83
Just another day, nothing new to blog about. JUST KIDDING! TODAY WAS THE BEST DAY EVER!!!
We left the hotel around 9 and headed to the pool for warmups. Felt great in the water once again and it started to sink in that I had to swim today after I finished my warmup. I squeezed into my racing suit, which was no easy feat without teammates, and waited for my swim to come up.
I was in heat 6, which was the fastest heat of the morning. Before each race they were projecting the top times, so I knew if I wanted to make it back I would need to go at 1:01 or better to make it back. I dove in the pool and had a deeper start then usual but came out ok through my pull out. I felt great during this race and couldn't believe I was beating the girls next to me. I finished to the wall and checked my time and I went a 1:00.07 which is my best time by 4 tenths!
I was so excited to go a best time and finish second in my heat that I didn't even think about if I made it back until I was out of the water. I hopped out and realized that I made it back and was seated fifth!! My only goal for the meet was to make it back at night, and here I was going a best time AND making it back top 8! I couldn't believe it.
I warmed down and changed in the locker room only to find I had a text message from just about the whole world. All of my teammates have been so supportive through all of this, and although it's sad sitting on deck by myself it somehow feels like all of you are here with me! It's really a cool feeling!
After prelims we ate lunch and headed back to the hotel so I could relax. I probably had the highest heart rate of anyone laying down in history, I couldn't stop thinking and I was so excited! We went to the pool for finals and it was really a neat feeling. I no longer felt like the girl who everyone was thinking "Who's that girl in with the red M on her cap?", I felt like I was the girl at NCAAs representing Miami. And let me tell you, I have never been so proud to wear my red Miami cap in the final heat of NCAAs than I have in my whole life. I look back and think of all the things that Miami has done for me, and how far my teammates and coaches have brought me and I can't believe how privileged I am to be the one wearing that red M cap in front of the nation.
Waiting for my race to come felt like an eternity. It was a lot different than the MAC meet where we all talk to each other and cheer before our finals race. It was somewhat intimidating, but I had nothing to lose, I already accomplished more than I had ever dreamed I would! I got up on the blocks took a deep breath and dove in. I felt great once again in the water and finished at 7th with a 1:00.66 which was faster then what I went at MACs, but didn't beat my morning time. I was so happy to finish in top 8 and be able to race such incredible athletes (the girl that won clocked the second-fastest time in history).
Standing on the podium was such a cool feeling, and I even got a trophy. Woo Hoo!!
I checked my phone and my best friends Allison (A) Way and Jenna Long had been texting me throughout my entire race, giving me a play by play! And my other teammates were sending texts about how excited they were too! It was so awesome to have a full mailbox of RedHawk texts!
I have the 200 breaststroke tomorrow and I can't wait to swim it. It's nice to have all the pressure off of already accomplishing your goal, because now it's just time to have fun! I would have liked to break a minute in the 100 breast ... but hey, you have to have some sort of goal for next year, right?
As for now, I'm going to try to get some rest and I am looking forward to swimming tomorrow and for my return to Oxford to see all of my amazing teammates who I miss so much (especially my breaststroke lane buddies Megan, Claire, Katie, Stacie and Stacia).
Love and Honor,
KV
Players Mentioned
