The University of Kansas swim team has a certain knack every year for coming up with one really big star swimmer: a swimmer who transcends the team’s overall national rankings.
This year, that person is Chelsie Miller, who has gone from a solid, but not all that noteworthy, college swimmer, to an All-American candidate in a season.
In her latest conquest, Miller was a 9:51.70 in the 1000 free on Saturday against Arkansas-Little Rock (UALR) to help lead the Jayhawks to a 148-96 team victory.
That swim for Miller was a lifetime best by two seconds, with her previous fastest having come when she was in high school.
The team’s old record was 9:53.51, set back in 2007, and the Robinson Natatorium pool record was 9:57.31.
That’s the 3rd School Record that Miller has set already this season, and if she swims the 1650 at Big 12’s, it’s a near-guarantee that it will go down as well.
Miller also swam, and won, the 200 breaststroke in 2:23.71. That’s not a primary event for her, but it is her biggest opportunity to improve her 400 IM. This swim was five seconds faster than the 2:28 she swam back in October, her last attempt. She finished her meet with a 4:27.73 in the 400 IM, which is about 19 seconds off of the School Record she set at Winter Nationals.
Kansas swept the event victories at the meet, but two freshmen swimmers combined for 4 runner-up finishes in individual events.
Jinson Kang was a 4:39.54 in the 400 IM, placing just behind Miller, and a 2:14.13 in the 200 fly. That 400 IM for Kang was just six-tenths of a second away from the UALR Record that has been around for 26-years.
Also swimming well was Erin Trumbach. She was the runner-up in the 100 breast (1:08.07), the 200 breast (2:30.21), and the 100 breast (1:08.07).
Back on Kansas, Morgan Sharp had an interesting day for the Jayhawks. She won both the 50 free (24.30) and the 500 free (5:05.82) in her two individual swims.
UALR continued on to fall against Rice, back in Little Rock, by a score of 126 – 57 on Sunday; they have one more contest on Friday against Vanderbilt. Kansas still has meets left against Vanderbilt, Arkansas, and Iowa State before the Big 12 Championships.
Chelsie rules! And, so does Morgan “Manbearpig” Sharp!