Led by All-American Jillian Tyler, who will make her fourth national championships appearance, a dozen Minnesota swimmers earned berths into the upcoming NCAA Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships field. The University of Texas will play host to the Championships, March 17-19, in Austin, Texas.
The Golden Gophers’ roster for the NCAA meet will be finalized after the NCAA Zone Diving Meet on March 11-13.
Minnesota’s total of 12 swimmers headed for NCAAs matches the number of Gopher swimmers to compete in the meet last year when Minnesota finished 12th overall. Texas A&M leads the way with 15 swimmers in the NCAA, followed by Georgia with 14. Defending champion Florida, Cal, USC and Indiana have 13 swimmers in the field.
The Gophers will have plenty of experience on their NCAA roster as six swimmers will make their third appearances in the national meet: Molly Belk, Marissa Davies, Alison Eggers, Kaylee Jamison, Ashley Steenvoorden and Hannah Whitehead. Loren Branden, Meagan Radecke, Haley Spencer and Lauren Weis are two-time NCAA participants. The only Gopher making her first NCAA appearance is Lissa Tommerdahl. The Gophers with All-America honors on their resumes are Davies, Eggers, Jamison, Radecke, Spencer, Steenvoorden, Tyler and Whitehead.
Minnesota has three relays had made the NCAA cut: the 200 medley, the 400 medley and the 800 freestyle.
Minnesota’s NCAA Lineup
Molly Belk (Sr.) 200 fly
Loren Branden (So.) 1,650 free
Marissa Davies (Jr.) 800 free relay
Alison Eggers (Sr.) 400 medley relay
Kaylee Jamison (Sr.) 100 fly
200 medley relay
400 medley relay
Meagan Radecke (Sr.) 200 medley relay
Haley Spencer (So.) 100 breast
200 breast
Ashley Steenvoorden (Jr.) 500 free
1,650 free
800 free relay
Lissa Tommerdahl (Jr.) 1,650 free
Jillian Tyler (Sr.) 100 breast
200 breast
200 medley relay
400 medley relay
Lauren Weis (So.) 800 free relay
Hannah Whitehead (Jr.) 200 medley relay
400 medley relay
800 free relay
Minnesota’s diving corps is lead by junior Kelci Bryant, the defending 3-meter springboard NCAA champion.
