March 21, 2009
The Purdue women's swimming and diving team capped off three days of competition Saturday by finishing 21st with 40 points during the NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships inside Texas A&M's Student Recreation Center Natatorium in College Station, Texas.
Senior Emily Wetzel wrapped up her Purdue career with a 20th-place finish off the platform Saturday. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native scored 220.00 points during the preliminary round. Wetzel earned honorable mention All-America honors from the 1- and 3-meter springboards earlier in the championships. The 2009 Big Ten platform champion finishes her career ranked in the top 10 on Purdue's all-time performance list from all three boards. Wetzel is ranked sixth from the 1-meter, seventh off the 3-meter and fourth from the platform. Throughout the championships, Purdue had a magnificent showing from the diving boards.
Junior Ashley Karnes earned All-America honors from both springboards after finishing fourth from the 1-meter Thursday and seventh off the 3-meter Friday. The Bloomington, Ind., native finishes the season as Purdue's record holder from both springboards. Karnes was named co-Diver of the Big Ten Championships in February after winning her first career conference crown from the 1-meter.
Freshman Casey Matthews became an honorable mention All-American in her first championship competition Thursday afternoon when she finished 12th in the 1-meter. The Getzville, N.Y., native also finished 19th during Friday's 3-meter competition. Matthews, who had been diving despite severe sinus issues throughout the week in College Station, was scratched from Saturday's platform competition after going to the hospital about an hour before the preliminary round was scheduled to start.
"It wasn't Emily's best day today," head diving coach Adam Soldati said. "But, she finished her career with class and integrity as a true Boilermaker. I'm proud of all the girls. They endured a lot this week."
Purdue returns from the NCAA Championships with five All-American citations. That mark ties the most by a Boilermaker squad in one season, matching the 2009 trio with the 2005 and 2006 squads. The Boilermakers' 21st-place finish is the third-highest in school history, trailing only a 17th-place showing in 2005 and a tie for 20th in 2007. ESPN2 is scheduled to air a 90-minute, tape-delayed broadcast of the meet Thursday at 3:30 p.m. ET.