Aug. 2, 2011
PALO ALTO, Calif. – Several members of the South Carolina swimming team will compete at the 2011 ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships this week on Aug. 2-6 at Stanford University’s Avery Aquatic Center in Palo Alto, Calif.
Along with selecting the 2011 USA Swimming national champions, the event will also serve as the selection meet for the 2011 Pan American Games, which will be held Oct. 15-22 in Guadalajara, Mexico. It will also serve as the selection for the 2011 FINA World Junior Championships, set for Aug.16-21 in Lima, Peru.
Among South Carolina’s swimmers at the event is 2011 All-American and SEC Bronze Medalist Michael Flach, one of the SEC’s top sprinters in Bridget Halligan,, who collected the top Gamecock times in the 50 free, 100 free, and 100 fly at the 2011 SEC Championships, and 2011 All-SEC Freshman Team member Rachael Schaffer, an NCAA qualifier.
Chris Kelly, who set the school record during the 2010-11 season in the 200 backstroke, along with 2010-11 team captain Ryan Connolly and junior Whitney Avers, who earned an NCAA `B’ Cut in the 200 butterfly last season, will also compete. Collin Kaden, one of South Carolina’s most versatile swimmers, Brooks Ross, one of the squad’s top distance freestylers, and Matt Columbus, who posted Carolina’s top time in the 1650 free at the 2011 SEC Championships, and Abby Galbreath, who earned NCAA cuts in the 200 and 400 IM in 2011, will also swim at nationals.
The event will be carried live by Universal Sports, Aug. 2-3, beginning at 9 p.m. ET, while the meet will also be packaged and broadcast on NBC on Aug. 6, from 4-6 p.m. ET, and Aug. 7, from 5-6 p.m. ET. The event will re-air each night on Universal Sports, beginning at 8 p.m. ET.
Results and a live webcast are available via USA Swimming’s website, or by clicking HERE .
Preliminary rounds will begin each day at 12 p.m. ET, with finals scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. ET. National champions will be named each night.
Below is a list of South Carolina swimmers who will compete at the event, as well as the event in which they will participate.
Meet Schedule (All events are long-course meters)
Tuesday, Aug. 2
Bridget Halligan – 100 M Butterfly
Michael Flach – 400 M Freestyle
Rachael Schaffer – 200 M – IM
Abby Galbreath – 200 M – IM
Christopher Kelly – 400 M – IM
Ryan Connolly – 400 M – IM
Wednesday, Aug. 3
Michael Flach – 200 M Freestyle, 200 M Butterfly
Rachael Schaffer – 200 M Freestyle
Thursday, Aug. 4
Bridget Halligan – 50 M Freestyle
Rachael Schaffer – 400 M – IM
Abby Galbreath – 400 M – IM
Friday, Aug. 5
Whitney Avers – 200 M Butterfly
Christopher Kelly – 200 M – IM
Collin Kaden – 200 M – IM
Saturday, Aug. 6
Christopher Kelly – 200 M Backstroke
Rachael Schaffer – 200 M Breaststroke
Collin Kaden – 200 M Breaststroke
Brooks Ross – 1,500 M Freestyle
Matt Columbus – 1,500 M Freestyle
