'Small but mighty' squad travels to Purdue's pool for NCAA Championships

Of the 22 women on the roster, five swimmers and four divers will carry this year's team motto of "small but mighty" to the NCAA Championships in West Lafayette. The Hoosiers will bring to the stage junior Kristen Bradley, junior Doherty Colgin, sophomore Annica Lofstedt, senior Erin Smith, sophomore Leila Vaziri and four divers yet to be determined. \nThe swimmers have claimed 15 spots overall in the NCAA Championships with the highest coming from Vaziri, who placed fourth overall in the 100-yard backstroke. Vaziri recently won the 100-yard backstroke in the Big Ten Championships in Bloomington while also setting a new pool record time of 53.64. \nDuring IU's win against Purdue in the regular season, Vaziri was named National Swimmer of the Week by CollegeSwimming.com. During the Purdue win, Vaziri captured three event titles in the 100-yard, 200-yard and 200-yard medley relay. In the team's final dual meet of the season against Penn State, she received Big Ten Swimmer of the Week after achieving five event titles and four NCAA provisional times. While at the NCAA Championships, Vaziri will compete in the 200-yard backstroke where she is seeded 30th.\n"She is starting to make a statement at this level," said IU coach Dorsey Tierney. "The next step is for her to perform like she did here at the NCAA Championships. She is really starting to challenge herself to compete at a high level."\nBesides Vaziri being the highest-placed swimmer going into the NCAA Championships, IU's relay team will test the field. IU has the 200-yard medley relay, seeded 14th and 400-yard freestyle relay, seeded 15th competing at the NCAA Championship. The final four swimmers are yet to be determined of each relay but the 200-yard medley relay team of Vaziri, Bradley, Smith and Lofstedt set a new school record of 1:41.24. \nBesides having five swimmers going to compete, IU will bring at least four divers along. This weekend, seven divers, senior Cassandra Cardinell, sophomore Heather Chapman, freshman Ashley Greene, freshman Christina Loukas, junior Lisa Silvestri, freshman Jade Summerlin and sophomore Lindsay Weigle, head to Purdue to see who will qualify to compete in the actual NCAA Championships. Big Ten Diver of the Year Loukas and All-American and 2004 Olympian Cardinell are looking to make a splash. Recently at the Big Ten Championships, Loukas captured the one-meter diving title while snagging the award of Diver of the Championship and the Diver of the Year. Besides capturing event titles, Loukas has set two new school records in both the three-meter and one-meter diving. \nTo accompany freshman greatness, the only senior diver on the team looks to join her in the NCAA Championships. Cardinell just finished her Big Ten career with her first platform title with a new school and pool record of 558.65.\n"Right now I think she is the best diver in the country, and I see no reason why she cannot become the best diver in the world," said IU diving coach Jeff Huber.\nThe Hoosiers begin NCAA diving qualifications today through Sunday in West Lafayette and then join the rest of the team March 17-19 for the NCAA Championships.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Doug \nKlausen at dklausen@indiana.edu.