University of Tennessee Athletics
JULIA STOWERS NAMED LADY VOL ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
April 20, 2005 | Women's Swimming & Diving
March 23, 2005
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.- Following her performance in which she garnered three All-America certificates at the 2005 NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships, senior swimmer Julia Stowers has been named the Lady Vol Athlete of the Week in a vote taken by the media relations staff on Tuesday.
At the national meet, the Knoxville, Tenn., native competed in the 200y freestyle, 500y freestyle, 800y freestyle relay and 1650y freestyle. Her most impressive performance came in the 1650y free, in which she blazed to a school-record clocking of 16:06.57 to bring home the program's 17th top-16 finish in the event and first since 1999. Additionally, she toppled the school standard (9:48.29) in the 1000y freestyle by almost five seconds with a split time of 9:43.43.
She also earned a top-16 finish in the 500y freestyle with a clocking of 4:45.69 to take 14th place. It was the program's ninth certificate in the event and the first since the 1999 campaign when former Lady Vol Sarah Nichols claimed 15th place.
In the 800y freestyle relay, Stowers swam the second leg of the quartet whish would shatter the previous standard in the event (7:19.39) by more than three seconds, touching the wall in 7:16.75 to break a record that had stood since 1989.The outstanding effort reeled in the 10th top-16 finish in the event in program history at the NCAAs and first such since 1996.
She also turned in a solid performance in the 200y freestyle with the second-fastest time of her career, touching the wall in 1:49.70. The senior tied for 35th, which improved on her seeding of 52nd entering the meet.
