Luther Dominates at Liberal Arts Championships - Schmidt Qualifies for NCAA III National Championships
Feb. 24, 2008
The women's swimming and diving team dominated its competition at the three-day Liberal Arts Championships hosted by Principia College (OH) Feb. 21-23. The Norse set 13 school records, posted seven B-Cut and one A-Cut national qualifying marks, en route to their second consecutive Liberal Arts title and third in the last four years.
Luther tallied a three-day total of 989 points, finishing 560.5 points ahead of runner-up Loras College with 428.5. Host Principia was third with 318 points.
An A-Cut and B-Cut are qualifying standards for the NCAA Division III National Swimming and Diving Championships, that will be hosted by the College of Wooster (OH) March 13-15. An A-Cut means an athlete automatically qualifies for the national meet, where as a B-Cut means that an athlete or relay team, has provisionally qualified for the national finale and may be granted an invitation to participate.
Elissa Schmidt posted the only A-Cut of the three-day meet for the Norse. She posted a time of (1:51.25) in the 200 freestyle. She placed first in this event and shattered her own school record by almost a full five seconds. Her time also ranks second in the NCAA III this season.
Schmidt went on to capture individual titles in the 50 freestyle (24.08) and the 100 freestyle (51.66). Both times were new school records and B-Cut qualifying marks. She actually posted a faster B-Cut time in the 50 freestyle (23.98), in the first leg of Luther's championship 200 freestyle relay. Her time in the 100 freestyle currently ranks fifth in the nation, and her mark in the 50 freestyle ranks 11th.
For her efforts, she was named the Liberal Arts Championships Swimmer of the Meet.
Schmidt also swam on four relay teams that set school records, three of which also posted B-Cut qualifying marks. Schmidt swam the third leg of the school record 400 medley relay (4:03.22). Lauren Rauchwarter led off, followed by Kari Kolsrud, Schmidt and Rachel Bruns.
The 200 freestyle relay (1:37.10) posted a B-Cut time that is the 13th fastest time in the nation. This foursome consisted of Schmidt, Addison Choi, Bethany Nicoll and Bruns.
Schmidt, Choi, Valerie Hoops and Amy Schneider won the 800 freestyle relay (7:41.90). This B-Cut mark is ranked sixth in the country.
Schmidt, Hoops, Choi and Bruns posted the sixth fastest time in the country in the 400 freestyle relay (3:30.91), missing automatically qualifying by 0.28 seconds.
Bruns also posted two B-Cut qualifying marks, placing third in both the 50 freestyle (24.10) and the 100 freestyle (52.64). These time rank 20th and 21st respectively.
Individual school records were established by Nicoll, Hoops, Schneider, Betsy Gilbertson and Katheryn Sundry.
Nicoll established new marks in both the 200 IM (2:12.16) and the 400 IM (4:39.29). She placed first in the 200 IM and second in the 400 IM. Hoops won the 200 butterfly with a school record mark of (2:12.01). Schneider won the 500 freestyle (5:09.40) breaking the old school record by a full three seconds. Gilbertson set a new mark in the 200 breaststroke (2:32.27). She wiped out the old mark of (2:33.49) set by Kelly McGrew in 1990. Sundry placed second in the 1,650 freestyle with a new school record of (17:53.52).
Head Coach Lance Huber and Diving Coach Dave Happel were also honored, named Coach of the Meet and Diving Coach of the Meet.
