Ithaca College

Seven members of the Ithaca women’s swimming & diving team will represent the Bombers at the NCAA Division III Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships, March 17-20 in Minneapolis, Minn. It is the largest group of Bomber swimmers to qualify for the national meet since 1999, when Ithaca finished seventh in the team standings.

Ithaca finished 13th in the 2009 NCAA Division III Women’s Swimming & Diving Championship and has finished in the top-20 at the national meet 20 times in the last 27 years. This year's championship meet will be held at the University Aquatic Center on the campus of the University of Minnesota and is hosted by Beloit College and The College of Wooster.

Junior Sheila Rhoades qualified in three individual events and will swim on Bomber relay teams. Rhoades, a three-time all-American in last year's national championship meet, will compete in the 50-, 100- and 200-yard freestyle events. Sophomore Missy Keesler made the NCAAs in the 200-yard backstroke and freshman Madi Sherry will compete in the 100-yard breaststroke.

Two Ithaca divers made the list of 22 invited to compete at nationals. Senior Naomi Mark and sophomore Jodi Costello met the NCAA qualifying standards at last week's UNYSCSA / Empire 8 championship meet and will participate in the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events at the NCAA meet.

Junior Becca Blazak and freshman Carly Jones will participate in Ithaca's medley relay teams. The Bombers are seeded sixth in the 400-yard medley relay and 12th in the 200-yard medley relay. Ithaca finished sixth in the 400 medley relay last year at the NCAA meet.