Feb. 21, 2008

Final Stats

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Navy's Thuy-Mi Dinh (So., Anaheim, Calif.) and Tara Chapmon (So., Virginia Beach, Va.) broke their own school records in the 50 and 500 freestyle events, respectively, to highlight the Navy efforts Thursday morning during the opening session of the Patriot League Swimming and Diving Championship at Lejeune Hall.

Chapmon began the day by posting a time of 4:49.42 in the 500 free, a clocking that breaks her own school record of 4:54.70 set last year. Additionally, her time was the fastest posted by any swimmer during the trial heat portion of the event and was an NCAA 'B' cut qualifying time.

Joining Chapmon in tonight's 'A' final of the 500 free will be Allison Ranzau (Fr., Alpharetta, Ga.), who recorded a time of 4:52.79 during the trial heats. It was the third-fastest time posted by any swimmer in the event Thursday morning.

Dinh was the fastest swimmer in the 50 free Thursday morning thanks to her clocking of 22.57. The time not only broke her own Navy, Patriot League and Patriot League Championship record time of 23.03, it also established a new Lejeune Hall record (22.88, Ann Marie Botek) and was an NCAA 'A' cut qualifying time. Any swimmer who posts a time of 22.62 or better in the 50 free this year automatically qualifies for the NCAA Championship Meet, which is slated to be held March 20-22 in Columbus, Ohio.

Dinh becomes not only the first Navy women's swimmer to record an NCAA 'A' cut time since the program began competing on the Division I level in 1992, she also will join Julia Mason as the only Navy swimmers to compete at the national championship.

Rounding out the efforts of the Navy women's team was Kelly Zahalka (Jr., Richmond, Va.), who recorded the second-fastest qualifying time in the 200 individual medley. The defending league champion in the event, Zahalka's time of 2:06.92 was second during the trial heats to the clocking of 2:05.43 recorded by Colgate's Erin McGraw.

The Mids have a great chance to accrue points in the event tonight as both Tessa Snow (Fr., Hamlin, N.Y.) and Natalie Albertson (Fr., St. Paul, Minn.) will join Zahalka in the final. Snow's time of 2:09.24 tied for fifth place Thursday morning, while Albertson's time of 2:10.10 placed eighth.

On the men's side, Navy advanced at least two swimmers into the 'A' final of each of the three individual events to be contested this evening.

J.J. Helms (Fr., Conroe, Texas), Andrew Hetzner (So., Riverside, Calif.) and David Guthmann (Jr., Waxhaw, N.C.) will compete in the 'A' final of the 500 freestyle, Nathan LeRoy (Arlington Heights, Ill.) and Billy Vey (Jr., Huntersville, N.C.) qualified for the championship final of the 200 individual medley, and the trio of Alex Oldenkamp (Jr., Coppell, Texas), Alex Buck (Lisle, Ill.) and Nathan Durham (Jr., Greensboro, N.C.) will contend for the 50 freestyle title.

Oldenkamp's time of 20.39 in the 50 free was the fastest recorded during Thursday's trial heats.

The three-day championship runs through Saturday, with trial heats held each morning starting at 10:30 a.m. and the session of finals beginning at 6 p.m. each evening. Live scoring from each of the sessions is available through the Gametracker feature found on the home page of www.navysports.com(.)

Navy Qualifiers for Thursday Night Finals
Women
500 Freestyle -- A Final -- Tara Chapmon (1st, 4:49.42), Allison Ranzau (3rd, 4:52.79)
-- B Final -- Heather Klein (14th, 5:12.29)
200 Individual Medley -- A Final -- Kelly Zahalka (2nd, 2:06.92), Tessa Snow (T-5th, 2:09.24), Natalie Albertson (8th, 2:10.10)
-- B Final -- Allison Aichele (15th, 2:12.62)
50 Freestyle -- A Final -- Thuy-Mi Dinh (1st, 22.57)
-- B Final -- Rachel Gray (T-10th, 24.56), Kristin Lowd (13th, 24.68)
Men
500 Freestyle -- A Final -- J.J. Helms (3rd, 4:34.08), Andrew Hetzner (6th, 4:38.06), David Guthmann (8th, 4:38.73)
-- B Final -- Dan Warner (10th, 4:39.54)
200 Individual Medley -- A Final -- Nathan LeRoy (5th, 1:54.80), Billy Vey (6th, 1:55.43)
-- B Final -- Kyle Abner (9th, 1:55.91), Andrew Utama (14th, 1:56.74), Tedd Torgesen (15th, 1:57.03)
50 Freestyle -- A Final -- Alex Oldenkamp (1st, 20.39), Alex Buck (5th, 21.22), Nathan Durham (6th, 21.23)
-- B Final -- Joe Unruh (10th, 21.41)