March 11, 2001

DALLAS - For the second consecutive year the UAB synchronized swimming team captured the United States South Zones championship, winning the meet with an overall score of 57 and taking home the High Point Trophy. Their were a total of 19 teams at the meet,. representing the South Zone. The victory once again qualifies UAB for the U.S. Nationals to be held May 3-5 in College Station, Texas. The U.S. Nationals represent the top synchronized swimming programs in the U.S. from all levels of competition.

The Blazers took first place in each of the events they competed in, taking the top spot in the team routines, the trio routines, the duet routines and the elements.

Jessica Brown, Bogdana Zareva, Kelli Dickerson, Moraine Ruddick, Stacy Leiker, Rossitza Loukanova, Luna Aguilu and Kara Morgan placed first for the Blazers in the team routines.

Out of 42 duet routines, Zareva and Brown grabbed the top spot , Dickerson and Leiker placed third, Hannah Freer and Sarah Pikal were sixth and Morgan and Kristen Kramer took eighth.

There were 38 total trio routines and Loukanova, Ruddick and Aguilu took first place, Dickerson, Morgan and Leiker were second, and Pikal, Freer and Levine placed sixth.

With 104 total swimmers participating in the elements, Zareva placed first, Loukanova was third, Brown took fifth, Leiker took sixth and Ruddick placed eighth.

"It has been a long four days, but we had some of our best swims ever," said Head Coach Amy O'Donnell. "It was really exciting for the team to win this event for the second consecutive year. We think this is a good indicator of how we will perform at the Collegiate Nationals."

UAB will travel to College Station, Texas to compete in the Collegiate Nationals March 29-31.