Miller Completes KU's Run at NCAA Championship
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Chelsie Miller concluded the 2014-15 season for the Kansas swimming and diving team, completing the 1,650-yard freestyle with a time of 16:17.02 at the NCAA Championships at the Greensboro Aquatic Center Saturday afternoon. Miller finished 26th in the early heat, the second highest among Big 12 competitors, with the championship final to be completed later Saturday evening. It was the last of three events for the Kansas junior and perhaps her toughest swim yet.
At last year’s national meet, Miller set the KU program record by swimming a time of 16:09.97, but couldn’t match the pace at this year’s competition. A silver medalist in the event at the 2014 Big 12 Championship, Miller labored early and despite missing her target time, turned in what Kansas head coach Clark Campbell described as a tough, gritty performance.
“It was a solid race, I’m really pleased with how she did this week,” Campbell said. ‘”We were expecting a little bit faster, but she started hurting a little bit earlier in the race than we would’ve liked. At the 600-yard mark she started to feel it, and normally you want to get into the 1,200-yard mark before starting to dig deep. She did awesome, dug in, and turned in a really tough and gritty effort the last thousand to finish strong. It’s the third best time she’s ever done. It wasn’t the time she wanted, but the the best weay to describe it was a tough, gritty effort.”
On Friday night, the Houston, Texas native earned 13th place in the 400-yard individual medley. On Thursday, she recorded a 55th-place finish in the 200-yard IM. The NCAA Championship meet marks the end of the season for the Jayhawks, who finished the regular season with a 9-3 dual meet record and placed third at the conference meet.
Individually, Miller will get a quick break before considering competing at the 2015 Open Water National Championship hosted by Florida Gulf Coast University in Miromar Lake, Florida, among other national level competition over the summer months. Miller will return to Kansas in the fall, along with most of the Jayhawks’ roster after the program graduated just two senior members.
Just minutes after the conclusion of the 2014-15 campaign, Campbell was already looking to get started on the 2015-16 season.
“I can’t wait to get going,” Campbell said. “The team will get another week off and then start getting ready for the summer on March 30. In the short term, we’re looking towards the summer, but next year begins now. How we do this summer will segway into the collegiate season.”
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