Bears Post Four All-America Swims on First Day of NCAA Meet

Minneapolis, Minn., March 17, 2010 - The Washington University in St. Louis men’s and women’s swimming teams opened the 2010 NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships by combining for four All-America performances on Wednesday, March 17, at the University of Minnesota Aquatics Center in Minneapolis, Minn.

After one day of competition the Washington U. men’s team sits in 14th place overall with a team score of 23 points, while the WUSTL women’s team is in 16th place with 15 points.

For the WU men, senior Alex Beyer posted the Bears’ highest finish of the day with a fourth-place showing in the 500-yard freestyle, where he turned in a season-best time of 4:26.21. It marked the fourth time in his career Beyer has earned All-America honors in the 500-freestyle and he was coming off a runner-up finish in the event at the 2009 NCAA meet.

The women’s team saw a pair of individual All-America swims on Wednesday. Sophomore Karina Stridh matched her effort from last season in the 50-yard freestyle, capturing seventh place for a second-straight year. She posted a 2009-10 personal best mark of 23.61 in the final.

Senior Jessie Lodewyk provided the other individual All-America finish for the WUSTL women, coming in 14th place in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:00.21. Lodewyk earns All-America honors in the 500-freestyle for the second time in her career but the first since 2008 when she came in 15th place.

The men’s 200-medley relay team brought home the Bears’ fourth All-America showing of the day. Junior Kartik Anjur, Beyer, junior Michael Flanagan and junior David Chao finished in 1:33.32, which was good for 13th place. It is the first time since 2006 WU garnered an All-America finish in the men’s 200-medley relay.

Flanagan and junior Karin Underwood also swam in individual events on Wednesday. Flanagan placed 48th in the 50-freestyle preliminaries with a time of 22.24, and Underwood was 39th in the 200-individual medley with a mark of 2:11.62.

The Washington University men’s and women’s swimming teams will continue action at the 2010 NCAA Division III swimming and diving championships on Thursday, March 18, in Minneapolis, Minn. The action will be highlighted by the men’s 400-individual medley, where Beyer will attempt to defend his 2009 national NCAA record-breaking title.