Auburn defended its title in its home pool at the 2003 NCAA Division I Women's Swimming and Diving Championships March 20-22.

The Lady Tigers accumulated 536 points to Georgia's 373. Southern California claimed third with 284 points.

"This year's team really did a great job," said Auburn head coach Dave Marsh. "They worked hard all year for this goal."

Veteran Maggie Bowen and a strong Auburn supporting cast showed why they were the defending champions. Auburn claimed four of five relays, setting three meet records, and rode Bowen's wins in the 200- and 400-yard individual medleys to secure the school's second team title. Kirsty Coventry and Becky Short also earned significant points for the squad.

"I am so proud of everyone on this team," Bowen said. "This is a feeling of total satisfaction both personally and for our team."

California's Natalie Coughlin had another strong championship meet with wins in the 100- and 200-yard backstrokes and the 100-yard butterfly. Though Georgia's Maritza Correia broke Coughlin's 100-yard freestyle record on the last day of the meet, Coughlin managed to win it back in the last event of the championship. Coughlin posted a 47.00-second time in the first leg of the 400-yard freestyle relay, giving her the meet and American record.

Correia blitzed the field in both the 50- and 100-yard freestyle sprints and also swam the anchor leg for Georgia's winning 200-yard freestyle relay team.

Other dominating performances came from Stanford's Tara Kirk in the 100- and 200-yard breaststrokes and Southern Methodist's distance specialist Flavia Rigamonti, who won the 500- and 1,650-yard freestyles. "This is an amazing feeling," Rigamonti said. "When you touch that wall and look up at your time, it is a great feeling. I am happy to be a champion."

In diving, Houston's Yulia Pakhalina again claimed the one-meter and three-meter springboard events. Ohio State's Natalia Diea won on platform.

Coughlin earned swimmer-of-the-meet honors for the second straight year. Pakhalina was named diver of the year.

The 2004 championships will be swum in short-course meters to align with the Summer Olympics.

TEAM RESULTS

1. Auburn, 536; 2. Georgia, 373; 3. Southern California, 284; 4. Southern Methodist, 281; 5. Florida, 277; 6. Stanford, 275 ¹/2; 7. Texas, 220; 8. California, 215; 9. Arizona, 209; 10. Arizona St., 135; 11. UCLA, 128; 12. Wisconsin, 123; 13. Virginia, 118; 14. Michigan, 79; 15. Alabama, 71; 16. Indiana, 66; 17. North Carolina, 64 ¹/2; 18. Tennessee, 60; 19. Washington, 44; 20. (tie) Iowa and Houston, 41; 22. (tie) Penn St. and Maryland, 40; 24. South Carolina, 36; 25. (tie) Oregon St. and Minnesota, 29; 27. Pacific (Cal.), 24; 28. Purdue, 23; 29. Miami (Fla.), 22; 30. Ohio St., 20; 31. Arkansas, 18; 32. LSU, 17; 33. (tie) Notre Dame and Rice, 12; 35. Villanova, 10; 36. Florida St., 9; 37. Rutgers, 7; 38. (tie) Pittsburgh and San Diego, 6; 40. Brown, 3; 41. (tie) Washington St. and Northeastern, 1.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

50-yard freestyle: Final -- 1. Maritza Correia, Georgia, 21.83; 2. Becky Short, Auburn, 22.11; 3. Eileen Coparropa, Auburn, 22.40; 4. Kimberly Harada, Washington, 22.50; 5. (tie) Sarah Wanezek, Texas, and Laura Pomeroy, Southern Methodist, 22.58; 7. Mandy Mularz, Rice, 22.69; 8. Claire Hedenskog, Arizona St., 22.91. Consolation -- 9. Paige Kearns, Georgia, 22.68; 10. Christy Watkins, North Carolina, 22.71; 11. Sara Platzer, UCLA, 22.77; 12. (tie) Lacey Boutwell, Stanford, and Erin Phenix, Texas, 22.96; 14. Andrea Georoff, Virginia, 23.11; 15. Jana Kolukanova, Auburn, 23.12; 16. Erin Gayles, Auburn, 23.49.

