Georgia Swim and Dive Women Are National Runner Up

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The Georgia swim and dive women claimed national runner up in the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships.

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The Two time defending NCAA Champion Georgia Womens Swimming and Siving team placed second in the 2015 NCAA Championships. The Lady Bulldogs tallied 452 points while California tallied 513.

“I am really proud of this team, especially our seniors,” Georgia coach Jack Bauerle told Georgiadogs.com. “They laid it all on the line every day and never quit battling. We’re not able to walk out with the first-place trophy again, but we are walking out with our heads held high. We have a program that’s relevant year in and year out, and we were in the hunt again. As a coach, you can’t ask for more.”

Georgia ended the opening day of competition in first place with 172 points.

Coach Bauerle talked about day one to Georgiadogs.com. “If you had told me coming in that we’d have 172 points on the first day, I’d have taken it. It was a job well done because there are so many great teams here. Our young ladies really set the tone with an excellent morning session. These meets are always won in the mornings and we need another good one on Friday.”

The Bulldogs did perform well in the mornings, advancing many competitors into Friday  and Saturday evening’s finals. Still, the Dawgs fell to second place behind Cal in day two. A first place finish was within reach on day three. While Georgia outscored Cal in the final session, Cal’s 84 point lead was too much for the Dawgs to overcome.

The Lady Bulldogs own six NCAA titles – 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2013 and 2014.

Georgia sent 17 swimmers and one diver to Greensboro, NC for the championship meet: seniors Lauren Harrington, Maddie Locus, Jordan Mattern, Amber McDermott, Courtney Peters and Nicole Vernon; juniors Hali Flickinger, Brittany MacLean, Chantal Van Landeghem and Annie Zhu; sophomores Emily Cameron, Olivia Smoliga and Rachel Zilinskas; and freshmen Olivia Ball, Megan Kingsley, Meaghan Raab, Kylie Stewart and Courtney Weaver.