University of Illinois
Big Ten Championships (Swim)
More Achievements for the Illini on Day Four of B1G Championships
February 26, 2021 | Swimming & Diving
Recap
Day Four Prelims Results | Day Four Finals Results
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Eleven more lifetime bests and two top ten finishes highlighted Illinois' Friday at Big Ten Championships. Day four's events included the 100 backstroke, 100 breaststroke, 200 butterfly and the 200 freestyle relay. The Illini closed out the fourth day of competition with 145 points.
"Overall, we had another strong day," said head coach Sue Novitsky. "In prelims we kept gaining momentum and got better each race. The team keeps coming back and wants to continue improving. We have one more day of racing and they want to finish on a strong note. They are getting some terrific experience and it is only going to help the team keep improving."
Freshman Cara Bognar had another excellent day in the pool. This week, she has set three lifetime bests and put herself into the top ten program finishes list for three separate events. On Friday, she established a new career best in the 100 freestyle with a time of :52.35. Her time of 2:00.57 in the 200 butterfly was not a personal best, but it was good for fourth all-time in the event in program history.
The full list of lifetime bests and top ten finishes from Friday includes:
Freshman Laurel Bludgen — 50 freestyle (:23.51)
Sophomore Isabelle Guerra — 100 butterfly (:56.04)
Sophomore Hannah Aegerter – 100 backstroke (:57.03)
Sophomore Kaleigh Haworth – 100 breaststroke (1:03.44)
Junior Emily Bolger – 100 breaststroke (1:05.11)
Sophomore Jeanri Buys — 100 breaststroke (1:05.82)
Sophomore Mariclaire Lynch — 100 breaststroke (1:05.93)
Freshman Lily Olson — 200 butterfly (2:01.83 — sixth all-time)
Sophomore Lizzie Gile — 200 butterfly (2:07.96)
Freshman Anna Kurzydlo — 500 freestyle (5:10.30)
Freshman Cara Bognar — 100 freestyle (:52.35) and fourth all-time in the 200 butterfly (2:00.57)
The one relay of the day was the 200 freestyle. Bludgen, Olson, senior Emma Curtis and junior Abigail Cabush recorded a time of 1:32.49, the fastest time by the Illini in a 200 freestyle this season.
The Illini will wrap up Big Ten Championships for both swimming and diving tomorrow. Preliminaries for swimming will begin at 11 a.m. CT and diving at 11:20 a.m. CT.
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