Kelsi Worrell Wins NCAA Championship in 100 Fly; Sets American Record

Mark BlankenbakerMarch 19, 2016

Senior Kelsi Worrell defended her 100-fly title and set an American record as the University of Louisville women’s swimming and diving team moved into sixth place Firday night after three days of racing at the NCAA Women’s National Championships at the McAuley Aquatic Center on the campus of Georgia Tech.

The Cards also scored a silver and a bronze in a record breaking finals session.

“What an incredible session,” said UofL head coach Arthur Albiero. “Definitely one of the best sessions I have experienced as a coach. Three individual A-finals along with a third place in the 200-medley relay with two freshman on the squad made for a special night.

After coming within .07 of her own American record in prelims, Louisville senior Kelsi Worrell powered past that mark in the finals, going 49.43 to push closer to the 49-second barrier being the first-ever woman to go under 50-second, a milestome she hit for the first time in history at last year’s NCAAs. She split 23.09 in the first 50 yards, almost half a second faster than she took out her record-setting race last year and then got into the wall in 49.43, an ACC and school record.

“Kelsi breaking her own American record by almost four-tenths of a second was definitely special. She now has eight of the all-time top ten performances in that event in the NCAA. She delivered a dominant performance over a very talented field.”

Indiana freshman Lilly King earned the night’s second American record, going 56.85 to become the first woman ever under 57 in a flat-start 100 breaststroke. Louisville’s Andrea Cottrell (58.78) stouched sixth in a blazing fast field.

“Andrea Cottrell was in her first career NCAA A-final tonight and scored valuable points for us by finishing sixth,” said Albiero.

Louisville freshman Mallory Comerford turned heads when the rookie boarded a 1:42.54 for the silver medal chasing down Georgia’s Brittany MacLean, who won in 1:42.42.

“Even though Mallory is a freshman, she performed with great poise and came within a touch of winning the 200-freestyle,” said Albiero.

The Cardinals touched third in the Louisville took third with a 1:35.36 behind Stanford (1:34.81) and California (1:35.11). Worrell put up a 22.55 fly leg which was slightly slower than her 21.9 from last year, which was the fastest fly split in history, but still had the fastest split of the field in the fly leg. Louisville beat out ACC rivals Virginia’s 1:35.80.

Diver Andrea finished with 288.4 points total and 33rd place in the 3-meter diving.

Racing continues today with the 200-back, 100-free, 200-breast, 200-fly, platform diving, 400-free relay.