University of Tennessee Athletics
Akerfelds is National Swimmer of the Week
January 13, 2008 | Women's Swimming & Diving
SOMERS, Wis. ??? Lady Vol freshman Aleksa Akerfelds was named the National Collegiate Swimmer of the Week last week for her excellent performance in the 220-131 win over Northwestern on Jan. 5. The winner is decided by a panel of collegiate coaches and announced on www.collegeswimming.com. Akerfelds tied sophomore Michele King with a team high three wins in individual events. Her contribution of 27 points helped the No. 8 Lady Vols defeat NU in their first meet since Nov. 17, 2007.
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Akerfelds??? time in the 500y freestyle (4:53.52) was an NCAA provisional cut, team best and a season best for the Bronxville, N.Y., native. It marked her first collegiate win and second provisional cut in the event. Her time in the 1650y freestyle (16:25.18) is a personal-best mark and an NCAA ???B??? cut as well. The freshman was just 1.64 seconds from an NCAA automatic qualifying time, as she demolished the provisional cut by 27.86 seconds. She was a decisive 29.13 seconds faster than second-place Kassia Shishkoff of Northwestern. Akerfelds also defeated Shishkoff in the 400y IM race with a time of 4:24.12.
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She now holds NCAA provisional cuts in the 500y and 1650y free, and 400y IM.
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Akerfelds and the rest of the Lady Vols will return to the water on Friday, Jan. 18, with a meet versus Indiana at the Student Aquatic Center.