100-yard freestyle: Final -- 1. Maritza Correia, Georgia, 47.29 (meet record; old record 47.47, Natalie Coughlin, California, 2002); 2. Becky Short, Auburn, 48.53; 3. Eileen Coparropa, Auburn, 48.99; 4. Kimberly Harada, Washington, 49.18; 5. Lacey Boutwell, Stanford, 49.32; 6. Jessi Perruquet, North Carolina, 49.37; 7. Erin Phenix, Texas, 49.50; 8. Heather Kemp, Auburn, 49.68. Consolation -- 9. Tanica Jamison, Texas, 49.25; 10. Sara Platzer, UCLA, 49.48; 11. Shandra Johnson, Maryland, 49.56; 12. Sarah McCauley, Wisconsin, 49.62; 13. Manon Van Rooijen, Miama (Fla.), 49.82; 14. Liz Daniels, Brown, 50.00; 15. Paige Kearns, Georgia, 50.10; 16. Jennifer VanAssen, South Carolina, 50.18.

200-yard freestyle: Final -- 1. Jessi Perruquet, North Carolina, 1:45.01; 2. Heather Kemp, Auburn, 1:45.01; 3. Julie Hardt, Georgia, 1:45.14; 4. Shandra Johnson, Maryland, 1:45.91; 5. Sarah McCauley, Wisconsin, 1:46.32; 6. Amy McCullough, Michigan, 1:46.93; 7. Lotta Wanberg, Southern Methodist, 1:47.21; 8. Jennifer VanAssen, South Carolina, 1:47.61. Consolation-9. Dana Baum, Minnesota, 1:47.15; 10. Maritza Correia, Georgia, 1:47.41; 11. Malin Svahnstrom, UCLA, 1:47.53; 12. Petra Banovic, Arizona St., 1:47.79; 13. Kimberly Harada, Washington, 1:47.83; 14. Kristy Siminski, Texas, 1:47.93; 15. Florencia Szigeti, Arizona St., 1:48.04; 16. Manon Van Rooijen, Miami (Fla.), 1:50.62.

500-yard freestyle: Final -- 1. Flavia Rigamonti, Southern Methodist, 4:37.72; 2. Kaitlin Sandeno, Southern California, 4:39.31; 3. Sara McLarty, Florida, 4:39.42; 4. Carly Piper, Wisconsin, 4:41.23; 5. Heather Kemp, Auburn, 4:43.42; 6. Cara Lane, Virginia, 4:44.08; 7. Rachael Burke, Virginia, 4:45.49; 8. Georgina Lee, Southern Methodist, 4:46.98. Consolation -- 9. Julie Hardt, Georgia, 4:43.75; 10. Margie Pedder, Southern California, 4:43.93; 11. Becky Koch, Villanova, 4:45.19; 12. Shandra Johnson, Maryland, 4:45.20; 13. Whitney Lynn, Arkansas, 4:47.44; 14. Kelly Weeks, North Carolina, 4:48.53; 15. Katie Gordon, Virginia, 4:49.33; 16. Lotta Wanberg, Southern Methodist, 4:49.64.

1,650-yard freestyle: Final -- 1. Flavia Rigamonti, Southern Methodist, 15:43.90; 2. Cara Lane, Virginia, 15:53.49; 3. Kaitlin Sandeno, Southern California, 15:58.58; 4. Sara McLarty, Florida, 16:02.60; 5. Margie Pedder, Southern California, 16:02.98; 6. Carly Piper, Wisconsin, 16:05.18; 7. Rachael Burke, Virginia, 16:09.31; 8. Mirjana Bosevska, Virginia, 16:13.05; 9. Julie Hardt, Georgia, 16:19.11; 10. Meredith Green, Florida, 16:20.28; 11. Emily Clare Fenn, Michigan, 16:20.87; 12. Whitney Lynn, Arkansas, 16:21.86; 13. Elizabeth Lavell, Maryland, 16:24.59; 14. Kathryn Hennessy, Arizona St., 16:25.53; 15. Sarah Fiden, Indiana, 16:27.58; 16. Joy Galloway, Southern California, 16:27.59.

