Junior freestyler Christine Jennings will represent the United States as a member of the 2008 U.S. World Championship team and will compete in the 5K race at the world championships in Seville, Spain, April 29-May 4, 2008.

To compete in the Open Water trials event, swimmers must participate and place in the top 15 of American swimmers in the 10K event at the 2007 Open Water National Championship in Fort Myers, Fla. or participated and place in the Top 15 American swimmers in the 2007 Open Water 10K Grand Prix event in Indianapolis, Ind. Jennings competed at the national championships in May and placed third in the 5K race and seventh in the 10K. She competed in her first open water race of her career in the 5K and clocked a time of 59:38.89 to finish third. Jennings followed her third-place finish with a seventh-place showing in the 10K race with a time of 1:53.58.78.

In her sophomore season with the Gophers last year, Jennings won the Big Ten 500 free title at the Big Ten Championships at the University Aquatic Center. Earning first-team All-Big Ten honors in the 500 free and the 800 free relay, Jennings automatically qualified for the NCAA Championships. She helped the 800 free relay earn All-America honors with a sixth-place finish and a school record. The Gophers finished 13th in the nation, improving eight spots from the 2005-06 campaign.

“We are so proud of Christine," co-head coach Kelly Kremer said. "Anytime one of our athletes earns an opportunity to represent their country in international competition, it is a great feeling! For Christine, this is one of the highest honors an athlete can achieve, and we are looking forward to watching her make the most of it.”