Finishing off her senior fall season in top form, Kim Vandenberg
soared through her butterfly race at the University of Georgia
Invitational last Sunday to qualify for the NCAA Championships next
March. She earned her qualifying time by placing second in the
200-meter butterfly at 1:56.11. Vandenberg, the former U.S.
national champion in the 200-meter butterfly, was the first Bruin
to qualify for the championships and will be one of around 10
swimmers in the nation to compete in the event. She was also second
in the 100m fly and third in the 200-meter freestyle. In addition
to her stellar butterfly swims, Vandenberg’s part in the
400-meter and 200-meter freestyle relays and the 400-medley relay
with juniors Katie Arnold and Amy Thurman and freshman Anna Poteete
led to three additional top-three finishes. “Last year, we
only had three strong relay swimmers. Now I am lucky to have at
least four girls who can help us do well in the relays, (which) are
extremely important for the NCAA Championships,” coach Cyndi
Gallagher said. “That’s not a bad problem to
have.” After competing in the 200-medley relay, senior Eileen
Seissen joined Thurman, Arnold, and Poteete in the 400-medley relay
and helped the team place third. “We had Anna race a lot, and
it was a great educational experience for her,” Gallagher
said. “She still has a lot to learn, but she’s a great
swimmer and sprinter.” With the relay team’s successful
effort, the Bruins finished third in the invitational, behind
defending national champion Georgia and perennial contender
California. With the Georgia Bulldog Invitational finished,
Gallagher is ready to evaluate the team in preparation for the rest
of the season. Over winter break, team members will work out
together and have the chance to watch film of their recent swims.
“The week after finals will be a great opportunity to make
changes, and it is a great bonding time for us,” Gallagher
said. “The girls need to decide together as a team if they
are going to make the necessary changes. Kim Vandenberg and Katie
Arnold are in a great position to change for the better and they
are obviously both talented enough to do that.” Three of the
main relay participants, Arnold, Thurman and Vandenberg, have
experience competing for the same team; all three swam together in
high school for Orinda Aquatics, a United States swimming team. Now
two more members from the girls’ old team, including
Thurman’s younger sister Hope, will be heading to UCLA next
year. Absent from the invitational was senior Nicolette Teo, who
was at the South East Asian games. There, the Singapore native won
the 200m breaststroke and placed second in the 100m breast.
“The SEC (East Asian) games are as important as the Olympics
for the participating countries,” Gallagher said. With a
successful fall season under their belt that includes a win against
Arizona State, the Bruins are excited for the second half of their
season. The spring season will bring meets against powerhouses
Stanford and Cal as well as crosstown rival USC.
DIVING RESULTS: Young divers’ performances at the
invitational helped the team place third. Freshman Tess Schofield
won the platform event, which was her first collegiate win as a
Bruin. Freshman Brittany Hill had a top-10 finish on the final day
of competition.