The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
NCAA Championships
Sogar claims NCAA crown in 200-yard breaststroke
03.23.2013 | Women's Swimming and Diving
March 23, 2013
INDIANAPOLIS - Texas senior Laura Sogar fought off an American record holder, a national champion and a host of formidable challengers to win the NCAA title in the 200-yard breaststroke Saturday in the final session of the NCAA Championships.
Sogar won the 200 breaststroke in 2 minutes, 5.41 seconds and held off runner-up Haley Spencer of Minnesota, a former NCAA champion in the event, in addition to Texas A&M's Breeja Larson, the American record holder in the event.
Sogar is UT's first NCAA individual swimming champion since 2001, when Colleen Lanne' won the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events. She becomes the third Longhorn to win a NCAA 200 breaststroke title and the first since Dorsey Tierney in 1991. It marked UT's 70th individual NCAA title in women's swimming and diving and the first for a women's swimmer or diver since 2007, when Jessica Livingston won the platform diving title.
Sogar and A&M's Larson matched each other stroke for stroke, and Larson led Sogar at the 150-yard mark by one-tenth of a second. But, Sogar, swimming in lane one, out-split Larson in the final 50 yards by nearly a second to take her first NCAA title. Minnesota's Spencer used a quick final split to pull into second at 2:06.15, while Larson took third in 2:06.24.
Sogar and the Longhorns placed ninth in the final team standings with 186 points. Georgia claimed the NCAA team title with 477 points, while California finished as the runner-up with 393 points. Tennessee rounded out the top-three with 325.5 points.
Junior Sarah Denninghoff nearly took down Kathleen Hersey's school mark in the 200 backstroke during the preliminary round when she clocked 1:52.72 for sixth place, just shy of Hersey's mark of 1:52.58. Denninghoff went on to take eighth place in the 200 backstroke championship final in 1:53.72.
Divers Shelby Cullinan and Maren Taylor qualified for the platform diving consolation final, and the duo made the most of its scoring opportunity by leading a one-two Texas finish. Cullinan won the consolation final and garnered nine points for Texas with her final total of 315.35 points. Taylor took second with 309.55 points. Cullinan finishes her Texas career as a three-time All-American and two-time honorable mention All-American.
Texas closed out the meet by placing seventh in the 400 freestyle relay, as Denninghoff, juniors Alex Hooper and Samantha Tucker and senior Kelsey Amundsen finished in 3:15.11.
POST-MEET COMMENTS
Texas senior Laura Sogar - NCAA Champion, 200 breaststroke
On winning the NCAA title in the 200 breaststroke
It feels so good. That was the last swim of my college swimming career. There have been some ups and downs. It was great to finish it off well and with a win.
On her outlook going into the race
Coming into this race, I was not completely sure how I was going to do. Tonight, I was just wanted to regroup before the race and just remember it's a 200 breaststroke and I've done a million of these swims. It's fun. I went out and had fun with it. It turned out well.
I started hurting at 75 yards, but I knew I could handle it. This is what I've trained for, to be able to handle the pain and know I'll be able to handle swimming through it. I was excited to embrace that, and then the excitement took over in the last 50 yards.
On winning the race from an outside lane (lane one)
I was next to my team and I could hear them the entire time, and that was nice. I don't know if the other girls necessarily saw me. Maybe they did, but I think I was able to sneak up on them.
Texas head coach Carol Capitani
On Laura Sogar winning the NCAA title in the 200 breaststroke
I'm so happy for her. I'm so happy, and I'm beyond happy for her. She deserves that crown. I think she's just so proud to make the Longhorn nation happy. Nothing means more to her. I'm happy she was able to put it together at the right time. It was a little off of her best time, but at this meet, the time doesn't matter; it's about winning.
It means a lot for her moving forward in her career. I couldn't be more proud of her and happier for her. It's fun watching people on deck from other teams and other coaches congratulate her. She received some heartfelt congratulations from many people because they know what kind of person she is.
On Sogar's 200 breaststroke race
She looked really good and she took it out fast, but she was smooth. That was the plan. We learned something from the 100 breast last night. She had an attitude about her today and also a sense or urgency. She put it together. Winning it from the outside lane (lane one) made it so much more fun. It was really special to watch.
On Texas' performances on the final day
We had a fantastic day. The reason we were able to do some things tonight is because they made it happen in the morning. Our (400 freestyle) relay made it, and Sarah (Denninghoff) and Laura (Sogar) got into the top-eight. The divers did an amazing job. This is just about competing. (Diver) Shelby slipped up a little bit in the platform prelim, but they just fought back so hard. For Shelby and Maren to go ninth and 10th overall was huge for us. Matt Scoggin is a heck of a diving coach. He said this was about being "Texas Tough." It was fun to be in a battle in the team standings. We wish we were battling for a higher place, but I'm really happy with where we ended up.
2013 NCAA Championships Day 3 Texas Finals Results
200 Backstroke - Championship Final
8. Sarah Denninghoff - 1:53.72
200 Breaststroke - Championship Final
1 Laura Sogar - 2:05.41
Platform Diving - Consolation Final
1 Shelby Cullinan - 315.35
2 Maren Taylor - 309.55
400 Freestyle Relay
7. Texas (Denninghoff 48.27, Hooper 48.94, Tucker 49.02, Amundsen 48.88) - 3:15.11
2013 NCAA Championships Day 3 Texas Prelims Results
200 Backstroke
6. Sarah Denninghoff - 1:52.72
51. Lily Moldenhauer - 1:59.04
100 Freestyle
36. Samantha Tucker - 49.40
45. Kelsey Amundsen - 49.69
47. Ellen Lobb - 49.73
200 Breaststroke
7. Laura Sogar - 2:08.23
39. Skylar Smith - 2:13.09
47. Gretchen Jaques - 2:14.85
400 Freestyle Relay
7. Texas (Denninghoff 48.17, Hooper 48.99, Tucker 49.21, Amundsen 48.51) - 3:14.88
Platform Diving
12. Maren Taylor - 272.60
15. Shelby Cullinan - 261.15
1,650 Freestyle
18. Kelsey LeNeave - 16:10.65
24. Kaitlin Pawlowicz - 16:16.85
