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  Alia Atkinson

Alia Atkinson

Player Profile

Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Pembroke Pines, Fla.
High School:
Flanagan
Height:
5-8
Position:
Breast/Sprint Free/IM
Experience:
3L

2008-09

Scored a team-high 42.5 points at the NCAA Championships to help lead the Aggies to an eighth-place finish ...finished second to Olympic gold medalist and world record holder Rebecca Soni in the 200-yard breaststroke with a school record time of 2:06.99 at the NCAA Championships ... the runner-up finish matched the highest finish by an Aggie swimmer at the NCAA Championships ... Atkinson's time makes her the third-fastest breaststroker in NCAA history behind Soni and Tara Kirk ... also placed fifth in the 100 breast (school record 59.43) and 15th in the 200 IM (1:57.31) at the national meet ... helped the Aggies to a seventh place finish with the 200 medley relay and a 10th place finish with the 400 medley relay ... was on the "B" non-scoring team at the Big 12 Championships due to a death in her family, but still turned school record performances in the 100 and 200 breast.

2007-08

2008 Olympian for Jamaica, setting a new national record of 2:29.53 in the 200-meter breaststroke (finished 26th) ... Owns seven Jamaican national records ... Owns the eight fastest 100 breast and eight of the top 10 fastest 200 breast times in A&M history ... Nine-time All-American ... Seven-time Big 12 champion (four individual) ... Has swam on the six fastest 200 medley relay and the four fastest 400 medley relay team in school history ... Became only the second female swimmer in Big 12 history to successfully defend the Big 12 titles in the 100 and 200-yard breaststrokes ... Won the 100 breast in 1:00.68 and the 200 breast in 2:11.77 ... Also swam on the Big 12 champion 200 and Big 12 meet record-setting 400 medley relay team ... Made her first NCAA Championship finals in both the 100 and 200 breast ... Set an all-time Big 12 record of 2:09.48 in taking third at the NCAA Championships in the 200 breast ... Placed seventh in the 100 breast in 1:01.19 ... Helped lead the Aggies to a third-place finish in the 200 medley relay at the NCAA meet as they set an all-time Big 12 record time of 1:37.72 ... Was on the consolation champion 400 medley relay which set an all-time Big 12 record of 3:33.88 ... Named Second Team Academic All-Big 12 ... CSCAA All-Academic First Team ... Texas A&M/Verizon Athletic Scholar Award recipient.

2006-07

Big 12 Newcomer of the Meet and Year ... Big 12 champion in the 100 and 200 breaststroke and the 400 medley relay ... Broke the A&M school record in the 100 breast on Nov. 3 against Texas, clocking a lifetime-best of 1:00.17 ... Unseated three-time Big 12 100 breast champion Elizabeth Tinnon of Texas at the Big 12 Championships by recording a time of 1:00.29 to win her first individual conference title ... Set the A&M school record in the 200 breast at 2:10.89 in winning the Big 12 title on Feb. 17 ... Earned five All-American titles ... Won the consolation final in the 100 breast at the NCAA Championships ... Pan American Games finalist in the 100 fly and both breaststrokes ... Broke the Jamaican national record in the 100 fly at the Pan Am Games.

High School/Club

2005 graduate of Charles W. Flanagan High School in Pembroke Pines, Fla. ... Lettered all four years ... Coached by Bob Wander ... State MVP in 2004 ... Team finished eighth at state ... Swam five years for the Comets Swim Team led by Coach Christopher Anderson Jr. ... Was team MVP all four years ... Has extensive international experience competing for Jamaica ... Competed in the 2004 Olympics.

Personal

Alia S. Atkinson is the daughter of Tweedsmuir and Sharon Atkinson ... Born Dec. 11, 1988 in Jamaica ... Has two siblings, Sannica and Adi ... Psychology major.

Favorite TV show: Scrubs
Most played songs in my iPod: Bagpipes/flutes/everything's played numerous times
What I drive: My pimped-out BIKE
What I'm reading: My textbooks :(
Worst habit: Mixing food, it all goes the same place
Superstition: Opening an umbrella in the house
Favorite city to visit: Wherever home is
Dream date: Can't remember...I woke up in the middle of it
Most competitive teammate: The clock
Which teammate would win on America's Next Top Model? Maria Sommer
Favorite quote: "Whatever your mind can perceive, your body can achieve."
Something about me that most people don't know: I don't know, you tell me...
Favorite swimming or diving set: Warm down J I'm kidding Steve

In one word, describe:
Coach Bultman: Gold
Coach Duchac: Persistent

Career Best Times

50 Free 22.94

100 Breast 59.43

200 Breast 2:06.99

100 Fly 54.13


200 IM 1:57.31
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