Swimming - W | 3/13/2015 8:36:00 PM

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – All-American performances by senior Carmen Nam and the women's 800-yard freestyle relay team powered the Simon Fraser Clan on Day 3 of the NCAA Division II National Swimming and Diving Championships Friday in Indianapolis, IN.
 
Nam turned in a record performance twice in the 200-yard butterfly, first to earn a berth in the "A" Final, and then to place seventh overall. Nam swam a lifetime best in the 200 butterfly, finishing seventh in 2:02.67, the fastest time ever for the Clan, breaking the record she set earlier in the day during the preliminary race (2:02.73).
 
Sophomore Hannah Peiffer of Queens (NC) won the race in 1:59.06.
 
SFU sophomore Lauren Swistak placed 19^th.
 
"Carmen didn't have a great start to this meet but she put it together and performed today," said Clan coach Liam Donnelly. "She was really poised and focused all day and I thought her performance had a positive impact on the relay team, giving them a big push."
 
Two races following Nam's record swim, the Clan women's 800-yard relay team featuring freshman Maran Kokoszka, senior Alexandria Schofield, sophomore Lauren Swistak, and senior Nicole Cossey finished fifth in 7:27.41. Queens was first in a record 7:14.69.
 
Those performances enabled SFU to maintain its hold on 11^th place in the team standings with 97 points, trailing Lindenwood in 10^th with 110 points.
 
Queens leads with 422.5 points.
 
Earlier at the championships, Nam finished 30th in the 1,000-yard freestyle competition but Donnelly said she was able to put that performance behind her and move on.
 
"She was able to change course and build some momentum in the 200 IM where she placed 12^th and that gave her the confidence she needed today," said Donnelly. "She was so focused and determined and I could feel the team feed off of that."
 
The relay team got a big boost from Cossey in the anchor position, swimming the final leg in 1:49.98 to edge Tampa University by less than a second. Cossey was one of eight competitors in the race to swim a leg under 1:50 and four of those swimmers were on the record-breaking Queens team.
 
"Every one of the girls on the relay elevated her performance and found a little extra to give to the team and we needed it," said Donnelly. "Nicole was under pressure swimming last and she stepped up and delivered."
 
Also on Friday, freshman Meaghan Frenks placed 20^th in the 100-yard Breaststroke.
 
Action at the 2015 NCAA Championships continues tomorrow morning. Fans can follow the Clan's athletes live on several pages, including live video at http://www.ncaa.com/liveschedule, live swimming results at http://www.iunat.iupui.edu/content/Other-Information/LiveResults/index.htm and the live diving results at http://www.divemeets.com.