Simpson Swimming Third At Morningside Invitational
Simpson College opened the 2008-09 women's swimming season by finishing third (221) at the Morningside Invitational Nov. 15 in Sioux City. NCAA Division II Nebraska-Kearney (410) won the team event.
Kirsten Towne (Sr., Gowrie, Iowa, Prairie Valley H.S.) charted the top Storm performance, a victory in the 50 freestyle. Towne won the race with a time of :27.65. She later came in third in the 100 butterfly (1:12.62).
Stacy Sturlaugson (So., Crystal, Minn., Robbinsdale Cooper H.S.) placed fourth in the 200 backstroke (2:53.88) and sixth in the 100 backstroke (1:18.32).
Catherine Mayes (Fr., Muscatine, Iowa, Muscatine H.S.) and Chelsey Croson (Sr. Newton, Iowa, Newton H.S.) were fifth (2:41.05) and sixth (2:42.73) in the 200 IM. Mayes was fifth in the 100 backstroke (1:14.64). Croson finished sixth in the 100 breaststroke (1:26.22).
Claudia Swanson (So., Fridley, Minn., Fridley H.S.) came in sixth in the 100 butterfly (1:23.40) and eighth (2:51.18) in the 200 IM.
Alex Carlson (Fr., Great Bend, Kan., Great Bend H.S.) finished eighth in the 500 freestyle (6:44.47) while teammate Janie Kobylinski (Fr., Waseca, Minn., Waseca H.S.) was 10th (7:28.41) in the race. Carlson was fifth in the 100 butterfly (1:18.71). Kobylinski placed 10th in the 200 freestyle (2:49.69). Carlson was eighth in the 200 breaststroke (2:59.31) and 11th in the 100 freestyle (1:07.24).
Mackenzie Hinrichs (So., Altoona, Iowa, Southeast Polk H.S.) and Abby Weers (So., Anamosa, Iowa, Anamosa H.S.) were eighth (1:28.04) and ninth (1:29.52) in the 100 breaststroke. Hinrichs finished ninth in the 200 breaststroke (3:06.78). Weers finished 10th in the 200 breaststroke (3:19.51).
Kendra Frush (Sr., Jesup, Iowa, Jesup H.S.) and Amanda Fichter (So., Sidney, Iowa, Sidney H.S.) were 12th (1:12.52) and 13th (1:14.32) in the 100 freestyle. Frush came in 11th in the 200 freestyle (2:54.30).
In the relays, the 200 medley of Mayes, Croson, Towne, and Ali Robinson (Fr., Atlantic, Iowa, Atlantic H.S.) were fourth (2:10.82). The 200 "A" freestyle team of Sturlaugson, Towne, Weers, and Robinson were seventh in a time of 2:01.86. The "B" relay of Kayla Miller (So., Odebolt, Iowa, Odebolt-Arthur H.S.), Carrie Wubben (Fr., Titonka, Iowa, WCLT H.S.), Fichter, and Frush were eighth (2:15.00).
“It was a great start to the year,” said Simpson head coach Aaron Strain. “All of our newcomers swam really well, and it was great for a senior like Kirsten to win. I was really impressed with Catherine Mayes who (performed) really well despite only being with us for a short period of time.”