University of Tennessee Athletics
Five to Compete in SEC Day Two Finals
February 16, 2012 | Women's Swimming & Diving
Feb. 16, 2012
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Five members of the Tennessee Lady Vol swimming & diving team qualified for the evening finals, four of which whom compete in the championship finals Thursday at the 2012 Southeastern Conference Championships.
Lindsay Gendron was the lone Lady Vol to compete 500y free, which was the first event of day two. The sophomore touched in at 4:41.86 to earn a spot in the championship finals. It was the third-fastest readout of the event and an NCAA B-cut time.
Junior Kelsey Floyd will be in action in the championship final of the 200y IM after a time of 1:59.30. The clocking is a career-best for the Lexington, Ky., native and ranks her fourth on the UT performers list.
Samara Gelb will represent the Big Orange in the consolation final of the 200y IM, as the senior's mark of 2:01.02 was the 16th-fastest time in the event. Her time is an NCAA B-cut and a season best.
In the morning's final individual swimming event, senior Jenny Connolly and junior Caroline Simmons advanced to the championship final in the 50y free.
Simmons touched in at 22.16 seconds in the "splash-and-dash event" to notch third, while Connolly grabbed sixth after a time of 22.36 seconds. The marks were career-bests for the duo and Simmons now ranks third on the Lady Vol performer list.
Marina Ribi, who registered a B-cut time of 2:01.30 to place 18th in the 200y IM, will serve as the event's second alternate.
The Big Orange will look to send three divers to the finals in the 3-meter competition. Prelims are set to begin at approximately 2:30 p.m. ET.
The Lady Vol 200y free relay will also be in action in tonight's finals. Simmons, Gendron, Floyd and Kate McNeilis have the squad's season-best readout of 1:33.43.
Also competing in Thursday's prelims in the 200y IM were Kennedy Higdon (2:01.81), Molly Hannis (2:01.89), Brooke Watson (2:03.67), Sloane Pitman (2:04.26) and Courtney Ciesielski (2:03.70).
Abbie Alton (23.12), Alexandria Frasier (23.19), Maddie Garrett (23.74), Lauren Solernou (23.93), Erin Gaeckle (24.15) and Kirstyn Colonias (28.71) competed in the 50y free.
Day two finals will begin at 5:30 p.m. ET.
