March 15, 2006

ATHENS, GA. - Three Tar Heel women's swimmers are currently at the University of Georgia's Gabrielson Natatorium to compete in the 2006 NCAA Division I Women's Swimming and Championships Thursday through Saturday.

Sophomore Lindsey Marck and freshmen Nicole O'Donnell and Whitney Sprague have all earned bids to compete in this year's national meet.

Sprague is the No. 13 seed in the 500-yard freestyle at 4:44.25, a career best. That was also a unviersity record time set in November 2005.

Sprague is seeded 50th in the 200-yard freestyle in a career best 1:49.02. She is also a seed in the 1650-yard freestyle. She is No. 13 at 16:18.71, her career best. All three of Sprague's seed times are her career bests.

O'Donnell is also qualified in two events with career best clockings earning her both of her seeds.

O'Donnell is seeded No. 44 at 500 yards freestyle in 4:50.38. O'Donnell is seeded No. 7 in the 1650 freestyle after setting the university record last November. Her seed time is 16:13.88.

Marck has the No. 24 seed time in the 100-yard butterfly with a career best 54.08. She is also seeded 19th in the 200-yard butterfly at 1:59.17.

Marck also earned an NCAA bid in 2005 as a freshman.