Alabama
Women's NCAA Championships
Alabama Swimming and Diving Opens Competition at Women’s NCAA Championships
3/21/2019 4:45:00 PM | Swimming & Diving
After opening the championships Thursday, the Crimson Tide returns to action Friday with swims in the 100 backstroke, 100 breaststroke and 100 butterfly as well as the 200 medley relay
AUSTIN, Texas – Alabama opened competition at the 2019 Women's NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships with a trio of swims at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center in Austin, Texas Thursday.
In the 400 medley relay, freshman Rhyan White, senior Justine Macfarlane, sophomore Flora Molnar and freshman Kalia Antoniou combined to finish 22nd after stopping the clock at 3:33.83. In individual events, freshman Kensey McMahon was 46th in the 500 freestyle after posting a 4:45.30, while Molnar was 44th in the 50 freestyle with a time of 22.74.
"Obviously, we didn't get the start we were hoping for," UA head coach Dennis Pursley said. "We would have liked to have gotten back to swim in finals tonight but were just a little off. We had three good legs on the relay, but at this meet you have to hit all four. On the plus side, Rhyan's and Justine's swims on the relay rank in the top 16 and that bodes well for their individual swims tomorrow."
After starting competition with some of its secondary events, the Tide moves into its stronger swims on Friday with the 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke and 100 butterfly as well as the 200 medley relay.
The Tide will compete the 200 medley relay on Friday, with a likely lineup of White, Macfarlane, Molnar and Antoniou.
In addition to the 200 medley relay, White will swim the 100 backstroke on Friday. She set the school record in that event at last month's SEC Championships.
Macfarlane will swim in the 100 breaststroke and will look to earn her second consecutive All-America honor in the event. Molnar will swim her second individual event and third overall of the meet when she hits the water for the 100 butterfly.
"On paper, Friday is a stronger day for us, so we'll get back after it and see what we can do," Pursley said.
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Players Mentioned
