BLACKSBURG, Va. – The Virginia Tech women’s swimming and diving squad will take part at the NCAA Championships in College Station, Texas on March 19-21. The H₂Okies will send seniors Sara Smith, Megan Newell and Jordan McHorney along with sophomore Steffi Drechsel and freshman Erika Hajnal.

Smith heads the group after a stellar showing at the ACC Championships on February 18-21 in College Park, Md. The senior captured two individual titles in the 50 and 100 free and claimed third place in the 100 fly. Smith also posted a H₂Okie and an ACC best in the 50 and 100 free at the meet, with times of 21.96 and 48.10, respectively. The senior from McGaheysville, Va., will swim in the 50 and 100 free as well as the 100 fly for the H₂Okies.

A Tech record holder in the 100 and 200 fly events, Newell will look to make waves at the NCAA Championships. The senior from Ashburn, Va., has had an impressive career with the H₂Okies. This season, Newell was named co-ACC swimmer of the week after leading Tech to an ACC win over Clemson on November 8, 2008. Newell will compete in the 100 and 200 fly this weekend.

A senior captain, McHorney will compete in the 100 back for the H₂Okies. The native of Virginia Beach, Va., has assisted in Tech’s success in many different facets this season, including swimming on three record-breaking relay teams (200 medley relay, 200 and 400 free relay).

Drechsel and Hajnal round up the group heading to College Station, Texas. Both will be making their first appearances at the NCAA Championship meet. Drechsel will get her feet wet in the 100 back and 100 free events for Tech. The sophomore from Leipzig, Germany contributed on three relay teams for the H₂Okies, that include the 400- medley relay, along with the 200 and 400 free relay events. Hajnal, meanwhile, will look to score in the 500 and 1650 free, while taking part in the 400 IM race. In just her first season, the freshman made her mark, posting top times for Tech in the 500, 1000 and 1650 free, as well as the 400 IM.

The H₂Okies will also swim in all five team relay events this weekend. At the 2009 ACC Championships, Tech rewrote the team record books in the 200, 400 and 800 free relay, and the 200 and 400-medley relay. The team of McHorney, Drechsel, Newell and Smith posted an ACC best time in the 200 free relay, touching in at 1:29.29.