Kuras Earns NCAA National Swim Invitation
3/1/2012 12:00:00 AM | Swimming and Diving
BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo's Brittney Kuras became the first women's swimmer to be invited to the NCAA National Swimming and Diving Championships as the national swim field was set late Wednesday for the 2012 meet to be held in Auburn, AL.
Kuras becomes UB's first women's swimmer invited for the national competition. Meili Carpenter competed in the diving portion of National Championships in 2009, 2010 and 2011.
Kuras, a native of Canandaigua, NY, will compete in the 100- and 200-yard freestyles and the 200-yard individual medley. She won all three of the events at last weekend's Mid-American Conference Championships in Akron, OH, setting UB school records in each event and being named the MAC's Outstanding Swimmer of the Year.
In her first season with the Bulls after competing in 2010 at Rutgers, Kuras set three individual records and four relay records at the MAC Championships. She is seeded 26th in the 100-yard freestyle in 48.90 and 29th in the 200-yard freestyle at 1:46.30. She is also seeded 51st in the 200-yard individual medley at 1:59.84. The times are from her three record-setting performances at last week's MAC Championships.
"I am very proud of Brittney for qualifying for the fastest meet in the country," said UB head coach Andy Bashor. "She has put in a lot of effort this year to swim fast and it has paid off. This just caps off a great season for the UB swimming and diving team."
The 2012 NCAA National Swimming and Diving Championships will be held at the James E. Martin Aquatics Center on the campus of Auburn University on March 15-17.
Kuras is scheduled to race all three days. On Thursday, she will race in the preliminaries of the 200-yard individual medley. Friday she will compete in the 200-yard freestyle and Saturday she will compete in the 100-yard freestyle.