100-yard backstroke: Final -- 1. Natalie Coughlin, California, 50.92; 2. Kirsty Coventry, Auburn, 53.01; 3. Beth Botsford, Arizona, 53.46; 4. Lauren Gettel, Georgia, 53.36; 5. Renate DuPlesseis, Florida, 53.87; 6. Jenni Andersson, Auburn, 53.96; 7. Jacque Fessel, Tennessee, 55.01; 8. Jennifer Skolaski, Iowa, 55.44. Consolation -- 9. Sarah Wanezek, Texas, 54.01; 10. Maureen Farrell, Florida, 54.10; 11. Helen Silver, California, 54.25; 12. Brielle White, Virginia, 54.66; 13. Amy Wagner, Stanford, 54.78; 14. Jeri Moss, Auburn, 54.80; 15. Marshi Smith, Arizona, 54.81; 16. Marisa Kozak, Southern California, 55.31.

200-yard backstroke: Final -- 1. Natalie Coughlin, California, 1:50.86; 2. Kirsty Coventry, Auburn, 1:53.17; 3. Margaret Hoelzer, Auburn, 1:53.18; 4. Beth Botsford, Arizona, 1:54.17; 5. Jamie Reid, Florida, 1:54.54; 6. Alenka Kejzar, Southern Methodist, 1:54.57; 7. Maureen Farrell, Florida, 1:55.45; 8. Lauren Gettel, Georgia, 1:56.44. Consolation -- 9. Erin Volcan, Auburn, 1:56.18; 10. Kelly Harrigan, Rutgers, 1:57.45; 11. Carolyne Savini, Pittsburgh, 1:57.65; 12. Jessica Hayes, Arizona, 1:57.91; 13. Taylor Spivey, UCLA, 1:58.15; 14. Elizabeth Wycliffe, Texas, 1:58.40; 15. Jenna Gresdal, Arizona, 1:58.44; 16. Julie Manitt, Arizona, 1:58.46.

100-yard breaststroke: Final -- 1. Tara Kirk, Stanford, 58.62 (meet record; old record 59.03, Kirk, Stanford, 2002); 2. Maggie Bowen, Auburn, 59.86; 3. Sarah Poewe, Georgia, 59.89; 4. Agnes Kovacs, Arizona St., 1:00.21; 5. Staciana Stitts, California, 1:00.30; 6. Jessica Wagner, Arizona, 1:00.58; 7. Anne Poleska, Alabama, 1:00.82; 8. Vipa Bernhardt, Florida, 1:01.02. Consolation -- 9. Laura Swander, Auburn, 1:00.81; 10. Lindsay Lange, Purdue, 1:01.07; 11. Corrie Clark, Southern Methodist, 1:01.12; 12. Birte Steven, Oregon St., 1:01.39; 13. Lindsey Ertter, Georgia, 1:01.64; 14. Kirsten Gilbert, Stanford, 1:01.80; 15. Jillian Martin, Maryland, 1:01.87; 16. Kammy Miller, Southern California, 1:02.51.

200-yard breaststroke: Final -- 1.Tara Kirk, Stanford, 2:08.79; 2. Anne Poleska, Alabama, 2:09.13; 3. Agnes Kovacs, Arizona St., 2:09.83; 4. Sarah Poewe, Georgia, 2:09.89; 5. Corrie Clark, Southern Methodist, 2:10.07; 6. Birte Steven, Oregon St., 2:11.03; 7. Vipa Bernhardt, Florida, 2:11.24; 8. Keri Hehn, Minnesota, 2:14.27. Consolation -- 9. Staciana Stitts, California, 2:11.71; 10. Laura Swander, Auburn, 2:12.29; 11. Kristen Caverly, Stanford, 2:12.96; 12. Jessica Wagner, Arizona, 2:14.18; 13. Jillian Martin, Maryland, 2:14.34; 14. Becky Acker, North Carolina, 2:14.64; 15. Kelli Stein, Michigan, 2:15.39; 16. Kammy Miller, Southern California, 2:16.06.

