Johnston Opens Competition At NCAA Championships

Thursday, March 19

College Station, Texas

All Day

Duke University

Day One

Diver Enters Speedo USA Spring Championships

Johnston Opens Competition At NCAA Championships

3/19/2009 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving

By: Duke Sports Information

COLLEGE STATION, Texas ? Duke's Abby Johnston wasted no time in reaching the national stage in her collegiate career, as the freshman opened competition today at the 2009 NCAA Women's Swimming & Diving Championships with just one season under her belt.

Johnston participated in the one-meter in the first day of the meet, finishing 37th overall in this afternoon's preliminary competition with a six-dive score of 202.60.

Johnston is the first Duke diver to advance to the NCAA Championships.

Tomorrow will see her take to her strongest event, the three-meter springboard, after taking both the ACC and NCAA Zone B titles on the board earlier this season. Friday's competition begins with prelims at 1:30 p.m., followed by finals at 7 p.m. All times are central. The top eight divers advance to finals, and the top 16 score and earn All-America status.

Sophomore freestyler Ashley Twichell was a scratch in today's 500 free event, suffering from an illness. The 2008 All-America honoree will be back in time for Saturday's 1650 free, the event in which she is ranked fourth in Division I and is the only Duke female in history to break 16 minutes.

Follow all the action on the web at the championships page, which includes up-to-the-minute results and additional coverage.

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