March 25, 2013
BERKELEY -
Elizabeth Pelton claimed her unprecedented third Muscle Milk Student-Athlete of the Week award after the freshman earned the Swimmer of the Meet award at the NCAA Women's Swimming & Diving Championships that ended on March 23 in Indianapolis. The Towson, Md., product set a slew of awards to win the 200-yard backstroke title, earned a total of seven All-America honors and helped the Golden Bears take second place at the national meet.
Pelton broke her own American record in winning the 200 backstroke in a time of 1:47.84, which also set U.S. Open, NCAA, Pac-12 and school records. That marked the first NCAA crown of the young Bears' collegiate career.
She almost won two more titles, as Pelton finished second in the 200-yard individual medley - to senior teammate Caitlin Leverenz, the 2012 NCAA Championships' Swimmer of the Meet - and in the 200-yard freestyle. Pelton was a member of four relays - 400-yard medley relay (placed third) and 200- (fifth), 400- (third) and 800-yard (third) freestyle relays - that posted top-eight finishes at NCAAs.
Pelton also won the Muscle Milk honor on March 5 and Dec. 3. No other Bear has won more than two Muscle Milk awards this season.