100-yard butterfly: Final -- 1. Natalie Coughlin, California, 50.62; 2. Mary DeScenza, Georgia, 51.93; 3. Margaret Hoelzer, Auburn, 52.03.4.Sarah Wanezek, Texas, 52.39; 5. Jana Krohn, Southern California, 52.43; 6. Dana Kirk, Stanford, 52.94; 7. Renate DuPlessis, Florida, 53.02; 8. Joscelin Yeo, Texas, 53.06. Consolation -- 9. Demerae Christianson, Auburn, 52.81; 10. Candace Weisman, Alabama, 28.36; 11. Shannon Catalano, Pacific (Cal.), 53.23; 12. Georgina Lee, Southern Methodist, 53.37; 13. Leslie Lunsman, Auburn, 53.90; 14. Alessandra Lawless, Auburn, 53.97; 15. Beth Botsford, Arizona, 54.06; 16. Lindsay Henahan, Washington St., 54.21.

200-yard butterfly: Final -- 1. Mary DeScenza, Georgia, 1:53.51; 2. Emily Mason, Arizona, 1:54.25; 3. Georgina Lee, Southern Methodist, 1:56.50; 4. Michala Kwasny, Southern California, 1:56.87; 5. Kim Vandenberg, UCLA, 1:57.15; 6. Margaret Hoelzer, Auburn, 1:57.23; 7. Jana Krohn, Southern California, 1:57.44; 8. Naya Higashijima, Oregon St., 1:58.04. Consolation -- 9. Dana Kirk, Stanford, 1:56.51; 10. Rebecca Harper, Florida, 1:57.19; 11. Kelly Weeks, North Carolina, 1:57.66; 12. Kristen Lewis, UCLA, 1:57.90; 13. Margie Pedder, Southern California, 1:59.01; 14. Lisa Garcia, Notre Dame, 1:59.09; 15. Lauren Lubus, Indiana, 1:59.77; 16. Demerae Christianson, Auburn, 2:00.32.

200-yard individual medley: Final -- 1. Maggie Bowen, Auburn, 1:55.33; 2. Alenka Kejzar, Southern Methodist, 1:57.28; 3. Kirsty Coventry, Auburn, 1:57.28; 4. Michala Kwasny, Southern California, 1:58.05; 5. Corrie Clark, Southern Methodist, 1:58.72; 6. Joscelin Yeo, Texas, 1:58.73; 7. Tanica Jamison, Texas, 1:59.48; 8. Mary DeScenza, Georgia, 2:00.80. Consolation -- 9. Kristen Caverly, Stanford, 1:59.50; 10. Mirjana Bosevska, Virginia, 1:59.74; 11. Leslie Lunsmann, Auburn, 1:59.75; 12. Malin Svahnstrom, UCLA, 2:00.02; 13. Vipa Bernhardt, Florida, 2:00.21; 14. Jamie Ellis, Florida, 2:00.77; 15. Lauren Duerk, Auburn, 2:00.83; 16. Candace Weisman, Alabama, 2:01.17.

