Luther Finishes 11th at National Championships
March 17, 2008
The women's swimming team posted its highest team finish in school history at the NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships hosted by the College of Wooster (OH) March 13-15. The Norse placed 11th with a team total of 100 points.
Elissa Schmidt (Claremont, Minn./Owatonna) returned home as a four-time All-American. To earn All-America honors, an individual or a relay team must place in the top-8 of their respective event.
Individually, Schmidt finished fourth in the 200 freestyle (1:51.81) and seventh in the 100 freestyle (51.78). Schmidt also earned honorable mention All-America honors in the 50 freestyle finishing 12th (24.15).
Schmidt recorded her two other All-America honors swimming the first leg for both the 800 freestyle relay and the 400 freestyle relay. Following Schmidt in the 800 freestyle relay was Addison Choi (Aurora, Colo./Grandview), Valerie Hoops (Freeport, Ill.), and Amy Schneider (East Dubuque, Ill./Wahlert). This foursome posted a time of 7:42.48 that was good for eighth place.
Schmidt, Hoops, Choi and Rachel Bruns (Albany, Minn.) placed fifth in the 400 freestyle relay, posting a new school record of 3:29.57.
"It was an awesome weekend," stated head coach Lance Huber. "I was very proud of how these five women swam. What was more exciting was that everyone returned home as an All-American. This is what our goal was entering the national meet and they can feel a great sense of accomplishment for what they achieved both individually and as a team."
