SHENANDOAH, Texas – Once, twice, three times an All-American.
Sophomore Clara Baker of the Ursinus College women's swimming team claimed her third career All-America laurel with a 10th-place finish in the 100-yard butterfly at the NCAA Championships Thursday night, lowering her own program and Centennial Conference record and continuing her climb into rarified air among the program's greats.
Baker, who finished 15th in the event at last year's meet, touched the wall in 55.16 seconds, breaking her own school record of 55.38. Her clocking was the eighth-best overall time among the two finals heats.
Baker is one of only two swimmers in Ursinus history to garner multiple All-America honors; the other is Jennifer Derstine, who was an All-American in six different events from 1991 to 1993.
Baker landed just one hundredth of a second off her former school record in the prelims. Her mark of 55.39 was good for ninth overall and missed the cut line for the championship final by just .06 seconds.
Junior Meggie Leitz registered a time of 56.28 to finish 19th in prelims. She was just over a tenth of a second off the 16th-place pace.
Leitz and Baker are back in action on Friday, this time testing their mettle in the 200 fly. Leitz is seed eighth (2:03.72), while Baker is 28th (2:05.51). Baker placed 10th in the 200 fly at last year's national meet.
Sophomore Peyten Lyons is scheduled to compete in the 100 back, where she is seeded 21st (56.47).
