Completed Event: Swimming & Diving versus NCAA Women's Championship on March 18, 2026 , , T-21st/48 (35)
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Final
Swimming & Diving
vs NCAA Women's Championship
Five Blue Devils Earn NCAA Championships Selection
3/3/2021 7:17:00 PM | Swimming & Diving
DURHAM, N.C. – Five Duke women's swimmers were selected to compete at the 2021 NCAA Women's Swimming & Diving Championships, the NCAA announced Wednesday.
"We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity for these five young women to compete at this year's NCAA Championships," Duke swimming & diving head coach Dan Colella said. "In this year of so many challenges, it is so great to have them be able to have the opportunity to swim. We are excited for them. This is really always one of the highlights of the season. We are incredibly proud of what they have already accomplished and are looking forward to their performances in three weeks at the NCAA meet.
"We are also looking forward to our divers competing at the Zone B Diving Championships this weekend," Colella continued. "We are wishing them all the luck and hoping to add additional athletes to the NCAA squad."
The NCAA announced 281 women's swimmers from 51 different teams will compete in the 2021 Championships. The event will take place March 17-20 at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, N.C.
Duke will be represented by freshman Sarah Foley, junior Shayna Hollander, freshman Catherine Purnell, sophomore Emma Shuppert and junior Cabell Whitlow.
Foley led the Blue Devils by qualifying for two events – the 200 individual medley and 200 breaststroke. Foley's time of 1:57.03 in the 200 IM at the ACC Championships was the second-fastest in school history and placed 10th overall at the meet. Foley touched in 2:08.96 in the 200 breast at the 2020 Janis Hape Dowd Invitational to set the school record and earn selection to the NCAA meet.
Hollander's time of 53.01 in the 100 backstroke at the UNC Last Chance Meet secured her qualification to the NCAA meet. After qualifying in relays the last two seasons, Hollander will compete individually at the NCAA Championships. Her mark is currently the fourth-fastest in school history.
Purnell will compete in her first NCAA meet after being selected in the 200 butterfly. Her career-best time of 1:56.75 at the UNC Last Chance Meet earned the qualification and currently sits third in program lore in the event.
Shuppert will join Hollander and compete in the 100 backstroke after qualifying in the event for a second consecutive season. She earned selection with a time of 52.76 and looks to compete in her first NCAA meet after last season's meet was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Whitlow also competes in the 200 butterfly along with Purnell. Whitlow swam a season-best time of 1:56.93 in the event at the UNC Last Chance Meet to qualify. She returns to the NCAA Championships after placing T-19th in the 200 butterfly at the 2019 meet.
In addition to the five Duke women's swimmers, selected Duke divers are slated to compete in the Zone B Diving Championships March 7-9 to vie for qualification to the NCAA Championships. Duke has three women competing in the Zones.
#GoDuke
"We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity for these five young women to compete at this year's NCAA Championships," Duke swimming & diving head coach Dan Colella said. "In this year of so many challenges, it is so great to have them be able to have the opportunity to swim. We are excited for them. This is really always one of the highlights of the season. We are incredibly proud of what they have already accomplished and are looking forward to their performances in three weeks at the NCAA meet.
"We are also looking forward to our divers competing at the Zone B Diving Championships this weekend," Colella continued. "We are wishing them all the luck and hoping to add additional athletes to the NCAA squad."
The NCAA announced 281 women's swimmers from 51 different teams will compete in the 2021 Championships. The event will take place March 17-20 at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, N.C.
Duke will be represented by freshman Sarah Foley, junior Shayna Hollander, freshman Catherine Purnell, sophomore Emma Shuppert and junior Cabell Whitlow.
Foley led the Blue Devils by qualifying for two events – the 200 individual medley and 200 breaststroke. Foley's time of 1:57.03 in the 200 IM at the ACC Championships was the second-fastest in school history and placed 10th overall at the meet. Foley touched in 2:08.96 in the 200 breast at the 2020 Janis Hape Dowd Invitational to set the school record and earn selection to the NCAA meet.
Hollander's time of 53.01 in the 100 backstroke at the UNC Last Chance Meet secured her qualification to the NCAA meet. After qualifying in relays the last two seasons, Hollander will compete individually at the NCAA Championships. Her mark is currently the fourth-fastest in school history.
Purnell will compete in her first NCAA meet after being selected in the 200 butterfly. Her career-best time of 1:56.75 at the UNC Last Chance Meet earned the qualification and currently sits third in program lore in the event.
Shuppert will join Hollander and compete in the 100 backstroke after qualifying in the event for a second consecutive season. She earned selection with a time of 52.76 and looks to compete in her first NCAA meet after last season's meet was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Whitlow also competes in the 200 butterfly along with Purnell. Whitlow swam a season-best time of 1:56.93 in the event at the UNC Last Chance Meet to qualify. She returns to the NCAA Championships after placing T-19th in the 200 butterfly at the 2019 meet.
In addition to the five Duke women's swimmers, selected Duke divers are slated to compete in the Zone B Diving Championships March 7-9 to vie for qualification to the NCAA Championships. Duke has three women competing in the Zones.
#GoDuke
Players Mentioned
Breast/IM
/ Swimming & Diving
Sprint Free/Back
/ Swimming & Diving
IM/Fly/Free
/ Swimming & Diving
Backstroke
/ Swimming & Diving
Fly/IM
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