Carly Tanner Makes NCAA Debut In 50 Freestyle

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana March 21, 2013 – UNCW’s Carly Tanner missed reaching the finals of the 50-yard Freestyle in her NCAA debut early Thursday when she placed 46th in the event on the opening day of the 2013 NCAA Division I Swimming and Diving Championships at the IUPUI Natatorium in downtown Indianapolis.

Tanner, a senior from Manassas, Va., was ranked 37^th in the 50 Free heading into the race and clocked a 22.89 time She competes in her best event – the 100 Breaststroke – Friday on the second day of the meet that is being hosted by IUPUI and the Indiana Sports Commission.

Carly Tanner

“Carly had a very good swim today and got a swim under her belt,” said 36-year veteran coach Dave Allen. “She’s going up against the best competition there is and today’s swim will help in a meet like this. She was able to work out a few jitters, so that will help her tomorrow.”

Arizona’s Margo Geer posted the best time in the 50 Free prelims with a 21.73 result. Megan Romano of Georgia and Maddy Schaefer of Stanford recorded identical 21.99 times behind Geer. The top 16 swimmers in the 56-swimmer field compete in the finals tonight at 7 p.m.

Tanner is only the second swimmer in the history of the women’s program to compete in the NCAA meet. Caitlin Kirsteier finished 39^th in the 50 Freestyle (22.67), 32^nd in the 100 Butterfly (53.81) and 45^th in the 100 Freestyle (49.98) at the 2010 meet at the Purdue Aquatic Center in West Lafayette, Ind.

A total of 322 participants (281 swimmers and 41 divers) are competing in the Hoosier State. Student-athletes qualified for the swimming portion of the championships by meeting the established minimum time for the events in which they entered.

Live results are available through NCAA.com and CollegeSwimming.com and live video coverage of the finals will be available on Friday and Saturday, March 22-23, on ESPN3.com, beginning at 7 p.m. ESPNU will air a tape-delayed 90-minute show on Wednesday, March 27, at 8 p.m.