400-yard individual medley: Final -- 1. Maggie Bowen, Auburn, 4:06.15; 2. Emily Mason, Arizona, 4:07.07; 3. Kaitlin Sandeno, Southern California, 4:07.20; 4. Sara McLarty, Florida, 4:07.84; 5. Alenka Kejzar, Southern Methodist, 4:08.63; 6. Kristen Caverly, Stanford, 4:10.64; 7. Mirjana Bosevska, Virginia, 4:13.37; 8. Lauren Duerk, Auburn, 4:17.26. Consolation -- 9. Michala Kwasny, Southern California, 4:10.55; 10. Cara Lane, Virginia, 4:14.71; 11. Ashley Swart, San Diego, 4:15.01; 12. Amy Baly, Virginia, 4:15. 13; 13. Maddy Crippen, Villanova, 4:15.21; 14. Brooke Taflinger, Indiana, 4:16.92; 15. Bethany Pendleton, Wisconsin, 4:17.79; 16. Andrea Cassidy, Southern Methodist, 4:18.72.

One-meter diving: Final -- 1. Yulia Pakhalina, Houston, 339.70; 2. Jamie Sanger, Tennessee, 329.90; 3. Blythe Hartley, Southern California, 329.70; 4. Lisette Planken, Iowa, 314.90; 5. Lauryn McCalley, Tennessee, 311.70; 6. Summer Mitchell, Texas, 310.50; 7. Lauren King, South Carolina, 287.70; 8. Ashlee Rosenthal, Stanford, 282.00. Consolation -- 9. Meghan Perry-Eaton, Notre Dame, 271.40; 10. Cassandra Cardinell, Indiana, 271.25; 11. Lane Bassham, Alabama, 270.30; 12. Trisha Tumlinson, Arizona St., 270.05; 13. Nicci Fusaro, Southern California, 268.25; 14. Emily Spychala, Miami (Fla.), 267.60; 15. Sara Hildebrand, Indiana, 266.70; 16. McKenze Murphy, Stanford, 264.30.

Three-meter diving: Final -- 1. Yulia Pakhalina, Houston, 657.30; 2. Blythe Hartley, Southern California, 585.15; 3. Lane Bassham, Alabama, 561.85; 4. Jessica Wantz, LSU, 532.45; 5. Katie Beth Bryant, Maima (Fla.), 520.80; 6. Nicci Fusaro, Southern California, 516.60; 7. Ashlee Rosenthal, Stanford, 508.10; 8. Jamie Sanger, Tennessee, 473.90. Consolation -- 9. Lisette Planken, Iowa, 499.55; 10. Tracy Richardson, South Carolina, 494.65; 11. Nancilea Underwood, Iowa, 491.85; 12. Lauren King, South Carolina, 489.15; 13. Ally Hartzell, Texas, 486.00; 14. Sara Hildebrand, Indiana, 485.55; 15. Regan Gosnell, UCLA, 475.35; 16. Azul Almazan, Houston, 473.75.

Platform diving: Final -- 1. Natalia Diea, Ohio St., 476.65; 2. Blythe Hartley, Southern California, 456.90; 3. Trisha Tumlinson, Arizona St., 456.55; 4. Sara Hildebrand, Indiana, 452.15; 5. Cassandra Cardinell, Indiana, 436.45; 6. Claire Febvay, Arizona, 420.20; 7. Lori Matthys, Indiana, 402.15; 8. Regan Gosnell, UCLA, 396.60. Consolation -- 9. Rebecca Cornthwaite, Minnesota, 394.75; 10. Tiffany Manning, Florida St., 393.45; 11. Kylee Wells, Tennessee, 391.35; 12. Amanda Moran, Arkansas, 387.45; 13. Nicole Pohorenec, Texas, 378.10; 14. Daniela Beeme, Arizona, 376.15; 15. Barbara Gorst, LSU, 372.80; 16. Adela Gavozdea, Northeastern, 371.80.

200-yard freestyle relay: Final -- 1. Georgia (Neka Mabry, Paige Kearns, Samantha Arsenault, Maritza Correia), 1:28.96; 2. Auburn, 1:29.04; 3. Texas, 1:29.61; 4. California, 1:30.03; 5. Florida, 1:30.58; 6. Stanford, 1:31.15; 7. UCLA, 1:31.30; 8. Michigan, 1:32.03. Consolation -- 9. Wisconsin, 1:31.16; 10. Southern Methodist, 1:31.76; 11. Arizona St., 1:32.15; 12. Washington, 1:32.38; 13. Arizona, 1:32.61; 14. Purdue, 1:32.63; 15. Arkansas, 1:32.92; 16. Florida St., 1:32.95.

