University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Big East Championships Preview: Women's Sprint Freestyle
2/12/2003 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
Big East Championships Preview: Women's Sprint Freestyle
2/12/2003
PITTSBURGH ? The Pittsburgh women's swimming and diving team, 6-7 in dual meets in 2002-03, improved their times dramatically over last season and are looking to top last year's fifth-place finish in Long Island, N.Y.
This is the first of seven previews for the upcoming conference meet.
SPRINT FREESTYLE
Some of the more exciting races in the Big East Championships will be the 50, 100, and 200-yard freestyle events. The 50 free will be on Thursday, Feb. 20, the 100 free will be on Saturday, Feb. 22, and the 200 free will take place on Friday, Feb. 21.
The Panthers have three swimmers qualified in the 50 freestyle, including freshman Kelly Redcay (Reading, Pa./Wilson), and juniors Carolyne Savini (Egg Harbour Twp., N.J./Holy Spirit) and Jenny Livingstone (Endwell, N.Y./Union-Endicott).
Redcay is the Panthers' top swimmer in the 50 free this season with a time of 23.69 seconds in the Pittsburgh Invitational back in November. That time is also the fourth-fastest in the conference this season behind Jill Turner (23.12) and Jamie Trivett (23.46) of Virginia Tech and Christine Williams (23.51) of Miami. Savini is two spots back of Redcay in sixth place with a time of 23.76 seconds, which she swam in the 200 freestyle relay at the Pittsburgh Invitational. Livingstone has been swimming this event well lately, with four consecutive first-place finishes, and a season-best time of 23.78 seconds. She was also the Panthers' top finisher in the event last year, touching in 13th with a time of 23.96 in the finals.
The Panthers also have four swimmers that have qualified with B-times, including Courtney Budd (State College, Pa./State College), Ryan Redman (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills), Kelli Tielking (Damascus, Md./Damascus), and Kristin Criner (Bryn Mawr, Pa./Radnor). The other events the four B-qualifying swimmers have and the strength of the other teams' swimmers in each event will determine whether or not any of them will compete in the 50 freestyle or any event with a B-time.
The 100 freestyle on Saturday will have returning champion Manon Van Rooijen of Miami in the starting blocks. Van Rooijen won last year's 100 free in 49.11 seconds and has the Big East's top time in the event this year at 49.82 seconds. Turner is currently ranked second and the Hurricanes' Williams is third. The top Panther is Savini, who is eighth with a time of 51.74 seconds, which she swam in the 400 freestyle relay at the Pittsburgh Invitational.
Other Panthers with qualifying times in the 100 free include Livingstone (52.44), Redcay (52.61), and Criner (52.78).
Friday's 200 freestyle race, although not really a sprint, should be exciting. Van Rooijen was last year's champion with a time of 1:46.48 and leads the Big East in 2003 with a time of 1:48.89, swum in the U.S. Open back in December. Rounding out the top five in the current rankings are Villanova's Becky Koch, Rutgers' Kelly Harrigan and Casmera Wick, and the Hokies' Turner.
Savini is again the top Panthers and sits in sixth place in the conference with a time of 1:51.23 at the 2002 Pittsburgh Invitational. Two other Panther swimmers, Nicole Ebert (Spring, Texas/Klein) and Emily Colley (Pace, Fla./Pace) have qualified for the 200 free with times of 1:52.70 and 1:52.86, respectively. Five Panthers also have reached B-time status in the event, including Criner and Livingstone.
Tomorrow's preview: Distance Freestyle
