Louisville’s Kelsi Worrell picked up her second national title and led her team to a record setting 6th place in the final night of competition at the NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving National Championships.

The Cardinals finished sixth with 197 points behind winner California (513), Georgia (452), Stanford  (363), Texas A&M (231), and Virginia (229).  Texas (164) was seventh followed by USC (163), Florida (129 and Indiana (126) to round out the top ten in the 46 team field.

“It is unbelievable what we were able to accomplish this week,” said UofL head coach Arthur Albiero.  “Our three year progression is nothing short of impressive:  22nd in 2013, 15th in 2014, and now 6th. Much credit goes to our coaching staff, extended staff, but more importantly to our seniors. They led the way from day one and set the ‘crazy’ goals for the season. Also, many thanks to our administration who has supported me and my staff over the last 12 years. We are a beaming with Cardinal Pride!”

Worrell swept the butterfly events by winning the 200 butterfly with a time of 1:51.11. She was out .6 slower than she was this morning during prelims, but it paid dividends when she dropped more than two seconds to win the final tonight.  Florida State’s Chelsea Britt started out fast and had the lead at the 100 yard mark but was chased down by the field led by Worrell, who posted the third fastest time in NCAA history.  Teammate Tanja Kylliainen finished fifth with a 1:54.62 in the same race.

“I’m so shocked…my time! I’m just so shocked,” said Worrell.  “My leg’s hurting and this was like the 13th swim or something so all I could thing about was just get to the wall. Oh, it’s all Jesus right now, that’s for sure. I didn’t want to t-rex it like this morning.”

Diver Emily Stalmack, just the second Cardinal diver ever to make the NCAA Championships, posted a 217.00 for 36th place in platform diving.

Kelsi Worrell became the University of Louisville women’s NCAA Champion when she reset her own American record to win the 100-butterfly as the Cards move into sixth place after the second day of competition at the NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, N.C.

With one day remaining, California has the lead with 383.5, Georgia is second in 299.5 followed by Stanford (264), Virginia (168), Texas A&M (153.5), Louisville (151.7) USC 128, and Texas 115 to lead the 32 team field.

Kelsi Worrell earned her second American record of the day in 49.81.  She became the fastest female 100 yard butterflier ever, the first woman under the 50 second barrier in the 100 butterfly, and the first woman to break 22 seconds on the butterfly leg of the medley relay.She dropped .28 from her hours-old American record and held off Cal’s Farida Osman (51.0)  for the win.

“I just want to give all the glory to God, I wouldn’t be here without him. I just want to give all the glory to him, said “I want to thank all my teammates. I have so many family members in the stands and I am just so grateful that they are here and that I get to share this with them.”

The Cardinals’ 200-medley relay touched second in 1:35.75 when Tanja Kylliainen (24.81), Andrea Cottrell (26.55), Kelsi Worrell (21.96) and Andrea Kneppers (22.43)for the silver. California’s Farida Osman counterpunched  a 21.96 butterfly leg from Worrell by boarding a 21.09 on the anchor leg to win the Golden Bears the 200 medley relay title.  California wins in a time of 1:35.15 followed Louisville in 1:35.75 —  both slower than Stanford’s consol winning time.

Tanja Kyllianen was fourth in the 400-IM with a 4:03.51 in a tough double after swimming the relay.

Andrea Cottrell posted a 59.45 in the consol final in the 100-breast to put up 11th place points! She cut .07 off her prelim times!

The  800 free relay team of Andrea Kneppers (1:46.59), Abigail Houck (1:47.46), Rachel Grooms (1:47.99) and Abigail Chin (1:47.93) combined for a 7:08.97 for an 18th place.

The final day slate will include the 200-back, 100-free, 200-breast, 200-fly, 400-Free Relay and Platform Diving with preliminaries beginning at 11 a.m. and finals at 7 p.m.

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@UofLSheriff50. Louisville native, University of Louisville Business School Grad c/o 2004. Co-Founder of TheCrunchZone.com

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