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THIS SEASON:
A senior in 1999-2000, Paige Francis has continued to improve as a backstroker and has the potential to score in both back events at the NCAAs. She can also contribute in the sprint free events and is a key component of USC’s relays.
1998-99:
Francis resumed her All-American ways as a 1998-99 junior, earning two such honors at the 1999 NCAA Championships on a pair of relays. She swam anchor on USC’s fifth-place 400y medley relay and swam second on Troy’s eighth-place 200y free relay. She also swam on USC’s ninth-place 800y free relay and 12th-place 400y relay. Individually, Francis was 28th in the 200y back (2:00.70) and 34th in the 200y free (1:49.89). At the 1999 Pac-10 Championships, Francis finalled in the 200y free at the Pac-10s, taking eighth in 1:49.04. She took ninth in the 200y back (1:59.10) and 11th in the 100y back (56.10). She represented the United States at the 1999 FINA Short Course World Championships in Hong Kong and had a strong meet, posting a pair of sixth-place finishes in the 100m (1:01.27) and 200m back (2:10.19). She also took 10th in the 50m back (29.03). Francis reached the finals of the 200m back (2:14.36, SC) at the 1998 FINA World Cup, finishing seventh. At the 1998 U.S. Open, she took ninth in both the 100m (1:02.50, SC) and 200m back (2:12.62, SC), was 14th in the 200m free (2:02.84, SC) and was 15th in the 100m free (57.57). She was a 1999 Pac-10 All-Academic second team selection with a 3.17 GPA in communications.
1997-98:
Francis competed in five events at the 1998 NCAA Championships as a 1997-98 sophomore. She took 18th in the 200y free (1:48.74) and tied for 36th in the 200y back (2:02.44). She also swam on USC’s 200y, 400y and 800y free relays that reached the consolation finals. At the 1998 Pac-10 Championships, she took 10th in the 200y free and finished 14th in both the 200y IM and the 200y back. She also swam on USC’s third-place 800y free relay. Francis was a consolation finalist at the 1998 U.S. Summer Nationals in the 100m back (1:03.51) and competed in the 100m and 200m free and the 200m back. At the 1997 U.S. Open, she reached the bonus final of the 100m back (1:06.36, SC) and the 200m free (2:05.59, SC). She also swam in the 200m back, 100m free, 200m IM and on USC’s third-place 400m free relay.
1996-97:
Francis was a three-time All-American as a 1996-97 freshman, helping lead USC to its first ever national championship. She swam on USC’s fourth-place 200y medley relay (1:40.87 — a USC record) and 800y free relay (7:14.44) teams and on the seventh-place 400y free relay (3:24.39) at the NCAA Championships. Individually at the NCAAs, she took 11th in the 200y back (1:59.31), 27th in the 100y back (56.26) and 28th in the 200y free (1:49.87). At the 1997 Pac-10 Championships, Francis took fifth in the 200y back (1:59.49), sixth in the 200y free (1:49.65) and 10th in the 200y IM (2:03.65). She also swam on USC’s third-place 800y free relay (7:17.93). At the U.S. Summer Nationals in 1997, Francis took 10th in the 100m back (1:03.41), 12th in the 200m back (2:18.52), 27th in the 200m free (2:04.71) and 45th in the 200m IM (2:23.22). Francis continued her progress at the 1997 World University Games, taking third in the 100m back (1:03.89).
HIGH SCHOOL:
Francis was a prep All-American in the 100y and 200y free and 100y back at Arcadia High in Scottsdale, Ariz. Francis was a four-time Arizona state champion in the 100y back and a three-time champion in the 200y free and she holds the 4-A state record in both events. She was a 1995 Olympic Festival champion in the 100m back and took second in the 200m free. She was a NISCA champion in the 100y back (she took second in the 200y free) and she was a Junior National champion in the 100y back and a national finalist in the same event. Francis was also a Scholastic Academic All-American and an AIA scholar-athlete.
PERSONAL:
Francis is a communications major. Her birthday is June 4, 1978. She likes to surf, snow and water ski in her free time.
