April 8, 2011
RICHMOND, Va. -- Junior Erla Haraldsdottir (Njardvik, Iceland), sophomore Kimberley Rashleigh (Sydney, Australia), senior April Barrientos (Va. Beach, Va.), and the 400 medley relay team all earned All-Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) honors it was announced by the conference office Friday.
Haraldsdottir led the way with four All-CAA honors for her performance with the 400 medley relay squad in addition her three NCAA "B" cut times in the 100 and 200 breast and 200 individual medley. To date, the 2008 Icelandic Olympian has earned
The ODU women's 400 medley relay team of Barrientos, Haraldsdottir, sophomore Jessica Hubert (Newport News, Va.), and freshman Malin Ekstrand (Halmstad, Sweden) combined for the time of 3:43.47 to take third place at the CAA Championships. Their time was good enough to put their names second in the ODU record books, only .06 seconds behind the all-time record.
Haraldsdottir's second place performance in the 100 breast at the championships gave her the 23rd fastest time in the nation in the event. Her time of 1:00.46 was not only an NCAA "B" cut to help her qualify for the NCAA Championships, but also a new Lady Monarch benchmark in the 100 breast. Haraldsdottir reset her own record of 1:01.15 that she had set earlier in the 2010-11 season at the conference championships. At the NCAA Championships, she placed 29th in the field of 49 in a time of 1:01.40.
Haraldsdottir also posted an NCAA "B" cut time with her performance in the 200 breast. She swam to a second place time of 2:12.58 for a new Lady Monarch benchmark in the event, surpassing her previous mark of 2:13.32 set earlier in the 2010-11 season.
Haraldsdottir was one of three Lady Monarchs in the finals of the 200 IM. She took third overall with a NCAA "B" cut time of 2:01.81. Earlier in the day, she swam to a time of 2:00.18 in the prelims, besting her own ODU record of 2:01.30.
Barrientos swam her way to her third 100 back title at the CAA Championships, resetting not only the ODU record, but her own CAA record as well. Barrientos claimed the title in a time of 54.44, replacing her previous record-setting mark of 54.75, and posting a NCAA "B" cut time. She finishes her career with eight All-CAA honors.
Rashleigh took second in the 200 back with a NCAA "B" cut time and new ODU Lady Monarch record of 1:59.14. Rashleigh, who is the only Lady Monarch to swim the 200 back in under two minutes, reset her own mark of 1:59.73.
The Old Dominion women's swimming team finished fifth the 2011 CAA championships.
2011 ODU All-CAA Women's Swimming:
100-Breaststroke: Erla Haraldsdottir, Old Dominion
200-Breaststroke: Erla Haraldsdottir, Old Dominion
100-Backstroke: April Barrientos, Old Dominion
200-Backstroke: Kimberly Rasleigh, Old Dominion
200-Individual Medley: Erla Haraldsdottir, Old Dominion
400-Medley Relay: Old Dominion (April Barrientos, Erla Haraldsdottir, Jessica Hubert, Malin Ekstrand)