Women's Swimming
Houston Finishes Third Day of C-USA Championships in Fourth Place

Anastasia Podzniakova and Reka Kovacs crowned as event champions


 

  
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Feb. 26, 2010

HOUSTON-The University of Houston swimming and diving team finished the third day of competition at the Conference USA championships in fourth place.

Freshman Reka Kovacs earned first place in the 400-yard IM with her record time of 4:16.24. The mark set a school, meet and CRWC record in addition to giving Kovacs an NCAA "B" qualifying time. Sophomore Natalie Newcomb also set a personal best with her time of 4:29.03 and finished in 12th place.

"It was an unbelievable swim by Reka Kovacs to break a school, pool and Conference USA record in a very difficult event," head coach Mark Taylor said. "The 400-yard IM is one of the most difficult events because you have to transition between different strokes. We are thrilled to have a freshman perform at this level this week and we are excited that we get to have her around for the next three years."

The Houston divers fared very well as usual under diving coach Jane Figueiredo. The Cougars dominated the 1-meter dive event, racking up 60 points for the team total. Senior Anastasia Pozdniakova won her seventh C-USA diving crown with her score of 357.25 points. Julia Lonnegren and Lacey Truelove finished back-to-back in third and fourth place while Jessalyn Almond took home ninth place.

Senior Jessica Shamburger took home third place in the 100-yard backstroke with her time of 55.84. Freshman Kimmy Ballo earned 13th place with her personal best 58.17 finish.

 

 

"I'm as proud as I have been all season long with the performance of Jessica Shamburger," said head coach Mark Taylor. "She set an NCAA "B" provisional mark and finished in the top three of the 100-yard backstroke. She will be remembered as an ultimate team player who performed for her team even though she was in pain."

Sophomore Kim Eeson took finished in fourth place in the 200-yard freestyle for the second straight year with her time of 1:49.86. Kimmy Ballo placed 12th and Christine Salinas earned 13th.

Both Andrea Kells and Moira Fraser recorded personal bests in the 100-yard butterfly with 55.44 and 57.65 times, respectively. Kells finished in fifth place while Fraser earned 12th.

Sophomore Beccy Hillis swam the fourth fastest time in school history in the 100-yard breast stroke when she clocked in at 1:03.80 and earned seventh place in the event.

Women - Team Scores After Day Three
1. SMU - 503
2. Rice - 405
3. East Carolina - 397
4. Houston - 364.50
5. Tulane - 187
6. Marshall - 125

UP NEXT
The Cougars return to the pool Saturday at 11 a.m. for the final day of the C-USA Championships.

NOTES
-Houston divers have won 25 of 26 C-USA titles with only the platform competition remaining in the C-USA meet
-Anastasia Pozdniakova (7 2007, 2009-2010) passed former Olympic diving mate Yulia Pakhalina (5 2002-2003) for most career C-USA diving championships. -Beccy Hillis recorded the fourth-fastest 100-yard breaststroke in Houston history - she now owns the second-fifth fastest times in Houston history
-Senior Jessica Shamburger recorded an NCAA "B" time of 55.34 in the 100-yard backstroke prelims. Her time was a season best and the second fastest performance in school history.
-Kimmy Ballo set a personal record in the 100-yard backstroke in the prelims with her time of 57.96
-Freshman Catherine Finley notched a season best of 1:12.28 in the 100-yard breaststroke
-SMU's Therese Svendsen recorded a NCAA "A" time in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 52.65

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