Women’s Swimming Sends Nine to Evening Session

Seven Athletes to Challenge for Conference Titles

02/15/07 2:48PM

FAIRFAX, VA - William and Mary’s women’s swimming team sent seven athletes to the Championship finals and two to the consolation finals after a strong preliminary session this morning at the Colonial Athletic Association Championships. Trials for the 50 free, 500 free, and 200 IM were swum this morning, and those finals plus the 400 medley relay will be held tonight.

In the first event of the morning, sophomore Marina Falcone (Potomac, Md.) advanced to the championship finals in the 500 free after posting a time of 5:00.26. Also advancing in the top eight was freshman Jill Hamilton (Bethesda, Md.), who swam a personal-best 5:02.20 to become the fourth-fastest woman in school history in the 500 free. Freshman Tage Waite (Norfolk, Va.) swam a collegiate-best 5:07.64, the eighth-best time in school history, to finish 18th.

In the 200 IM, the Tribe sent three women to the championship finals and another two to the consolation finals. Freshman Courtney Alles (Manassas Park, Va.) is the second seed overall, after swimming 2:07.73 in the prelims, the fourth-best time in the all-time top-10. Sophomore Whitney Pezza (Warrenton, Va.) touched the wall in 2:08.28 to place fifth in the all-time top-10, and senior captain Kelly Reitz (Chesapeake, Va.) swam 2:08.71, the sixth-fastest time in school history.

Advancing to the consolation finals in the 200 IM are a pair of freshman. Suzanne Figuers (Cary, N.C.) finished in 2:10.03, and classmate Laura Herrmann (Fairfax Station, Va.) is seeded right behind her after swimming 2:10.40.

In the 50 free, freshman Katie Radloff (Arlington, Va.) is the seeded second in the championship finals after finishing in 23.50 to win her preliminary heat. Senior captain Marnie Rognlien (Nokesville, Va.) is also in the top finals as the sixth-seed, and came close to a new personal record in the trials with a time of 23.67.

The two finals heats for each event and the 400 medley relay championship start tonight at 6 p.m.