Rice University
U.H. First Chance Meet
Swimmers Sound & Soild At First Chance Meet
2/13/2021 5:26:00 PM | Swimming & Diving
Owls Bring The Heat Saturday At UH
With the meet serving as a final competitive tune-up for the upcoming conference championships, there was no team scoring Saturday between four competing schools (Rice, Houston, North Texas and Tulane). The focus was to treat the meet as a rehearsal for conference in a time-trials structure. The results were certainly promising.
Both Bui and Spitz blazed to what could earn each of the Owls the No. 1 seed in their respective specialties at the C-USA Championships. Spitz dropped almost two seconds off her previous season best for a 1:58.30 in the 200-backstroke. Bui won the SCY's 200-fly with a C-USA best 1:59.91. It's also one of her best marks since registering the second fastest 200-fly in school history (1:57.60) in her junior year.
Other Rice winners included senior Nicole Limberg sweeping both SCY breaststroke events and the LCM 100-breaststroke. Freshman Mimi Filkin won the 100-backstroke (58.78) and Shannon Campbell won the 500-freestyle with a season best 4:56.60.
Owl head coach Seth Huston liked what he saw of the team lowering times and winning races, particularly from different Owls across the roster. He also has his eye on the bigger picture – competing in two weeks at the C-USA Championships. Saturday's First Chance Meet proved to be a great test run.
"Overall, I was pleased with what the team did today," said Rice head coach Seth Huston. "This was a tune up opportunity to rehearse race strategies and take care of ourselves and what is within our control."
"Brittany looked her best of the season and Zoe had a real breakthrough 200-backstroke pushing her pace sooner," coach Huston said. "Madison Howe surprised everyone with a personal best and top time among the Owls today in the 200-free. Our non conference performers led the way today. Adalyn Armistead blasted a life time best 400-IM and senior Mimi Baker had a lifetime best in her final collegiate event.
For all the improved performances, the short-course yards meet was only half the story. There was also a series of events in long-course meters. The Owls' international standouts: Lauren Brantley, Rocio Clement, Sini Koivu, Imogen Meers and Marta Cano-Minarro delivered there as well. Sophomore Ahalya Lettenberger continued her long course prep work for Tokyo 2021 by swimming in the 100-free (1:16.15) and 400-free (5:26.61).
The First Chance tune-up is complete. The Rice swim team next competes at annual C-USA Championships in Atlanta from Feb. 26-29 (Wednesday-Saturday). The conference meet will be held at the Georgia Tech Swim Center that hosted the 1996 Olympics.
Players Mentioned
