Feb. 19, 2011
Complete Results
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Fighting Illini swimming and diving team ended the final day of action at the Big Ten Championships in 11th place (82 points) Saturday night. Junior Brittany McGowan and redshirt freshman Erica Lynn each earned second swims for the Orange and Blue and climbed Illinois' all-time fastest individuals list.
"Today we had some great swims," head coach Sue Novitsky said. "Erica (Lynn) was able to get her first night swim and Brittany (McGowan) was able to do it again today. They were both able to get faster times at night, which is a good step and good to be able to do under pressure. The relay finish was tough, but they went out and gave it everything they had. I can't ask for more than that. It leaves a bitter taste, but it's something we can use. We took some steps in the right direction."
Host Indiana won its third consecutive Big Ten title with 821 points. Minnesota finished second (578), followed by Ohio State (456), Penn State (391), Purdue (385.5), Michigan (367), Wisconsin (360.5), Northwestern (178), Iowa (151), Michigan State (86) and Illinois (82).
McGowan advanced to the finals for the second-straight day and captured a personal-best performance in the 200 fly bonus final with a time of 2:02.04. Her time marks the fifth-fastest finish in Illini history and moved her into third place on Illinois' all-time fastest individuals list, while her prelim time (2:02.11) marks the fourth-fastest performance in Illini history. Teammate Lynn also earned a second swim and secured a personal-best time of 2:16.50 in the 200 breast bonus final. The Swansea, Ill., native topped her prelim time (2:17.31) and moved from fifth to fourth on Illinois' all-time fastest individuals list.
The 400 free relay team of juniors Kristen Manias, Caitlin Conroy and McGowan and freshman Courtney Pope secured the sixth-fastest time in Illini history in that event with a time of 3:24.56, earning the only points on the night for the Illini.
In prelims, freshman Jessica Holz led the Orange and Blue in the 200 back with a personal-best time of 2:02.58 and climbed to seventh place on Illinois' all-time fastest individuals list. Junior Torrey Loper also secured a personal best (2:03.42) and became Illinois' 10th-fastest individual in that event, while sophomore Sarah Coady posted a season best (2:04.15).
Pope was the fastest finisher for the Illini in the 100 free prelims with a personal-best time of 51.39, while senior Meghan Mason (51.93), juniors Manias (51.42) and Kelly Kunkel (52.56) and freshmen Holz (52.39) and Anne Goering (52.47) posted their fastest times of the season.
During the 200 breast prelims, junior April McKee posted a personal-best time of 2:19.04 and became the eighth-fastest individual to swim that event for the Orange and Blue, while junior Rachel Japp Joyce (2:21.51) and senior Corey Kasten (2:23.45) also added personal bests. In the 200 fly prelims, sophomores Kathleen Knight (2:04.75) and Alyssa Petruzzello (2:07.69) earned personal bests, while classmate Erin Rodriguez (2:05.65) swam her fastest time of the season.
The Big Ten Championships mark the final full-team competition of the season for the Orange and Blue. Individual swimmers will return to action next weekend at the Last Chance Meet, hosted by Purdue on Saturday, Feb. 26 at 11 a.m. CT.
