Cardinal Women Set for NCAA Championships

March 16, 2021 | Swimming & Diving

Louisville heads to Greensboro and racing begins Wednesday

By: Chandler Brandes

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Looking to build on the momentum from a successful start to the championship season, the University of Louisville women's swimming and diving team is set to begin competition at the NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships on March 17-20 in Greensboro, N.C.

The meet kicks off with timed finals of the 800 freestyle relay on Wednesday night at 6 p.m. inside the Greensboro Aquatic Center. The remaining three days of competition will begin with prelims at 10 a.m. and the top 16 qualifiers in each event will return for finals every evening at 6 p.m.

Seeking to improve upon their program-best fourth place finish at the 2019 NCAA Championships, the Cardinals have qualified 12 swimmers, two relay alternates, and one diver. Louisville, who checked in at No. 13 in the final TYR/CSCAA poll of the season, has student-athletes in a combined 12 events and all five relays.

Gabi Albiero, Abby Hay, and Tristen Ulett lead the Cardinals with three individual events apiece. Louisville is ranked in the top-25 in eight different events, with Albiero turning in the highest seed at No. 10 in the 100 butterfly. The 200 medley is UofL's highest ranking relay, also holding the tenth seed.

Last Time in Greensboro
The Cardinals return to Greensboro for the second time in as many months following a successful ACC Championships where the team finished third. UofL totaled 16 A-final appearances, highlighted by three freshmen clinching individual medals.

Liberty Williams was the Cardinals' highest finisher, blasting a time of 16:06.56 during the early heats of the mile to finish second overall. Gabi Albiero sprinted to third place in the 50 freestyle after stopping the clock in 22.03, while Tristen Ulett also secured bronze in the 200 butterfly with a time of 1:55.38.

A trio of UofL freshman records fell during the meet, as Williams and Albiero both rewrote this history book in the mile and 50 freestyle, respectively. Tatiana Salcutan also lowered the previous mark in the 200 backstroke after taking sixth in 1:54.04.

All five of UofL's relays finished in the top four, with four collecting the bronze medal. The 200 medley relay of Ashlyn Schoof, Kaylee Wheeler, Christiana Regenauer, and Alibero earned bronze in 1:36.15, while Albiero, Regenauer, Wheeler, and Alena Kraus teamed up in 1:28.88 for third in the 200 freestyle relay.

Ulett, Wheeler, Albiero, and Regenauer also secured bronze in the 400 medley relay in 3:32.21, and Albiero, Ulett, Regenauer, and Kraus concluded the meet by taking third in the 400 freestyle relay in 3:15.26.

On the boards, Else Prassterink qualified for the ACC championship final of the platform event after taking fifth during prelims. She dove to eighth with a score of 253.35 during finals, and punched her ticket to NCAAs following her fifth-place finish at the Zone C Diving Championships.

About the Cardinals
After not competing during the fall semester following an abrupt end to the 2019-20 season, the Cardinals were back in action at the beginning of the new year. In a narrow loss against Notre Dame on Jan. 9 where the Cardinals won both relays, Morgan Friesen, Maria Sumida, Albiero, and Kaylee Wheeler collected individual wins. Louisville then hosted Missouri on Jan. 15 for a non-scoring meet, and despite being short-handed, won six events and the opening relay.

The Cardinals fell to Kentucky in the annual Battle of the Bluegrass on Jan. 23 as Wheeler and Alena Kraus won the 100 breaststroke and 100 butterfly, respectively. UofL bounced back on Jan. 30 against Cincinnati, besting the Bearcats 165-91 on Senior Day in which the Cardinals won all but one event. Following a double-event victory, Kraus was named ACC Swimmer of the Week on Feb. 2.

UofL qualified 12 women for the 2020 NCAA Championships before the meet was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. This not only tied the program record for most participants, but Louisville also had the third-most qualifiers in the nation. The Cardinals enter the NCAA Championships this weekend tying the school record of 12 swimmers for the third-straight season.

How to Watch
ESPN3 will provide digital broadcast coverage for preliminary and finals sessions Wednesday, March 17 through Saturday, March 20. Additionally, ESPNU will air a two-hour show at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 6.

Louisville Qualifiers
Gabi Albiero (50 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 200 butterfly)
Adeline Farrington (100 breaststroke)
Morgan Friesen (100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke)
Abby Hay (200 individual medley, 400 individual medley, 200 butterfly)
Paige Hetrick (200 freestyle)
Alena Kraus (200 freestyle, 200 butterfly)
Else Praasterink (platform diving)
Christiana Regenauer (50 freestyle)
Tatiana Salcutan (200 backstroke)
Maria Sumida (500 freestyle, 400 individual medley)
Tristen Ulett (100 butterfly, 100 backstroke, 200 butterfly)
Kaylee Wheeler (100 breaststroke)
Liberty Williams (500 freestyle, 1650 freestyle)
Ashlyn Schoof (relays)
Diana Dunn (relays)