Bailey, Wheeler Qualify for NCAA Championships

Juniors Lauren Bailey and Kate Wheeler will give <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Nebraska its largest contingent of swimmers at the NCAA Championships since 2001 as each received bids for the 2006 NCAA Championships, announced Friday by the NCAA.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

“This represents another important step for our program,” Head Coach Pablo Morales said. “Increasing our presence at the national championship level has been one of our main objectives, and this certainly keeps the ball rolling in that direction. It is a great feeling to have an additional swimmer at the meet, with the qualifying for diving events still to come (March 9-11).”

 

Bailey automatically qualified for the meet when she swam a school-record time of 16:20.05 to win the 1,650-yard freestyle at last week’s Big 12 Championships, an event she is seeded 14th in for nationals. Bailey was also invited to compete in the 500-yard freestyle and 400-yard individual medley as she set provisional marks in those events. This will be her third trip in a row to the meet and she has competed in three events every trip, placing as high as 27th in the 1,650-free at last year’s NCAA Championships.

 

“We cannot take for granted what Lauren has accomplished,” Morales said. “Following a great conference meet, she comes into the NCAA Championship meet with her highest ranking in her three years of qualifying and an increased confidence that she can successfully compete with the best in the nation.”

 

Wheeler, on the other hand, had to wait for her invitation as she was on the bubble by setting provisional cuts in the 1,650-, 200- and 500-yard freestyles. By qualifying in the 500-yard freestyle with the 31st best time in the nation, Wheeler can also compete in the 200- and 1,650-free. It will be her first trip to the NCAA Championships.

 

“I could not be happier for Kate Wheeler,” Morales said. “This is the result of a year-long quest since the conclusion of the 2005 Big 12 Championships for her to gain entry into the highest level of swimming competition in the U.S. She is a great example of dreaming big and fully dedicating oneself to the objective, not just during the collegiate season, but for an entire year.” 

 

The junior duo has been the foundation for Nebraska’s success over the last three years. Together, they have combined for 60 victories (30 each) the past two seasons with 27 of those coming in either the 500-, 1,000- or 1,650-yard freestyle.

 

Aside from Bailey’s school record in the 1,650-free, she also holds the school record in the 1,000-free (9:51.91) and ranks No. 2 all-time in the 500-freestyle (4:46.96) and third in the 400-individual medley (4:17.57). Wheeler is No. 4 in both the 500- (4:47.49) and 1,650-free (16:36.24) and fifth in the 200-free (1:49.14).

The 2006 NCAA Championships will be held at the University of Georgia. The meet kicks off Thursday, March 16 at 11 a.m., and runs through Saturday, March 18 at the Gabrielsen Natatorium in Athens, Ga.