The following is a press release courtesy of Rice University:
IRVING, Texas – Rice senior Casey Clark has been named the Conference USA Swimmer of the Week for Jan. 13-19, the league office announced Tuesday (Jan. 20) from its headquarters in Irving, Texas.
Over the weekend Clark posted an Olympic Trials cut among her two new lifetime best marks at the Arena Pro Swim Series in Austin. On Thursday’s opening day of the competition (Jan. 15) Clark secured her spot in the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials after a 1:00.99 in the morning prelims of the 100-meter butterfly (long course). She then swam a 1:00.42 in the event’s evening finals to tie for ninth overall among a starting field of more than 80 entries. That’s a pretty good day of racing, but it was only part of the action. The senior from Spring, Texas, also went 57.08 to finish 28th in the evening finals of the 100-meter freestyle. Both times were new career-best marks. On Friday Clark then finished 35th among a field of 99 entries in the 200-freestyle with a time of 2:05.62.
This is the third C-USA Swimmer of the Week honor for Clark this season, and the eighth of her collegiate career. The Rice swim team next returns to competition on Jan. 30-31 at the annual Quad Meet vs. LSU, Tulane and Houston, to be held in Baton Rouge, La.
