March 14, 2005
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THIS WEEK — Two members of the Iowa women’s swimming and diving team have qualified for the NCAA Championships Thursday thru Saturday in West Lafayette, IN. Senior Jennifer Skolaski and junior Nancilea Underwood will represent the Hawkeyes. Event prelims will start at 11 a.m. and finals will start at 7 p.m. each day. All events will be held at the Boilermaker Aquatic Center on the Purdue University campus. All-session tickets are $50 for adults and $30 for students.
NCAA QUALIFIERS — Skolaski qualified in the 100 back, 200 back and 200 IM, while Underwood qualified in one- and three-meter diving. Skolaski’s best 100 back time (54.84) ranks 26th among the qualifying field, her best 200 back time (1:58.69) ranks 24th and her best 200 IM time (2:03.97) ranks 64th.
Underwood advanced to the national meet with her performance at the Zone C Diving Qualifier last weekend in West Lafayette, IN. She won the three-meter event (560.30) and placed sixth on one-meter (544.15).
MEET SCHEDULE — Following is a schedule of the Iowa competitor’s events.
Event – Hawkeye Competitor – Competition Day
100 Back – Jennifer Skolaski – Friday
200 Back – Jennifer Skolaski – Saturday
200 IM – Jennifer Skolaski – Thursday
One-Meter Diving – Nancilea Underwood – Thursday
Three-Meter Diving – Nancilea Underwood – Friday
2004 NCAA REVIEW — With Underwood taking Olympic redshirt seasons, Skolaski was Iowa’s lone representative at the NCAA Championships. She competed in the 100 back (1:01.53), 200 back (2:12.58) and 400 free (4:17.61). She did not advance to the finals in those events.
SKOLASKI MAKES HAWKEYE HISTORY — By qualifying for the 2005 NCAA Championships, Skolaski becomes the first Hawkeye swimmer and the third student-athlete in program history to qualify for the national meet all four years of eligibility. The two others to accomplish that feat are divers Ann Bowers (1977-78, 1981-82) and Diane Goldsworthy (1983-86).
SKOLASKI & UNDERWOOD AT NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS — Iowa’s two NCAA qualifiers have had past success at the NCAA meet, earning all-America honors in 2003. Skolaski is a four-time qualifier, competing in at least two events each year. She earned all-America honors in the 100 back in 2003. This is the second time Underwood has qualified for the national meet. She earned all-American honors on three-meter in 2003.