Miami Women Swimmers Compete at National Championships
8/10/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving
Aug. 10, 2010
By Drew
IRVINE, Calif. - Five Miami women swimmers competed last weekend at the 2010 ConocoPhillips National Championships in Irvine, Ca. The club meet featured the nation's best swimmers, including numerous Olympians.
Senior Kelsey Vehr led the way with a 23rd-place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke after qualifying 17th. Vehr finished eighth among college-aged swimmers (18-21). She also swam the 200-yard breaststroke, finishing 32nd.
Fellow senior Megan Brunn competed in the same events, posting 81st- and 93rd-place finishes in the 200- and 100-breaststrokes, respectively. Rebecca Soni, who won silver in the 100-breast and gold in the 200-breast at the 2008 Olympic Games, took first in both events.
Sophomores Maegan O'Connor and Leah Thornton swam the 100-yard butterfly and 100-yard backstroke. O'Connor was 94th in the fly and 138th in the back, while Thornton was 115th in the fly and 136th in the back. Two-time Olympic gold medalist Natalie Coughlin won the 100-back.
Senior Nicole Roddenbery joined O'Connor and Thornton in the 100-fly and finished 139th.
The experience of competing on the national stage will help the swimmers moving forward and gave them an opportunity to show off their hard work in the pool during the offseason.
"Nationals was a great experience for our five athletes," head coach Dave Jennings said. "This meet will help our swimmers for the coming year."
