Last week Kelsey Potdevin '09 returned from the Division III NCAA National Championships with All America honors in the 100 Backstroke! Kelsey put up a 56.92 at the meet breaking her own school record mark by 0.3 seconds and placing 8th at the meet. This marks Kelsey fourth consecutive year of earning All American honors and places her is very special company as at Colby only Laura Miller '05 and Kelly Norsworthy '08 have ever achieved this level of success.
What is even more impressive is the path which Kelsey has taken to achieve this level of success. Her previous All America honors have all come as a member of medley and free relays. In her first year, Kelsey did not qualify for NCAAs in an individual event. In her sophomore year, she competed in the 100 back after achieving a B-Standard provisional cut. She qualified in the 100 Back during her junior year and placed 18th at the the meet - a particularly impressive accomplishment considering Kelsey spent the first semester of her junior year studying in France. Then, this year Kelsey qualified for NCAAs with the 9th ranked time and moving up one place to earn All America honors: a wonderful journey - with a perfect ending!
At NCAAs Kelsey also competed in the 50 Free where her time of 24.27 fell just short of Miller's school record of 24.24. Kelsey also placed 25th in the 200 Back with a time of 2:06.74 just off the school record time she posted at the NESCAC Championships.
