USA Swimming Olympic Team Trials Women's Preview
6/23/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming & Diving
Sun.-Sun., June 29 - July 6 -- USA Swimming Olympic Trials (Omaha, Neb.), 11 a.m./6:45 p.m. CDT
U-M AT THE USA SWIMMING TRIALS
The Wolverines will send eight current swimmers from women's swimming teamand two incoming freshmen to vie for spots in Beijing at the USA Swimming Olympic Trials (June 29 - July 6) at the Qwest Center Convention Center in Omaha, Neb.
Sophomore Margaret Kelly(Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer) will both toe the blocks in five events to lead the maize and blue contingent. Defending NCAA champion in the mile, junior Emily Brunemann(Crescent Springs, Ky./Notre Dame Academy) boasts the ninth-seed in the 800-meter freestyle -- the highest-ranking for any Wolverine.
The trials feature 13 Olympic swimming long course meters events to be contested at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The top two finishers in each event will punch their ticket to Beijing. With no relays being contested, the 100- and 200-meter freestyle events can produce additional qualifiers to fill out the relay rosters.
WHEN TO CATCH THEM
Each day will feature two sessions. Preliminary rounds will commence at 11 a.m. CDT each day, while the semifinals and finals will kick off at 7 p.m. CDT.
| Sunday, June 29 11 a.m. - Preliminaries 7 p.m. - Semifinals/Finals | Monday, June 30 11 a.m. - Preliminaries 7 p.m. - Semifinals/Finals | Tuesday, July 1 11 a.m. - Preliminaries 7 p.m. - Semifinals/Finals |
| Wednesday, July 2 11 a.m. - Preliminaries 200 Free - Final 200 Fly - Semifinals 200 IM - Final | Thursday, July 3 11 a.m. - Preliminaries 7 p.m. - Semifinals/Finals | Friday, July 4 11 a.m. - Preliminaries 7 p.m. - Semifinals/Finals |
| Saturday, July 5 11 a.m. - Preliminaries 7 p.m. - Semifinals/Finals | Sunday, July 6 11 a.m. - Preliminaries 7 p.m. - Finals |
HOW TO CATCH THE ACTION
Results of the trials will be posted on www.H2Omaha.com and USASwimming.org, the official website of USA Swimming. Live television coverage will be aired each night beginning at 8 p.m. EST. After NBC airs opening night (June 29), the USA Network will broadcast the next four nights (June 30-July 3) before returning coverage to primetime on NBC (July 4-6).
Tickets are available at www.H2Omaha.com, www.usaswimming.org, www.ticketmaster.com or by calling (402) 422-1212. Single session tickets for the morning preliminaries are available for $15, $20 or $25, depending on seat availability. Or, attend the evening finals and see the U.S. Olympic Team take shape for just $30, $40 or $50 per ticket.
THE WOLVERINE REPRESENTATIVES
Emily Brunemann C Brunemann comes in with the highest seeding for any U-M womens swimmer, ranking ninth in the 800-meter freestyle. The defending NCAA champion in the mile, Brunemann is the Big Ten record holder in all three distance races. She will also swim the 400-meter individual medley and the 400-meter freestyle, both of which sheearned All-America in their short course yard equivalent this past season.
Emily Christy C Christy punched her ticket to the trials with a good showing in the 200-meter butterfly at the last chance meet following the NCAA Championships in Columbus, Ohio. The sophomore was an alternate for the U-M contingent at the championships before posting a time of 2:15.13 to slot into the 55th seed.
Kristyne Cole - Cole will join the Wolverines for the 2008-09 season after wrapping up an impressive high school career. She is a six-time state medalist and has a 200-yard freestyle state title to her name. She will compete in the 200- and 400-meter freestyle events.
Emily Hanson C Hanson, a 2007 NCAA All-American in the mile, owns the 30th seed in the 800-meter freestyle. The Wolverine sophomore also earned NCAA All-America honorable mention in the mile in 2008.
Melissa Jaeger C Despite having an abbreviated career at U-M, Jaeger made a big splash. The Big Ten record holder in the 200-yard butterfly (1:56.25) strung together six NCAA All-America honorable mention accolades as a fifth-year senior for U-M. She qualified for the 100- and 200-meter butterfly and the 100-yard breaststroke.
Margaret Kelly - With five events on the docket, Kelly will be busy at the trials. The four-time NCAA All-American will compete in the 100- and 200-meter butterfly, 50- and 100-meter freestyle and the 200-meter individual medley. She picked up All-America honors in the 200-yard individual medley at the 2008 NCAA Championships and has twice clinched NCAA All-America honorable mention in the 100-yard butterfly.
Liz Koselka - Koselka is no stranger to international competition after earning a spot on the 2007 USA Swimming National Junior Team. The incoming freshman comes to the trials seeded 105th in the 200-meter freestyle with a time of 2:03.33.
Payton Johnson C Johnson will focus her efforts on the 100-meter butterfly for the trials. The Wolverine junior is seeded 70th on a time of 1:01.71. Johnson is a three-time NCAA All-America honorable mention winnerand owns a Big Ten relay title.
Justine Mueller C Mueller qualified for two events at two distances each. She will swim the 200- and 400-meter individual medley and 100- and 200-meter breaststroke. A six-time Big Ten Champion, Mueller captured 2008 NCAA All-America honorable mention honors in the 200-yard breaststroke on a personal-best 2:10.64.
Hannah Smith C Smith, a five-time NCAA All-America honorable mention, will compete in three events. She is set to swim the 100- and 200-meter backstroke and the 50-meter free. At the 2008 NCAA Championships, she set personal bests in both backstroke events.
Players Mentioned
