AUBURN, AL -- Three Rutgers swimmers competed in the opening day of the NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships on Thursday, March 20, at the Martin Aquatics Center.

Freshman Kelly Harrigan (Bristol, CT) clocked in at 4:52.05 in the 500-yard freestyle event, finishing 41st overall. The BIG EAST and school-record holder in the 100 and 200-yard backstroke, Harrigan will compete in both backstroke events with the 100-yard on event on Friday and the 200-yard version on Saturday.

Senior All-American Erin McIntyre (Broomfield, CO) placed 50th in the event with a time of 4:55.00. McIntyre, who was forced to miss the first two months of the 2002-03 season with a broken clavicle, placed 20th in last year’s NCAA Championships. She will be back in action on Friday, competing in the 400-yard individual medley and on Saturday in the 1650-yard freestyle event.

Also competing on Thursday was junior Casmera Wick (Longmont, CO), who placed 65th with a time of 23.83 in the 50-yard freestyle event. Earlier this season in the BIG EAST Championships, Wick set a school-record time of 23.44 in the 50-yard freestyle. She will be back on Friday competing in the 200-yard freestyle event and on Saturday in the 100-yard freestyle. Wick is the school-record holder in both events.

The NCAA Championships will continue on Friday with several Scarlet Knights in competition.