Women's Swimming Sends Program-Best 12 Swimmers to NCAA Championships

Friday evening ACC Championships at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro. (Photo: Karl L. Moore)

Photo by: Karl L. Moore

Women's Swimming Sends Program-Best 12 Swimmers to NCAA Championships

February 28, 2018 | Swimming & Diving

Twelve swimmers plus two relay specialists are heading to Columbus

By: Nancy Worley

Twelve members of the ACC runnerup University of Louisville women's swimming and diving team have qualified for the NCAA Championships, the third most in the nation and the most in school history.

The NCAA released the official selections on Wednesday, and Louisville has 12 swimmers entered in 22 individual races and qualified in all five relays for the national championship meet in Columbus, Ohio, March 14-17. Stanford leads with 18, while Texas A&M has the second-most qualifiers with 16, and Louisville and Michigan will each field 12 apiece.

UofL divers will have a chance to qualify at the NCAA Zone Championships in Columbus, Ohio March 4-6, and the Cardinals will declare the final NCAA roster following that meet.

Louisville's Mallory Comerford will seek to defend her national championship in the 200 freestyle from a year ago. She is currently ranked third in the 100 and 200 freestyle and sixth in the 500 free. She was named the ACC Swimmer of the Meet for winning gold in the 500, 200, 100, and 400 medley relay and silver in the 800 free relay, 200 free relay, and 400 free relay.

Look for Grace Oglesby to step up after sweeping the 100 and 200 butterfly and adding gold in the 400 medley relay. Rachael Bradford Feldman earned silver medals in the 200 IM and the 800 free relay and bronze in the 400 IM and the 200 breast at the ACC Championships. Mariia Astashkina scored an upset gold in the 200 breast and Sophie Cattermole took silver in the 500 free and bronze in the 1650 freestyle as well as being a part of the silver medal 800 free relay team. Senior Alina Kendzior finalled in the 200 IM and the 100 back and earned a spot on the squad at the Last Chance Meet last weekend.

A full list of Louisville qualifiers is below:
Mariia Astashkina (100 & 200 Breast)
Rachael Bradford Feldman (200 IM, 400 IM, 200 Breast)
Avery Braunecker (50 Free)
Sophie Cattermole (500 free, 1650 free)
Mallory Comerford (500 free, 200 free, 100 free)
Casey Fanz (50 free, 100 free)
Morgan Friesen (100 & 200 Breast)
Lauren James (200 Breast)
Alina Kendzior (100 Back)
Grace Oglesby (100 & 200 Butterfly)
Ashlyn Schoof (100 Back)
Lainey Visscher ( 50 & 100 Free)
Relay swimmers Nastja Govejsek and Arina Openysheva