Light Blue to compete against nation’s elite in upcoming meet

Select members of the Columbia women’s swimming team will travel south to Georgia tomorrow to compete in USA Swimming’s Winter National Championships from Dec. 1 to 3. The meet, an annual roundup of the country’s best, will feature Olympians and other prominent swimmers alongside the eight Lions.

Seniors Dorothy Baker and Caitlin Rogers; juniors Katie Meili, Caroline Lukins, and Kristina Parsons; sophomore Laney Kluge; and freshmen Salena Huang and Mikaila Gaffey will represent Columbia at the competition in a variety of events.

Meili has the most on her plate as she is entered in nine different events. Her program highlights include the 100-meter and 200-meter breaststroke races, in which she is seeded 33rd and 27th, respectively, in a field of roughly 100 competitors.

Parsons and Lukins will both step up to the block in the 100 butterfly with Meili. Lukins will double with an appearance in the 200 butterfly, where she’ll be joined by teammate Rogers. Kluge and Baker will compete in the 100 and 200 backstroke races.

Meanwhile, freshmen Huang and Gaffey have their own events. Gaffey is entered in the 100-meter breaststroke, and Huang will dive in for the 100, 200, and 400 freestyle.

Unlike previous years, the meet will be contested in long-course meters instead of the usual collegiate short-course yards. The decision was made last April to allow the participating athletes an opportunity to earn cuts for the 2012 Olympic Trials.