Hotchko Improves Finish at NCAAs
Minneapolis, Minn. - Rachel Hotchko (Yakima, Wash./A.C. Davis), who is making her second consecutive trip to the NCAAs, placed in the top 25 in the 100 butterfly event Thursday at the 2009 NCAA Division III Men's & Women's Swimming & Diving Championships at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center.
Hotchko finished 23rd out of 47 swimmers in the 100 fly with her time of 57.81. She had entered the event seeded 19th. Last year, Hotchko took 29th in the same event (59.97).
The junior has one more event left as Hotchko will compete in the 100 freestyle event on Saturday.
Senior captain Brie McDowell (Doylestown, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) returns to the pool today in the 100 backstroke as McDowell pursues her fourth career All-America honor. She is seeded third in the event with her school record time of 56.62. The 2007 and 2009 Capital Athletic Conference Women's Swimmer-of-the-Year, McDowell earned her first All-America citations in 2007 as she finished ninth in both the 100 and 200 back.
This is the fourth consecutive season that St. Mary's has been represented at the NCAA championships. The championships are being hosted by Macalester College at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center and competition will wrap up this Saturday with the crowning of the team champions. It is the first-time ever that the men's and women's swimming championships are being held at the same time.
