University of Houston Athletics
University of Houston
Conference USA Championships
Swimming & Diving Finishes Fourth at C-USA Championships
2/27/2010 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
Feb. 27, 2010
HOUSTON-The University of Houston swimming and diving team finished in fourth place at the Conference USA Championships hosted at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center on Saturday. Five Cougars took home individual titles and the Houston divers took home top honors in all three events.
"We're probably the youngest team here and although we don't like to finish in fourth place, this gives us plenty of ammo to go back to the drawing board and get ready for next year," head coach Mark Taylor said. "We were very proud of Beccy Hillis and Reka Kovacs tonight by taking first and fourth in the breaststroke. And, of course Reka's 400-yard IM yesterday was an incredible thing. Andrea Kells swam great in the 200-yard butterfly and Kimmy Ballo made the finals in the 100-yard backstroke which is incredible for a freshman."
Two Cougars notched NCAA "B" qualifying times as Houston finished in first and fourth in the 200-yard breaststroke. Sophomore Beccy Hillis earned her first C-USA title and recorded the second fastest time school history when she touched the wall in 2:14.99. Not far behind her was freshman Reka Kovacs who clocked in at 2:16.19.
Junior Lacey Truelove won her second career C-USA Platform title when she tallied a 339.95 score. Freshman Julia Lonnegren earned third and sophomore Jessalyn Almond finished in sixth.
Senior Anastasia Pozdniakova was honored as the Diver of the Meet and in a familiar turn of events, head diving coach Jane Figueiredo was named the C-USA Diving Coach of the Year for the ninth consecutive year.
"I'm just thrilled, but obviously, I couldn't do it without the girls. It's really about them, not me," head diving coach Figueiredo said. "For Lacey to win was a great surprise because the competition was very experienced and Lacey had a few risky, new dives. She put them in so we are very happy. Now, we need to start getting ready for the NCAA Championships."
With Truelove's gold medal, Houston divers have won 26 of 27 possible conference titles.
Sophomore Kim Eeson placed fourth in the 1,650-yard freestyle with her mark of 17:03.16. Sophomore Olga Bordatcheva recorded a personal best of 17:21.07 to earn tenth place. Natalie Newcomb and Rachel Holcomb finished in 15th and 26th place, respectively.
Freshman Kimmy Ballo set a new personal record in the 200-yard backstroke with her 2:03.01 seventh place finish.
Freshman Moira Fraser set a season best in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 52.33.
Junior Andrea Kells swam a personal best in the 200-yard butterfly finishing in 2:02.79 while sophomore Natalie Newcomb also recorded a personal best of 2:07.03. They took home third and tenth places, respectively.
In the final event of the meet, the Cougars took home seventh place in the 400-yard freestyle relay in 3:31.30. The members of the relay team included Eeson, Shamburger, Kells and Fraser.
FINAL SCORES
1. SMU 707
2. East Carolina 611
3. Rice 596
4. Houston 533.50
5. Tulane 277
6. Marshall 188
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS
Beccy Hillis - 200-yard Breaststroke
Reka Kovacs - 400-yard IM
Anastasia Pozdniakova - 1M, 3M Diving
Lacey Truelove - Platform
NOTES
- Kim Eeson recorded the fastest 1,650-yard freestyle of any Houston swimmer this year with her 17:03.16 time.
- Freshman Kimmy Ball set a season best time of 2:03.29 in the 200-yard backstroke prelims. Her time also ranks as the eighth fastest in school history.
- Sophomore Rachel Johnson's time of 2:24.40 in the 200-yard backstroke prelim was a season best finish.
- Freshman Haley Weathers recorded a season best with a time of 56.83 in the 100-yard freestyle.
- Freshman Holli Pisarski's 2:24.25 in the 200-yard breaststroke prelims was a season best finish.
Players Mentioned
