Kastes and Marks lead Lady'Backs into 7th place

TUSCALOOSA, ALA. – University of Arkansas freshmen Katie Kastes and Jamie Marks finished fourth and eighth, respectively, in the 400 individual medley to lead the Lady Razorbacks to another outstanding day at the Southeastern Conference Championships at the Alabama Aquatic Center in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Arkansas moved up another spot to seventh after Friday’s events. For the second day in a row, almost every Lady’Back swim was a career-best.

Kastes and Marks hold the top four times in the 400-IM school records after today’s performances.

Sophomore Lynette Ng, junior Summer Jackson, Kastes and senior Tifanie Silver set the school record in the 400 medley relay placing sixth with a time of 3:43.74.

“We had a fantastic day today with two great swims by Kastes and Marks,” said head coach Jeff Poppell.

In the prelims of the 400 IM, Kastes and Marks made the finals with times of 4:14.24 and 4:16.34. In the finals, Kastes bettered her prelim time with a 4:13.16 which was over seven seconds faster than the previous record, which she held. Freshman Erica Totten (4:25.69), junior Elizabeth Engs (4:25.93), freshman Ashley Largo (4:27.37) and freshman Erin Neumann (4:29.07) finished 18th, 19th, 20th and 22nd with personal-best times. Freshman Jessie Clark also touched in with an individual best 4:28.25.

Senior Emily Gregory placed 24th in the 100 butterfly with a 56.07, followed by freshman Kylie Kastes with a career-best time of 57.49.

Junior Stephanie Carr had the fifth-fastest time in program history in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:50.03. Freshman Megan Haskins (1:50.31), junior Macey Webb (1:54.44) and freshman Shara Sutphen (1:55.72) all had personal best times.

In the 100 breaststroke, Jackson had the best finish, touching in 18th with a 1:03.67. Freshman Brittany Kimmitt, senior Katie McGraw and Neumann placed 24th through 26th.

Ng and Silver swam the 100 backstroke with individual bests. Ng took 21st with a time of 56.82 and Silver touched in right after her with a 57.21

Ng also swam the lead-off split of the 400 medley relay in 56.52, which is the fifth-fastest 100-back time in the school records.

Tomorrow is the final day of the SEC Championship. Arkansas swims the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly and the 400 free relay. Diving also competes in its last event, platform diving. The prelims begin at 10 a.m. and the finals start at 6 p.m.

“Tomorrow is our best day of the meet,” said Poppell. “We have a chance for a few more records and we’re only 17 points behind LSU. We’ve got a shot at sixth and we’re going for it.”

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