5/2/2002 - Women's Swimming
Academy Graduate Earns Marine Honor

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Naval Academy graduate 2nd Lt. Molly Salness has been named Marine Corps Female Athlete of the Year, it was announced recently.

Salness, a 2000 graduate of the Academy, earned the accolade based upon her performance in the Navy Pentathlon, which consists of five events -- obstacle race, lifesaving race, seamanship race, utility swimming and amphibious cross country race. While competing at the International Military Sports Championship (CISM) last summer, Salness set a world record in winning the lifesaving race, won the utility swim, earned the overall individual championship and helped the United States to the women's team title.

Success at the 2001 CISM Games was nothing new to Salness, who posted a victory at the 2000 competition in the lifesaving event, while also winning the team title.

A native of Ocean Springs, Miss., Salness was a four-year member of the swimming team while she attended the Academy. She totaled five Patriot League titles in her career, including the 100 breaststroke (1998, 2000), the 200 breaststroke (1998, 2000), and the 800 freestyle relay (2000). Upon completion of her career, Salness had posted two of the top-10 times in Navy history in the 100 breaststroke, as well as seven of the top-10 times in the 200 breaststroke.

Salness currently is attending primary flight school at Naval Air Station Whiting Field in Milton, Fla., and will eventually fly helicopters. While attending The Basic School, Salness set a female endurance course record with a time of 55:35.

"We all are very proud of her accomplishments," said Navy women's swimming coach Dick Purdy. "We are proud, but those of us who know her and saw her compete while as a Midshipman are not surprised by her successes. Physically and mentally, she is one of the strongest and toughest swimmers I have coached in my 20 years at the Academy. She was an inspiration to her teammates and we all couldn't be happier for her."