The No. 7 Virginia women’s swimming and diving team, fresh off winning its seventh-consecutive Atlantic Coast Conference Championship, qualified 13 student-athletes for individual events at the 2014 NCAA Championships, which will be held March 20-22 in Minneapolis, Minn.
The Cavaliers will be represented by seniors Caroline Kenney and Emily Lloyd, juniors Shaun Casey, Alison Haulsee, Kelly Offutt and Ellen Williamson, sophomores Courtney Bartholomew, Hanne Borgersen and Haley Durmer and freshmen Kaitlyn Jones, Laura Simon, Leah Smith and Ellen Thomas.
UVa has qualified at least 10 student-athletes for the seventh consecutive year and it is also the sixth straight season that all five Virginia relays have qualified. The Cavaliers’ highest finish at the NCAA meet was seventh in 1988.
Lloyd will be competing at the NCAA Championships for the fourth time in her career, but first as an individual qualifier. She is a five-time All-American and was a part of the honorable mention All-America 200 free and 400 free relays in 2013.
Haulsee, Kenney and Williamson will be swimming at their third national meet each. Williamson, the 2012 ACC Freshman of the Year, placed sixth in the 200 back and 14th in the 200 IM at the 2012 NCAA meet. Kenney has been a part of the 800 free relay the past two years that has earned honorable mention All-America status, while Haulsee is a two-time honorable mention All-American in the 200 fly (2012 and 2013).
Bartholomew, Borgersen, Casey, Durmer and Offut will be making their second appearance at the NCAA meet. Bartholomew was named the 2013 ACC Freshman of the Year after finishing ninth in the 100 back and 10th in 200 back at last year’s national meet.
Jones, Simon, Smith and Thomas will all be making their NCAA Championship debuts. Smith picked up two ACC Championships in the 500 free and 1,650 free in school record times. Simon broke the Virginia record in both the 100- and 200 breaststroke events, placing second en route to All-ACC honors. Jones placed second in the 200 IM to also earn all-conference honors.
The Cavaliers earned their seventh consecutive ACC Championship Feb. 22 in Greensboro, N.C., becoming the first team to win seven straight titles. Virginia broke school and ACC records in three different relays and broke the school record in six individual events as well.
A total of 281 swimmers from 70 different schools qualified for the national meet. Diving competitors will be determined at the NCAA Zone Diving Championships, in which UVa will have five student-athletes in action. The NCAA Zone A Diving meet will be held in Christiansburg, Va., March 10-12.
Virginia’s NCAA Individual Qualifiers
Courtney Bartholomew, So. – Holland, Mich.
100 backstroke
200 backstroke
200 individual medley
Hanne Borgersen, So. – Frederick, Md.
500 freestyle
1,650 freestyle
Shaun Casey, Jr. – Port Orange, Fla.
200 butterfly
200 individual medley
400 individual medley
Haley Durmer, So. – Decatur, Ga.
200 individual medley
400 individual medley
Kaitlyn Jones, Fr. – Newark, Del.
200 bacstroke
200 individual medley
Alison Haulsee, Jr. – Glen Allen, Va.
500 freestyle
1,650 freestyle
Caroline Kenney, Sr. – Suwanee, Ga.
200 freestyle
500 freestyle
200 backstroke
Emily Lloyd, Sr. – Severna Park, Md.
100 freestyle
Kelly Offutt, Jr. – Reisterstown, Md.
500 freestyle
1,650 freestyle
Laura Simon, Fr. – Simmern, Germany
100 breaststroke
200 breaststroke
Leah Smith, Fr. – Pittsburgh, Pa.
200 freestyle
500 freestyle
1,650 freestyle
Ellen Thomas, Fr. – Guildford, United Kingdom
50 freestyle
Ellen Williamson, Jr. – Ft. Mitchell, Ky.
200 backstroke
100 butterfly
200 individual medley
This release was provided to Vigirnia Women’s Swimming and Diving.