March 19, 2008

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- For the first time in 11 years and just the second time in school history, a Navy women's swimmer will take part in the NCAA Division I Championship for the sport when Thuy-Mi Dinh (So., Anaheim, Calif.) competes in the 50 and 100 freestyle events at this week's national meet. The three-day event begins Thursday runs and through Saturday at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion on the Ohio State campus in Columbus, Ohio.

The morning trial heats are slated to start daily at 11 a.m., with the top-16 swimmers in each event advancing to the evening session of finals beginning each night at 7 p.m. The top eight swimmers in the morning trial heats will compete in the championship final in each event, with the Nos. 9-16 swimmers in the preliminary round of racing returning to the pool to take part in the event's consolation final.

The 50 freestyle will be held Thursday and the 100 free will be contested Saturday.

"This is an exciting week for Thuy-Mi and the entire Navy swimming program," said Navy head coach John Morrison. "She has worked hard to get to the national championship and we all are looking forward to seeing her compete against the best swimmers in the country. Now that her goal of getting to this meet has been accomplished, she really wants to have great swims and make all of her efforts pay off."

Dinh automatically qualified for the championship by posting an NCAA 'A' cut time of 22.37 in the 50 free, a clocking recorded during her victorious effort in the event at the Patriot League Championship. She is the first Navy and Patriot League women's swimmer to attain an NCAA 'A' cut time in any event. By virtue of her 'A' cut mark, Dinh will also be able to compete in the 100-yard free thanks to her 'B' cut time of 49.91. That mark was posted during her victory in the 100 free finals at the league championship.

In addition to posting NCAA qualifying times, both of her marks also set new Navy and Patriot League records.

Dinh's 50 free time ties her for 14th place in the field at the championship. The top qualifying time of 22.00 was posted by Kentucky's Jennifer Bradford, while the No. 8 clocking of 22.24 was recorded by Kentucky's Heather Bradford.

Dinh is seeded 56th in the 100 freestyle behind the top time of 47.80 set by Julia Wilkinson of Texas A&M. The No. 8 time in the 100 free was 48.49 (Kara Denby, Auburn), while the No. 16 time was 48.89 (Stacy Busack, Minnesota).

The lone previous Navy swimmer to qualify for the NCAA Division I Championship (Navy has been competing on the Division I level since the 1991-92 season) was Julia Mason, who placed 30th in the 100 breaststroke at the 1997 championship. Besides Dinh and Mason, the only additional swimmer from a Patriot League school to compete at the meet was American's Meghan Thiel, who placed 34th in the 1650 free and 39th in the 500 free at the 2006 event.

While Dinh and Mason are the only Navy swimmers to qualify for the championship, Navy divers Stacia Johnson (1992) and Darcy Stuart (1994, '96) have previously advanced to the meet.