March 18, 2006
Complete Results
ATHENS, Georgia - Senior Helen Silver won the 200-yard backstroke title in a pool-record time, and the California women's swimming team finished fourth overall at the 2006 NCAA Championships at the University of Georgia's Gabrielsen Natatorium Saturday.
Silver, who also won the 200 back at the Pac-10 Championships, set a new lifetime best with a time of 1:53.01 in the final. She was seeded first in the final after clocking a 1:54.25 - then, a lifetime best - in the morning preliminary. It is the second individual title for the Golden Bears at the 2006 NCAA meet. Freshman Jessica Hardy won the 100 breaststroke race Saturday.
"I felt completely relaxed before the race, completely confident," Silver said. "I told my coach that my entire swimming career had been a warm-up for this night. It might be my last race, I don't know if I'll keep swimming or not, but I had my coaches, my friends, and my family supporting me tonight."
Auburn won the team title with 518.5 points, followed by Georgia (515.5), Arizona 415 and Cal (291).
Sophomore Emily Silver, Helen's younger sister, finished third in the 100 freestyle in 48.47 - .01 seconds faster than the lifetime best she clocked in the prelim.
The Golden Bears took sixth in the 400 freestyle relay (3:17.49), with juniors Sherry Tsai, Lauren Andrews and Emily Silver swimming.
Sophomore Rachel Ridgeway took eighth in the championship final of the 200 fly (8 Ridgeway, Rachel, 1:59.79).
Freshman Lauren Rogers was first in the consolation final (9th overall) of the 200 back (1:56.74). Reilly was fifth in the consolation final (13th overall) of the 100 free (49.40).
2006 NCAA Championships
Athens, Georgia
Day 3 Finals
200 yard backstroke
1 Silver, Helen, 1:53.01 (pool record)
9 Rogers, Lauren, 1:56.74
100 freestyle
3 Silver, Emily, 48.47
13 Reilly, Erin, 49.40
200 butterfly
8 Ridgeway, Rachel, 1:59.79
400 free relay
6 California, 3:17.49
Tsai, Sherry; Andrews, Lauren; Reilly, Erin; Silver, Emily
Final Team Standings
1. Auburn 518.5
2. Georgia 515.5
3. Arizona 415
4. California 291
5. Stanford 209
6. USC 193
7. Southern Methodist 161.5
8. Texas 151
9. Wisconsin 146
10. Florida 135
