IOWA CITY, Iowa. – The Fighting Illini swimming and diving team recorded 11 lifetime-bests and five season bests on the final day of the Big Ten Championships on Saturday night. The Illini finished the event in 13th place with a total of 193 points.
"Overall, it was good to see the team make improvements over the course of the meet," said head coach Sue Novitsky. "We scored more points than last year and can build off that for the coming year. I want to thank our seniors for their efforts and contributions to the program."
Kicking off the day with the 200 backstroke prelims, freshmen Hannah Aegerter and Linda Licari earned personal bests swimming times of 2:00.91 and 2:02.32, to take 42nd and 50th, respectively. Redshirt senior Aby Olson clocked a season best 2:03.85 in the event to place 54th overall.
The prelims of the 100 freestyle, the Orange and Blue saw four lifetime-bests and two season bests. Juniors Emma Curtis and Gabrielle Loeck had personal bests of :51.06 and :52.37, respectively, while senior Rebecca Corzine posted her own personal best of :53.29. Freshman Isabelle Guerra swam a lifetime-best of :52.05. Fellow freshman Mariclaire Lynch had a season best time of :52.67 and sophomore Emily Bolger touched the wall with a season best of :53.64.
Senior Fiona McDermott (2:21.04), junior Michelle McCord (2:18.49), sophomore Lauren Partridge (2:24.40), and freshmen Kaleigh Haworth (2:18.42), Divya Kale (2:19.83) and Jeanri Buys (2:20.12) all recorded lifetime-bests in the prelims of the 200 breaststroke.
In the 1650 freestyle, senior Emily Martin placed 35th overall with a season best time of 17:19.61, while sophomore Abigail Martin came in 36th overall with a time of 17:20.98, that was also good for a season best.
The 400 freestyle relay team, membered by senior Kristin Anderson, sophomore Abigail Cabush, Curtis and Guerra completed the event with a combined time of 3:24.29 to take 12th overall.
Freshman Erin Young competed in the platform diving event for the Illini, finishing in 38th-place with a total of 143.55.
Final Standings
1. Ohio State – 1,503.5
2. Michigan – 1,306.5
3. Indiana - 964
4. Northwestern – 907.5
5. Wisconsin - 734
6. Minnesota - 617
7. Purdue - 602
8. Penn State – 517.5
9. Iowa - 430
10. Nebraska - 385
11. Rutgers - 291
12. Michigan State - 203
13. Illinois - 193
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