Twichell Battles To 23rd Place In 1650 At NCAA Championships

Saturday, March 21

College Station, Texas

All Day

Duke University

Day Three

Duke Swimmers Continue Action at Charlotte UltraSwim

Twichell Battles To 23rd Place In 1650 At NCAA Championships

3/21/2009 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving

By: Duke Sports Information

COLLEGE STATION, Texas ? Duke sophomore Ashley Twichell turned in a courageous performance Saturday night at the 2009 NCAA Championships at Texas A&M's Student Rec Center Natatorium, swimming 16:12.87 to take 23rd overall in the 1650 free.

Twichell improved her time in the swim four seconds from last year when she swam 16:16 at this meet. After two consecutive appearances at the NCAA Championships, Twichell is the first Duke swimmer to make it to that stage since 2004.

“It was truly a courageous swim for Ashley in the mile after having to scratch in the 500 earlier this week with a stomach virus,” said head coach Dan Colella. “After watching what she did today, I am truly impressed and proud. A lot of people would have rolled over under those circumstances, but she did a great job.”

Twichell elected not to participate in Thursday's 500 freestyle after experiencing symptoms of a stomach virus upon arrival in College Station. She rested up for today's 1650 ? her strongest event ? but was still not at full strength at race time.

Georgia's Wendy Trott won the event in 15:45.49, followed by North Carolina's Whitney Sprague in 15:46.57.

Twichell was the No. 4 seed entering the race as she clocked a lifetime-best, ACC meet, and Duke school record 15:56.50 to win the 2009 ACC Championships. She became Duke's first swimmer to come in under 16 minutes in the mile swim.

Today concludes a sophomore season in which Twichell set three Duke records as an individual and one in a relay ? 500 free (4:44.56), 1000 free (9:37.57), 1650 free (15:56.50), and 800 free relay (7:22.49). She owns a total of five records as she set the 200 free record her freshman year.

The Blue Devils finish with 14 team points to make a name for themselves amongst the top teams in the nation ? coming after freshman diver Abby Johnston placed fifth last night on the three-meter springboard. The 14 points is the most in Duke history at the national championships and ranked Duke 33rd as a team in the meet.

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