March 8, 2007

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MINNEAPOLIS - On the first day of the NCAA Women's Swimming & Diving Championships, Missouri sophomores Jill Granger and Kendra Melnychuk got their first taste of national competition with performances in the preliminaries of the 500 free and 1-meter diving, respectively.

Granger finished 48th overall in a time of 4:51.57 in the first of her three events of the week. Her time was the sixth-fastest among the eight Big 12 competitors and her final eight 50-yard segments were all within the 29-second range.

Mizzou Head Coach Brian Hoffer was excited for the Granger to have the opportunity to open the NCAA meet on Thursday with her best events still to come.

"That was right at her best morning swim ever so we are happy with that," he said. "Her best event is the 1650 (which she will swim on Saturday) and she has only been to the US Nationals one time so this is the biggest event she has been to. I am just very, very proud of her."

Melnychuk opened her first-ever NCAA Championship on the one-meter springboard. She posted a final prelims score of 278.00 for a 31st-place finish. Her best dive came on her fifth of the meet as she received a 49.20 on an inward 1 1/2 somersault in a pike position.

"As she goes up to the three-meter and tower she will get better," Hoffer said, eluding to the fact that the one-meter is her weakest of the three boards. "We hope each of them can get better with each event each day."

Friday's schedule will see Granger swim in the 400 IM at approximately 11:10 a.m., while Melnychuk will jump into the water in the three-meter at 1 p.m.