Arkansas swimmers head to Austin

FAYETTEVILLE — Eleven members of the Arkansas swimming and diving team travel this week to compete Thursday through Saturday at the Austin Grand Prix held at the Lee & Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center on the University of Texas’ campus. Juniors Gina Bargiachi and Erin Neumann along with sophomores Maddie Fogel, Sarah Howard, Lisa Lunkenheimer, Courtney O’Grady, Jillienne Schilling and Katie Whitbeck are scheduled to swim. Freshman Dannica Brennan, Alicia Meinz and Kelsea Vance will also compete for the Razorbacks. Preliminary heats will be held in the 25-yard pool (short course) while finals competition will be held in the 50-meter pool (long course).Thursday’s order of events will include the 400 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 200 individual medley and 50 freestyle along with the 200 freestyle relay and the 400 medley relay. Preliminaries begin at 9:30 a.m. each day with finals scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m. each evening. The USA Swimming Grand Prix Series serves as an opportunity for athletes to race against top-notch competition as they prepare for the end of the USA Swimming season. More than 1,000 swimmers from all levels will compete in the meet, including Olympic gold medalists Natalie Coughlin, Aaron Peirsol and Rebecca Soni.