DAY 3 UPDATE (Friday preliminaries)

The University of Houston looks to improve its point total tonight at the day 3 finals for the 2007 Conference USA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships.

The Cougars have their 200 yard freestyle relay in the finals, but really look to jump up a notch as the results of their individual performances.

In the 400 yard individual medley, they have qualified two women for the finals.

Sophomore Andrea Pa'lmai is the top seed going into the finals with the time of 4:26.57. She won the events at the 2006 Championships with a 4:22.11, establishing a new school record.

The Cougars also qualified freshman Donna MacLeod with the time of 4:42.01. She is seeded 10th overall and 2nd in the consolation heat.

In the 100 yard butterfly, sophomore Doreen Polotzek qualified in 9th place (1st in the consolation heat) with the time of: 58.42 seconds.

Sasha Schwendenwein qualified for the championship finals of the 200 yard freestyle with the time of 1:51.38. That places her 7th in the field.

McLeod will return to the pool for the second time this evening, qualifying for the 100 yard breaststroke consolation finals. She is seeded 7th in her heat and the 15th seed overall.

She will be joined by Harmony D'Antonio (1:09.62-8th in the consols) and Szi Szi Szanto, who will compete in the championship final heat as the 5th seed (1:05.01).

The big point scorer for the Cougars tonight will be the 100 yard backstroke. Houston is loaded with a tremendous amount of talent in the backstrokes, with five women making the trip to the finals.

Freshman Jessica Shamburger, who is the 2nd seed (:57.22), will be joined by Pa'lmai, who is the 5th overall seed (:58.42) and 6th seed Nicole Vianna (:58.61).

The Cougars will also have freshman Kristine Kelly (7th in consols, 1:01.32) and Linda Fox (7th in consols, 1:01.76) to contribute to their point total tonight.

The divers will also get into the act, with Rachel Gitelson, Ginni Van Katwijk, and Anastasia Pozdniakova all competing in the finals of 1 meter springboard diving.

With such a fine effort by the Cougars, look forward to them cutting the margin between them and the Rice Owls in the team standings.