Updates On Swim Team's Summer Success
6/18/2015 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
Some of the Owls on the Rice Swim Team have kept busy training for, or have already had success with, their respective summer competition schedules.
Junior distance specialist Anniina Ala-Seppälä will represent Rice and her native Finland at next month's World University Games in Gwangju, South Korea. Ala-Seppälä, who totaled 56.5 points for the Owls at the Swimming NIT last spring, is scheduled to compete in the 200-, 400-, 800- and 1,500-meter freestyle events at the World University Games. She also is listed as a possible entrant for the Games' 10K Open Water Race.
Two of the incoming Owls from the team's recent signing class, Hanna Huston and Marie-Claire Schillinger have already posted some impressive individual milestones. Schillinger made the qualifying standard for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Swim Trials in the 100- and 200-meter breaststroke events with times of 1:11.49 and 2:32.97, respectively. A native of Orinda, Calif., Schillinger also helped lead Miramonte High School to an eighth place finish at the CIF North Coast Sectional Championship meet by winning the 100-yard breaststroke (1:01.12) over a field of 40 entries.
Huston meanwhile was one of just 12 women (along with 12 men) selected from across the country to train at the USA Swimming Open Water National Select Camp. Based on her recent 1,500-meter times and previous success in national open water racing, Huston spent five days in a national training camp environment. The native of Katy, Texas, (and daughter of Rice head coach Seth Huston) learned open water racing techniques and strategies while training alongside some of the best distance swimmers in the United States.
Coach Huston said the recent national-invites and successful summer results are a good sign for the Owls' upcoming 2015-2016 season.
"Marie-Claire had a break out state meet and brings a lot of momentum to her collegiate career," coach Huston said. "I am looking forward to MC's contributions to Rice Swimming.
"Hanna had a great experience," he added. "Getting this kind of exposure to elite-level swimming has really served to elevate Hanna's motivation. It is great bring for our program when our incoming freshmen are bringing in this level of excitement."
"This is a tremendous honor and opportunity for Anniina," coach Huston said. "I am proud that she'll represent Rice and her country at The World University Games."
Players Mentioned
