May 29, 2009

 

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—Several members of the women’s swimming and diving team competed at the Charlotte UltraSwim Grand Prix, earlier this month. Those competing in the event were swimming for their respective club teams, and swam against several Olympians such as Elizabeth Beisel and Katie Hoff.

Two teams competed in the 400 medley relay and turned in the best performances of the day for the club. The first team to stop the clock was sophomore Megan Bender, junior Laura Barnes, sophomore Tamara Lelli and junior Kristen McMullan, who finished eighth overall with a time of 4:26.27. Following them in ninth place the was team made up of senior Ryann Kishbaugh, junior Cookie McIntyre, senior Sophie Cross and junior Katie Cutrell, who ended the relay with a time of 4:26.36.

The 400 free relay team of McMullan, Lelli, Bender and Cutrell would also record a ninth-place finish with a time of 4:01.74.

Individually, Barnes (Pickering, Ontario/Dunbarton) led her club with an 18th overall finish in the 100 breast (1:13.91). She would later also compete in the 400 freestyle.

McMullan (West Chester, Pa./West Chester Henderson) swam the 50 free, where she placed 23rd in the finals with a time of 26.92. McMullan also recorded a time of 59.56 in the prelims of the 100 free and placed in the top 45 during the prelims of the 100 fly.

Cutrell (Ligonier, Pa./Greensburg) swam in the 200, 400, 800 and 1500 freestyle events. Her best finish of the day was when she stopped the clock at 17:58.97 in the 1500 free for 25th overall. Cutrell placed in the top 40 of the 800 free with a time of 9:27.98 and finished 59th in the prelims of the 400 free (4:35.53).

Cross (Thornton, Pa./Glen Mills) and McIntyre (York, Pa./West York Area) both swam the 200 fly for their clubs. Cross turned in a time of 2:21.48 for a top-30 finish, while McIntyre took 41st at 2:25.29. McIntyre also placed 26th in the prelims of the 200 breast, while turning in a time of 1:05.04 in 100 breast. Cross later placed 40th in the 200 IM.

In the 100 back prelims, Bender (Allen Park, Mich./Allen Park) tied for 25th with a time of 1:05.21, while Kishbaugh (Danville, Pa./Danville Area) trailed slightly behind her with a time of 1:06.11. Additionally, Kishbaugh recorded a time of 1:06.14 in the 100 fly.

Swimming in two events during the prelims, Lelli (Scottsdale, Ariz./Chaparral) turned in a time of 2:25.94 in the 200 fly, and then ended with a time of 2:30.00 in the 200 IM.