The women's swim team completed the 2006 season this past weekend at the NCAA Division III Championships, placing 12th overall among a field of 53 teams. Emory won the championship, defeating rival Kenyon by just 10 points.
The six Hopkins women earned a total of 112 points and every one earned All-American status, placing in the top eight in their event. Last year, Hopkins had eight women qualify and compete at NCAAs, where they placed 11th.
"This past weekend the team did absolutely amazing for being so small," junior Kelly Robinson said.
"We swam very well at NCAAs," head coach George Kennedy said. "We finished with all six women earning All-American status and most swam best times."
Kennedy was extremely proud of each of his NCAA competitors.
"[Junior] Allie Foster broke the school record in the 100-yard breaststroke and was exceptional," he said. "[Senior] Katie Herbst had her best times and was a great leader all year long. [Sophomore] Erica Pakkala swam best times and led off our medley relays with excellence. [Senior] Kalei Walker swam with a broken hand and really showed a lot of heart as she swam her fastest times of the year. [Freshman] Kristin Cunningham was great in the relays and Kelly Robinson swam the butterflies to help our 400-yard medley relay to seventh place. Everyone contributed in a very positive way."
Foster's school record in the 100-yard breaststroke was also a season-best time for her, and allowed her to place fifth in the finals of the event on Friday. A day later, Foster took fourth in the 200-yard breaststroke with another season-best time. She finished in a time of 2:20.95, over two seconds faster then her previous fastest time this season.
Herbst, a team co-captain, finished in ninth place in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of, 5:00.61. In the 200-yard backstroke Herbst was just behind Pakkala as the two women finished 12th and 10th, respectively. Both Herbst and Pakkala swam their fastest times in the event. In the 100-yard backstroke Pakkala placed 11th with a time of 59.00.
"We had extraordinary NCAA performances this year because every swimmer that went earned All-American status," Herbst said. "The 400-yard medley relay finished seventh, the 800-yard freestyle relay finished eighth. Allie Foster had great finishes in the breaststrokes, Erica Pakkala scored in both backs and I scored in the 500-yard freestyle and 200-yard backstroke. Two other relays also placed in top 16. Overall the team of six girls finished 12th, only one team who beat us had less girls than we did."
In the 400-yard medley relay Pakkala swam the first leg, then Cunningham. Foster swam the breaststroke while Walker anchored the relay.
Their time was 3:55.39, an incredible seven seconds faster than their previous season best. The 800-yard freestyle relay was started off by Herbst, then Cunningham. Foster swam third, while Walker again anchored the relay. This time the team swam over three seconds faster then their season best time, finishing in 7:45.15.
"Relays, which have always been my best, were very good," Robinson said. "We were very lucky to make finals in the 400 medley relay because another team got disqualified and we moved in then we moved up one more place at night to seventh, which we were ecstatic for because it was the first night and it helped get us excited for the next two days."
The championships were held in Minneapolis, Minn., where the men's team is competing with a chance to win the title this weekend. Last year the Hopkins men's team came in third, behind swimming powerhouses Kenyon and Emory.
"Our strong performance this year gives me something to look forward to for next year when the NCAAs will be in Houston," Robinson said.
