March 20, 2011
Austin, Texas - The Missouri women's swimming and diving team wrapped up their season this Saturday with a 23rd place finish at the NCAA Division I Championships. The trip was highlighted by two of the best finishes ever for the team, as both Loren Figueroa (1 meter dive) and Dominique Bouchard (200 backstroke) claimed the runner-up spot in their respective events.
Continuing her record-breaking season, freshman diver Loren 'Figgy' Figueroa placed second in the 1 meter diving event, which took place Friday afternoon.
Figueroa finished the event with 335.30 points, just behind Minnesota's Kelci Bryant, who claimed the title with a score of 349.65. Figgy's score sets a new University of Missouri record, edging the previous top score also set by Figueroa at the Big 12 Championships this year (335.15).
Figgy's top-two finish is the best ever at the Championships for a Missouri women's diver.
In her greatest performance of a highlight-filled season, Dominique Bouchard placed second in the 200 back. Finals took place Saturday night.
Bouchard has already rewritten the University and Big 12 Conference record books twice this season in the event, most recently setting the conference record with her 1:52.02 swim at the Big 12 Championships. On the biggest stage of the year, Bouchard raced to a 1:51.54 finish, shattering her previous best time and setting school and conference records once more.
As the runner up in the event, Bouchard earned All-American status, finishing just behind Wisconsin's Maggie Meyer (1:50.76). It is the best-ever finish for a Missouri swimmer in the event.
Swimming in the 'B' final of the 200 back, Lauren Lavigna claimed 14th place, finishing in 1:54.47. Cassie Cunningham also competed in the preliminary round, finishing 31st in 1:56.77.