400-yard freestyle relay: Final -- 1. Auburn (Becky Short, Eileen Coparoppa, Kirsty Coventry, Maggie Bowen), 3:14.15; 2. Georgia, 3:15.26; 3. California (Natalie Coughlin meet record in first leg, 47.0; old record 47.29 Maritza Correia, Georgia, 2003); 4. Southern Methodist, 3:18.22; 5. Wisconsin, 3:18.49; 6. Arizona St., 3:20.05; 7. Stanford, 3:20.39; 8. Texas, disqualified. Consolation -- 9. Florida, 3:19.21; 10. UCLA, 3:19.77; 11. Arizona, 3:20.40; 12. Michigan, 3:20.92; 13. Pacific (Cal.), 3:21.24; 14. Southern California, 3:21.31; 15. Penn St., 3:23.19; 16. Arkansas, disqualified.

800-yard freestyle relay: Final -- 1. Auburn (Margaret Hoelzer, Heather Kemp, Kirsty Coventry, Maggie Bowen), 7:02.72 [meet record; old record 7:04.06, Stanford (Karen Kraemer, Lea Loveless, Janel Jorgensen, Jenny Thompson), 1992]; 2. Georgia, 7:05.69; 3. Southern California, 7:09.80; 4. Florida, 7:10.54; 5. Wisconsin, 7:12.19; 6. Arizona, 7:12.63; 7. Southern Methodist, 7:13.18; 8. Stanford, 7:13.74; 9. UCLA, 7:14.76; 10. North Carolina, 7:16.12; 11. Virginia, 7:16.40; 12. Texas, 7:17.19; 13. Arizona St., 7:18.10; 14. Indiana, 7:19.46; 15. Maryland, 7:19.63; 16. Michigan, 7:19.68.

200-yard medley relay: Final -- 1. Auburn (Jenni Anderson, Laura Swander, Margaret Hoelzer, Becky Short), 1:36.69 [meet record; old record 1:37.77, Stanford (Shelly Ripple, Whitney Leatherwood, Misty Hyman, Gabrielle Rose), 1999]; 2. Stanford, 1:38.42; 3. California, 1:38.65; 4. Georgia, 1:38.83; 5. Arizona, 1:38.96; 6. Texas, 1:39.00; 7. Florida, 1:39.16; 8. Southern Methodist, 1:41.11. Consolation -- 9. Penn St., 1:40.85; 10. Southern California, 1:41.02; 11. Michigan, 1:41.03; 12. Alabama, 1:41.15; 13. Arizona St., 1:41.24; 14. Purdue, 1:41.29; 15. Pacific (Cal.), 1:41.39; 16. UCLA, 1:41.93.

400-yard medley relay: Final -- 1. Auburn (Kirsty Coventry, Maggie Bowen, Margaret Hoelzer, Becky Short), 3:31.45 [meet record; old record 3:31.74, Stanford (Amy Wagner, Tara Kirk, Shelly Ripple, Lacey Boutwell), 2002)]; 2. Georgia, 3:31.81; 3. California, 3:34.95; 4. Stanford, 3:35.16; 5. Florida, 3:36.79; 6. Texas, 3:37.56; 7. Arizona, 3:38.12; 8. Southern California, 3:38.75. Consolation -- 9. Penn St., 3:38.55; 10. Southern Methodist, 3:38.56; 11. Michigan, 3:40.28; 12. UCLA, 3:40.44; 13. Arizona St., 3:40.57; 14. Pacific (Cal.), 3:40.76; 15. Purdue, 3:41.29; 16. Alabama, 3:41.67.