Women swimmers receive championship placements

posted in: Sports, Spring | 0

History has been made. Freshmen Amanda Clark and Katie Porter are the first swimmers from Pacific to ever qualify for the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Championships.
The lady Boxers will make the trek from the pool in the Forest Grove Aquatic Center across the nation to Indianapolis, Ind.
The Boxers will dive into the championships from March 21 through 24.
“I can’t really explain it,” said Porter. “I was amazed that I was actually going.”
Clark just made the qualifications to go to nationals. Her improvement this season helped her place a spot.
At the Northwest Conference Championships Clark cut 41 seconds off her personal record for the mile freestyle.
Her performance at the NWC Championships earned her a 18-second win with her final time, 17:16.72.
Clark is the sixteenth seed.
Porter is the top seeded freshman in the 50 Free event. She is the eighth seed with her 23.58 time in the event.
At the NCAA Division III Championships, Clark will participate in the 1,650 Yard Freestyle and the 500 and 200 Free.
Porter will partake in the 50 Free, but also the 100 Free and the 100 Butterfly.
This leaves nearly every event available in the championship covered by the two.
“This is the next step in my swimming career,” said Porter.
The Boxers said they are both excited to be competing in this next step together.
With general excitements to visit Indianapolis, the Boxers are also excited to be the first Pacific swimmers to make an appearance to compete.
Both women said they could not wait to get in the Olympic sized pool at the Indiana University Natatorium.
Clark and Porter are aware that numerous world records and Olympic records have been set in the pool.
Their personal goals have already been set as the women prepare for this journey.
“I wanna go faster than in conference,” said Clark.
Porter said she also wants to go faster than in conference; fast enough to place in the top-8 within her event, the 50 Free.
The two credit their team, but also their backgrounds in swimming up until they came to Pacific.
“My old coach from home gave me a great base,” said Porter. “And Alec did a great job this year.”
These two Boxers were not the only ones to notice their coaches hard work. Head Coach of the swimmers team, Alec Webster received the NWC Coach of the Year honor for women’s swimming.
“It’s been a season of firsts,” said Clark. “Having two swimmers go to nationals is the cherry on top.”

Sponsored

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *