Michigan Qualifies 15 Swimmers for NCAA Championships
3/8/2024 1:21:00 PM | Women's Swimming & Diving
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- After a strong showing at the Big Ten Championships and Last Chance Meet, 15 swimmers from the No. 16-ranked University of Michigan women's swimming and diving team earned the right to compete for a national championship at the NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships in Athens, Ga., on Friday, March 20.
Eleven Wolverines punched their ticket as individual qualifiers while four more will compete in a relay or travel as a relay alternate.
Hannah Bellard and Katie Crom tied for the most individual entries with three each. Crom heads to Athens with tremendous momentum after capturing two Big Ten titles in the 200-yard butterfly and 500-yard freestyle. Crom will compete in both of those events along with the 200 free. Bellard will race in the 200 fly, 400-yard individual medley and 500 free. Last time out at the Big Ten Championships, Bellard reached the podium in the 200 fly, capturing a bronze medal with a time of 1:55.72.
Reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year Stephanie Balduccini will battle in the 100 free and 200 free. She ranks sixth in the nation in the 100 free with a time of 47.26 seconds. The freshman's 200-free time of 1:43.30 ranks 16th nationally. Lindsay Flynn qualified for the 50 free and 100 free. Flynn finished sixth overall in both events at the Big Ten Championships. Rounding out the two-time qualifiers is Brady Kendall, who will hit the pool for the 50 free and 100 fly. Kendall shined in both events at the Big Ten Championships highlighted by a silver medal in the 100 fly (51.79).
Six other Wolverines earned their way to Athens to compete in one individual event. Kathryn Ackerman will race in the 400 IM after posting a B-cut time of 4:09.54. Casey Chung takes on the best in the nation in the 100-yard backstroke. Natalie Kan will join Kendall in the 100 fly, and Devon Kitchel will represent the Maize and Blue in the 200 IM. Claire Newman is the third U-M swimmer to earn an NCAA berth in the 50 free. Kathryn Shanley will race in the 1,650 free.
Malia Amuan, Claire Donan, Lexi Greenhawt and Christey Liang will head to Athens as part of a relay team or as an alternate. The Wolverines qualified for all five relay events, the 200- and 400-yard medley as well as the 200, 400 and 800 free relays.
The NCAA Championships get underway on March 20 at Gabrielson Natatorium on the campus of the University of Georgia.
