The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
USA Swimming AT&T Winter National Championships
Sogar wins 200 breaststroke at AT&T Winter Nationals
12.01.2012 | Women's Swimming and Diving
Dec. 1, 2012
Texas senior Laura Sogar lowered her school record and won the 200-yard breaststroke to cap the final session of competition for the Longhorns Saturday at the USA Swimming AT&T Winter National Championships.
Less than 15 hours after shattering her school mark in the 100-yard breaststroke, Sogar clocked 2:05.04 in Saturday's morning preliminary round of the 200-yard breaststroke and put herself within striking distance of the event's NCAA and American records. She smashed her school mark of 2:07.43 set on Dec. 3, 2010 at the Texas Invitational in Austin.
Sogar returned for the evening finals and posted a winning mark of 2:05.39 to earn her second U.S. national title in as many nights. The All-American was under American record pace through the first 100 yards but fell just shy of the U.S. mark of 2:04.48. The Exeter, R.I., native will compete for the United States in the 200m breaststroke later this month at the FINA Short Course World Championships in Istanbul, Turkey.
"I was very happy this morning after dropping those two seconds off the (school) record," Sogar said. "It was cool to see so many fans come out for the night session. I wanted to see what I could do, and I was happy to get the win."
Spindrift Beck competed in the 200 breaststroke consolation final, where she placed sixth in 2:13.01. Skylar Smith competed in the 200 breaststroke "C" final and took fifth in 2:15.03.
Kaitlin Pawlowicz opened the evening with another strong swim, as she placed sixth in the 1,650 freestyle in 16:09.96. Kelsey LeNeave placed seventh in the 1,650 freestyle final in 16:15.52. Sarah Denninghoff capped a busy weekend of racing with a win in the 200 backstroke consolation final in 1:55.26.
Alex Hooper led the UT contingent in the 100 freestyle, where she placed third in the consolation final in 49.10. Texas-Ex Karlee Bispo, UT's record holder in the 100 freestyle, won the consolation final in 48.19. Kelsey Amundsen took fourth in 49.30, and Gretchen Jaques placed sixth in 49.37. In the 100 freestyle "C" final, Ellen Lobb placed third in 49.80, while Bethany Adams took sixth in 50.07.
Pawlowicz completed her busy weekend with a consolation swim in the 200 butterfly. She took second in the 200 butterfly consolation final in 1:58.13. Lobb placed sixth in 1:59.92. LeNeave won the 200 butterfly "C" final in 1:59.88.
The Horns ended the night by taking second in the 400 freestyle relay, as Hooper, Denninghoff, Jaques and Amundsen finished in 3:16.05.
"We had a terrific meet," UT head coach Carol Capitani added. "It was a great team effort. Almost everyone had at least one best time. We had some really strong performances class-by-class. The first day was a little flat, but after that, we really stepped it up. I'm really proud of them. And the crowd here was terrific."
UT also sent a contingent of swimmers to the Ohio State Invitational, where Victoria Cassidy placed seventh in the 400 individual medley in 4:16.96, good for a NCAA "B" cut. Shelby Webber registered a 10th-place finish in the 200 freestyle championship final in 1:49.51 and also took 10th in the 100 backstroke championship final in 55.48.
Erin Yeager took fourth in the 200 freestyle "C" final in 1:49.68. Jessica Guro added a ninth-place time of 56.79 (55.74 prelims) in the 100 butterfly "C" final. Catherine Wagner placed second in the 100 breaststroke consolation final in 1:03.29, and Marylyn Toledo added a fifth-place time of 1:05.47 in the 100 breaststroke "C" final.
