Thiele Takes Bronze in 100 Backstroke

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Austin College swimmer Sammi Thiele earned All-America status for the second time in as many events at the NCAA Division III National Championships, coming in third in the 100 backstroke with an Austin College and Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference record time of 54.73 seconds.

Thiele, who earned All-America status on Wednesday with a fourth place finish in the 200 IM, entered Friday's 100 backstroke as the No. 6-seed nationally. She finished sixth in prelims on Friday morning, before her record-setting finish in Friday night's finals. Thiele, who owned the previous SCAC mark in the event, is now the only women's swimmer in conference history to touch with a time of under 55 seconds. She had previously been the only SCAC women's swimmer to finish the 100 back with a time under 56 seconds.

Thiele will shoot for one more All-America finish on Saturday when she participates in the 200 backstroke, with finals set for shortly after 5:00 p.m. CDT.