Three Williams Swimmers Qualify for Olympic Trials
.jpg)
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. -- Just five days after the NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championships, three members of Steve Kuster's Williams College swimming and diving teams qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials while competing in Indianapolis, Ind.
Senior Thad Ricotta and sophomore Ben Lin from the Eph men's team have qualified along with sophomore Megan Pierce from the women's team. All three of the Ephs earned multiple All-America honors at the 2015 NCAA Division III Championships held in Shenandoah, Texas.
The three Ephs qualified by competing at the 2015 Speedo Sectionals in Indianapolis, which was held from March 26-29 on the campus of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.
The Ephs qualified in the following events:
Thad Ricotta: 200-meter butterfly (his time 2 minutes, 1.06 seconds - trials cut 2:01.99). At the NCAA Championships Ricotta was timed in 1:45.83 (fourth place) in the 200-yard butterfly.
Ben Lin: 100-meter backstroke (his time 56.44 - trials cut 57.19). At the NCAA Championships Lin broke the national record in the leadoff leg of the 400 MR. He was timed in 47.03. Lin later won the individual 100 backstroke title in a time of 47.77.
Megan Pierce: 400-meter individual medley (her time 4:54.40 - trials 4:54.99). At the NCAA Championships Pierce was timed in 4:19.23 in the 400-yard IM, which placed her second in the event.
In all, eight Ephs traveled to Indianapolis in search of U.S. Olympic Trials-qualifying times. All eight performed very well, with several near trial cut misses, especially coming off such an emotionally and physically draining week at NCAA Championships just prior to turning around and heading to Indianapolis.
"I'm proud of all eight of the swimmers who chose to extend their season and give this meet a shot," said Steve Kuster. "The fact that we had three come away from the meet having qualified for Olympic Trials is a credit to them and the great races they swam. Certainly icing on the cake for what was an outstanding season."
Kuster last had three swimmers compete in the U.S. Olympic Trials back in July of 2012 when Paul Dyrkacz '13, Logan Todhunter '12 and Caroline Wilson '13 traveled to compete in Omaha, Neb.
