Bailey Earns All-America Honors

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Athens, Ga. ? Junior Lauren Bailey became Nebraska’s first All-American swimmer since 2001, as she claimed honorable mention All-America honors with a ninth-place finish in the 1,650-yard freestyle Saturday night at the NCAA Championships in Athens, Ga.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

Bailey swam the mile in a time of 16:16.06 to lower her school-record time by nearly four seconds (16:20.05) that she set at the Big 12 Championships on Feb. 25. She was just one place away from being named an outright All-American which requires a top-eight finish.

 

“It is quite an accomplishment what Lauren did tonight,” Head Coach Pablo Morales said. “She really broke through and it is a great accomplishment for her and for our program to be up on the scoreboard at the NCAA Championships against the best swimmers in the nation and the world.”

 

Nebraska’s last swimming All-American honors came in 2001 by a trio of Huskers (Elvira Fischer, Rebecca Wolfe and Carmen Cosgrove) who helped NU finish 23rd overall with 38 points. With Bailey’s finish, Nebraska scored nine points and tied for 36th overall in the team standings.

 

Junior Kate Wheeler, who was seeded 34th, also swam her best mile race of the season, as she placed 21st in a career-best time of 16:33.18. Wheeler's mark is fourth-best in school history.

 

“Both Lauren and Kate was fantastic races,” Morales said. “We talked to them about not worrying about their time and just swimming strategic races, and they were both perfect. I couldn’t be happier.”