Grace Tarka Class: Junior Hometown: El Granada, Calif. High School: St. Ignatius Prep Height: 5-8 Event: Fly/IM Birthdate: 04/17/1992 Experience: 2L Club Team: Mount Lebanon Aquatic Club

TOP TIMES
50 free: 25.34 at Vanderbilt (2/5/11)
100 free: 53.71 at Phil Hansel Cougar Classic Invitational (11/20/10)
100 back: 58.82 vs Vanderbilt (2/6/10)
100 breast: 1:11.13 at UNO (10/15/10)
100 fly: 57.47 at C-USA Championship (2/25/11)
200 fly: 2:11.55 at UNO (12/4/09)
100 IM: 1:02.27 at San Diego State (1/7/11)
200 IM: 2:08.20 at Phil Hansel Cougar Classic Invitational (11/18/10)
400 IM: 4:34.40 at UNO (12/4/09)

2010-11: Participated in all 10 events as a sophomore...posted top times of 25.34 in the 50 free at Vanderbilt (Feb. 5), 53.71 in the 100 free (Nov. 20), 1:00.52 in the 100 back (Nov. 19) and 2:08.20 in the 200 IM (Nov. 18) at the Phil Hansel Cougar Classic Invitational, 1:11.13 in the 100 breast at UNO (Oct. 15), 57.47 in the 100 fly at the Conference USA Championship (Feb. 25) and 1:02.27 in the 100 IM at San Diego State (Jan. 7)...had six top three individual finishes, winning the 100 fly at San Diego State, at UNO and vs Florida International, and coming in second in the 100 fly at Vanderbilt and in the 200 IM vs FIU...helped relay teams post six top three finishes: winning the 400 free at Vanderbilt and the 200 medley vs Florida International and at UNO; coming in second in the 400 medley at Vanderbilt; and finishing third in the 200 medley at San Deigo State and in the 400 medley vs LSU...also participated in the 200 free relay...away from the pool, claimed C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll and Tulane 3.0 Club recognition.

2009-10: Swam in all 10 meets as a true freshman...posted top times of 54.86 in the 100 free at the Houston Duals (Jan. 30), 58.82 in the 100 back at Vanderbilt, 57.69 in the 100 fly at LSU (Oct. 30), 2:08.96 in the 200 IM at the Conference USA Championship (Feb. 25) and 2:11.55 in the 200 fly and 4:34.40 in the 400 IM at UNO (Dec. 4)...had 11 top three individual finishes: winning the 100 fly vs Vanderbilt, UNO and North Texas; coming in second in the 100 back vs Vanderbilt and UNO, in the 100 fly at LSU and UNO, and in the 200 IM at LSU and at San Diego State; and finishing third in the 10 back at North Texas and in the 200 IM at North Texas...helped the relay teams post seven top three finishes: winning the 200 medley vs Vanderbilt; coming in second in the 200 free at the Houston Duals, in the 400 free vs Vanderbilt, in the 200 medley vs UNO and in the 400 medley at North Texas; and finishing third in the 400 free vs UNO and in the 400 medley at UNO...away from the pool, claimed C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll and Tulane 3.0 Club recognition.

High School: Four-year high school letterwinner, spending her freshman year at Central York High, her sophomore season at Westmoor High and her final two years at St. Ignatius College Preparatory for coach Matt Roberto...earned NISCA All-America honors in the 100 fly, 200 medley relay and 200 free relay as a senior, in the 200 IM and 200 medley relay as a junior, and 100 fly as a sophomore...posted top times of 55l28 in the 100 fly at the 2009 PC CCS-CIF and 2:06.22 in the 200 IM at the 2008 event...was a Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Championship finalist as a freshman and a Central Coast Section finalists in each of her final three prep seasons...away from the pool, was an AP Scholar.

Club: Swam two and a half years for the Fog City Hammerheads and coach Matt Roberto and spent one year with the Burlingame Aquatic Club and coach Chris Culp...selected to participate in USA Swimming's Speedo Junior Nationals in 2009...posted top times of 54.54 in the 100 free, 2:06.28 in the 200 back and 1:07.61 in the 100 breast.

Personal: Born Grace Meredith Tarka on April 17, 1992 in Charleston, W.Va...daughter of Raymond and Denise Tarka...has one brother, Peter, and two sisters: Anna and Lauren...majoring in evolutionary biology.

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