March 18, 2009

2009 NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships Results

Center Valley, Pa. - Three Patriot League women's swimmers will be competing at the NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships this weekend in one of the most successful seasons in Patriot League history. The women's championships, scheduled for Thursday through Friday at Texas A&M in College Station, Texas, will feature Colgate senior Emily Murphy and Navy juniors Thuy-Mi Dinh and Tara Chapmon.

Colgate's Emily Murphy

Murphy is the first-ever Colgate women's swimmer or diver to compete at the national championships on the Division I level. Murphy tied with American's Dorothy Isaacs for the Patriot League title in the 100 breaststroke with a then school and Patriot League record time of 1:01.23. Murphy competed again at the University of Georgia's Last Chance Meet on March 5 and set a new program and League record of 1:00.86 in a 100 breaststroke time trial, which secured Murphy's invitation to the NCAA Championships. The senior is seeded 29th in a 39-swimmer field in the event.

Navy becomes the first Patriot League program to advance multiple swimmers to the national championship with juniors Thuy-Mi Dinh and Tara Chapmon also competing at the women's meet. Dinh became the first Patriot League women's swimmer to advance to the NCAA Championships with an automatic qualifying time last season, and this season's qualification makes Dinh the first women's swimmer in League history to compete at more than one NCAA title meet in a career. The junior has won the 50 freestyle title at each of the three Patriot League Championships she has competed in, and will compete in the event at the NCAA meet. Dinh's provisional qualifying time of 22.36 earned her the 22nd seed in the 65-swimmer field.

Navy's Tara Chapmon

Chapmon, a two-time Patriot League Women's Swimmer of the Meet award winner, will be competing in the 200, 500 and 1,650 freestyle events at the championships. Chapmon is seeded 35th of 74 swimmers in the 200 free with a time of 1:46.26, 42nd of 46 with a time of 16:26.84 in the 1,650 free and 50th of 68 in the 500 free with a time of 4:45.12. Chapmon owns both the Navy and Patriot League records in all three events.