Wheaton's Roberts and Pratt qualify for NCAA swimming championships

March 2, 2007

NORTON, MA- Wheaton College senior Barrett Roberts (Portland, ME/Deering) and junior Abby Pratt (Melrose, MA/Melrose) have qualified for the NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championships, with Roberts earning his fourth trip and Pratt becoming the first Lyon woman to draw the honor. Each meet will occur at the University of Houston's Campus Recreation Fitness and Wellness Center Natatorium within the next two weeks.

In the 16-year history of Wheaton's men's and women's swimming and diving programs, only Roberts has made an NCAA Championship appearance. Pratt will compete at the women's meet on March 8-10, while Roberts, an All-America finisher each of the past two seasons, will close out his college career at his fourth straight men's meet on March 15-17.

Entering the NCAA Championship, Roberts recorded the fourth-best 50-yard free time in the nation this winter and is tied for fourth in the 100-yard free, and he is among the top 50 in the 200-yard free and is slated to compete in each event. The 50-yard free will occur on Thursday, March 15, the 200-yard free the next day, and the 100-yard free during the final day of the meet on March 17. Last season, Roberts was among the top 25 finishers in three freestyle events, placing 10th in the 50, 11th in the 100 and 25th in the 200. He swam to a pair of All-America honorable mention finishes after becoming the program's first All-American the previous year.

At last weekend's NEWMAC meet, Roberts became the first athlete in the conference's nine-year history to win the same individual swimming event four straight years, doing so in the 50-yard free. Roberts also came within 0.02 seconds of defending his 100-yard free title, settling for a runner-up finish. During his career, Roberts has played a hand in eight school records, with three coming this year, including each the 50- and 100-yard free marks on December 9.

Pratt is scheduled to swim in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle races, as well as the 100-yard butterfly. The 50-yard free race will occur on Thursday, March 8, before the 100-yard fly takes place the next day and the 100-yard free competition runs on March 10. Pratt's top times in those events this year place her among the top 35 in the nation in each, with her top time coming in the 50-yard free, where she is tied for 20th. At the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Championship on February 16-18, Pratt set a school record with four all-conference finishes. Of the eight program standards to which she's contributed this winter, seven came at NEWMACs.

Following is a complete list of the top individual and relay finishes for Roberts and Pratt at the NEWMAC meet:

Name	Event	Time	Place
Barrett Roberts	50 freestyle	20.82^	1st
Abby Pratt	100 butterfly	59.82*	2nd
Abby Pratt	100 freestyle	53.56*	2nd
Barrett Roberts	100 freestyle	46.07^	2nd
Abby Pratt	50 freestyle	24.28^	3rd
Barrett Roberts	200 freestyle	1:45.94	6th
Meehan, Sweatt, Pratt, Miller	200 medley relay	1:49.65*^	1st
Meehan, Sweatt, Pratt, Miller	400 medley relay	4:02.00*	2nd
Pratt, Meehan, Glover, Miller	400 freestyle relay	3:40.83*	3rd
Tokcan, Jordan, Hicks, Roberts	200 freestyle relay	1:29.41	4th
Pratt, Crothers, Meehan, Miller	200 freestyle relay	1:39.69*	4th
Jordan, Hicks, Roberts, Tokcan	200 medley relay	1:40.93	5th
Jordan, Tokcan, Hicks, Roberts	400 medley relay	3:47.44	6th
Jordan, Ahern, Tokcan, Roberts	400 freestyle relay	3:27.54	7th
* Denotes school record ^ NCAA national meet B standard

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