Lady Vols to send 10 to NCAA swimming championships

Tennessee will send 10 to the NCAA Women Swimming and Diving Championships.

The championships run March 21-23 in Indianapolis. The Lady Vols will look to improve on their seventh-place team finish from a year ago.

Five of UT’s 10 selections are making a return trip to NCAA meet. The other five are freshmen.

Junior Lindsay Gendron figures to be the among the busiest of the Lady Vols, qualifying in three individual events. The SEC champion in the 200-yard freestyle also is entered in the 100 free and 500 free.

Senior Kelsey Floyd has qualified in the 100 free and 200 free. Senior Caroline Simmons is competing in the 50 free and 100 free.

Also, sophomore Molly Hannis, who broke school records in the 100 breaststroke and 200 breast at the SEC meet and junior Lauren Solernou in the 100 backstroke.

The freshman class is highlighted by Faith Johnson, who won the SEC title in the 50 free. She also swims the 100 free.

Other freshman include Harper Bruens (100 free), Mary Griffith (200 free), school-record holder Madison Hahn (200 back) and Amanda Carner (400 individual medley).

The Lady Vols also are eligible for all five relays. The 200 medley relay team, which set an SEC record at the conference meet, has the fastest time in the nation this year.

Three of Tennessee’s divers could also qualify. SEC diver of the year Tori Lamp, 3-meter SEC silver medalist Jodie McGroarty and platform finalist Samantha Lera will have to advance out of the NCAA Zone B Diving Championships that start Monday at Allan Jones Aquatic Center.