Rice University Athletics
Two Owls Set to Compete At NCAA Championships This Week
3/14/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 14, 2006
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A pair of Owls, sophomore Brittany Massengale and freshman Diane Gu, will represent Rice at the NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships this week in Athens, Ga. The duo has a chance to become the first Owls to score at the NCAA meet since 2003. The championships are hosted by the University of Georgia, Mar. 15-18. Live results during the meet can be viewed above links.
Gu is an automatic qualifier in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 22.78, the second-fastest time in Rice history and the 22nd fastest time in the nation this season. Because Gu made the automatic time in the 50-free, the Orlando, Fla., native is allowed to compete in the 100-free with her NCAA provisional time of 50.69. Her 100 is the third-fastest in Rice history.
Gu competes in the sprints and Massengale is the team's ace in the distance events. Massengale's new school record in the 500-freestyle (4:46.58) was also picked from the NCAA provisional list. Because of her provisional time in the 500, the standout from Alma. Ark., is also able to compete in the mile (1,650-yard freestyle). Massengale made provisional in the mile with a mark of 16:35.86, just .13-of-a-second off her own school record.
"Brittany just missed qualifying last year and has come back from an early season injury to qualify for the NCAA Championships," said Rice head coach Seth Huston. "She had a great meet at the Conference uSA championships to qualify and we think she can perform even better this week.
"Diane had some big time drops to qualify for nationals," Huston added. "She has really worked hard this season and is putting in her best practice performances of the season as we prepare for NCAA's. Our success at the NCAA Championships will be based on our performances in the preliminary rounds. If we swim fast in prelims we will create opportunities to score."
Rice scored a total of 12 points at the 2003 NCAA Championships to finish tied for 33rd in the nation. The Owls posted their highest Division I point total in 2002 with 23 points to finish 25th.
The days of the Rice events are as follows...
Thurs. (Mar. 16)
500-Freestyle (Massengale)
50-Freestyle (Gu)
Sat. (Mar. 18)
1,650-Freestyle (Massengale)
100-Freestyle (Gu)
