March 17, 1999

Villanova, Pa.--- Villanova University freshman swimmer Maddy Crippen (Conshohocken, Pa./ Germantown Academy) has already made numerous strides in her first season on the Main Line. This weekend, she hopes to add to her list of accomplishments at the 1999 NCAA Women's Swimming & Diving Championships, on March 18-20, in Athens, Ga.

Crippen arrived at Villanova in August of 1998 as the first high school National Champion to ever sign with the Wildcats. Twice she won national titles in the 400 yard individual medley for Germantown Academy and head coach Dick Shoulberg. Crippen was a member of the Pan Pac team in 1997 and earned a spot on the U.S. World Championship team one year later in 1998. She received All-America status in each of her four years at Germantown Academy.

Currently winding down her first season with the Wildcats, Crippen has added two-fold to an already impressive resume. She made her mark at the Big East Conference Championships on Feb. 25-27, as she was named the Big East Most Outstanding Female Swimmer after winning conference titles in the 200 yard butterfly, 500 yard freestyle and 400 yard individual medley, and breaking Big East records in the 400 yard individual medley and 200 yard butterfly. Crippen also helped lead the Villanova 800 yard freestyle relay team to a Big East crown.

This weekend at the NCAA Championships, Crippen will hold the top seed in the 400 yard individual medley (on Friday, March 19), the fifth seed in the 500 yard freestyle (on Thursday, March 18), and the 17th seed in the 200 yard breaststroke (on Saturday, March 20). The trials will begin at 11:00 a.m. each day, with the finals taking place each evening at 7:00 p.m.

Joing Crippen at the NCAA's will be three other Wildcat swimmers. Senior Elizabeth Lauwaert (Burke, Va./ Paul VI High School) will swim the 50 yard freestyle (Thursday, March 18), the 100 yard freestyle (Saturday, March 20) and the 100 yard butterfly (Friday, March 19). Sophomore Katie Armitage (North Haven, Conn./ North Haven High School) will swim in the 1,650 yard freestyle on Saturday, March 20, and the 400 yard individual medley on Friday, March 19. Fellow sophomore Kate Volz (Ft. Myers, Fla./ Cypress Lake High School) will participate in the 1,650 yard freestyle on Saturday, March 20, and the 500 yard freestyle on Thursday, March 18.