Kuehne Snaps 50 Freestyle School Record on Day Two of B1G Championships

Recap

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Illinois swim and dive team finished the second day of the Big Ten Championships on Thursday (Feb. 22). Junior Logan Kuehne broke the 50 freestyle school record in the time trials clocking in at 22.79.

Prior to shattering the record, she swam the program's fourth-fastest 50 freestyle in the morning prelims session (22.96). She placed 25th overall and narrowly missed the C finals.

The top-24 swimmers qualify to the night finals session and it's broken down into three sections: A, B and C finals. First through eighth swim in the A finals, ninth through 16th swim in the B finals and 17th through 24th swim in the C finals.

Sophomore Sara Jass placed sixth in the C finals (2:01.13) and scored three points for the Fighting Illini. She qualified for the C finals when she placed 24th in the morning prelims with a time of 2:01.03.

Freshman diver Matilda Garcia placed 20th on the one-meter boards with a score of 238.85 and scored five points for the Orange and Blue. This marks the highest finish for an Illinois diver since Taylor Shegos placed eighth on the one-meter (239.25) and three-meter (261.90) boards in 2020.

Seniors Anna Kurzydlo (23.93) and Sophia Burwitz (24.14) each set new personal bests in the 50 freestyle. Burwitz also set one in the 100 freestyle (51.80). Freshmen Kylee Sessions (100 freestyle, 51.67) and Martina Cibulkova (500 freestyle, 5:00.48) each touched new personal bests. The 400 medley relay team was disqualified for an early takeoff between exchanges.

TEAM SCORES

1. Ohio State – 444
2. Michigan – 433
3. Indiana – 426
4. Wisconsin – 381.5
5. Minnesota – 286.5
6. Purdue – 199
7. Nebraska – 170
8. Penn State – 153
9. Iowa – 152
10. Northwestern – 148
11. Rutgers – 123
12. Illinois – 86

TOP-10 PROGRAM MARKS

School Record – 50 freestyle: Logan Kuehne (22.79)

PERSONAL-BESTS

50 freestyle: Logan Kuehne (22.79)
50 freestyle: Anna Kurzydlo (23.93)
50 freestyle: Sophia Burwitz (24.14)
100 freestyle: Kylee Sessions (51.67)
100 freestyle: Sophia Burwitz (51.80)
200 backstroke: Alexis Wendel (2:01.60)
500 freestyle: Martina Cibulkova (5:00.48)

UP NEXT

The Illini aquatics crew returns for the third day of the Big Ten Championships tomorrow (Feb. 23) with prelims starting at 9 a.m. and finals beginning at 4 p.m. CT.

FULL ILLINOIS RESULTS

200 IM C Finals
6th Sara Jass – 2:01.13

500 Freestyle Prelims
38th Kalina Nikolaeva – 4:58.26
40th Paloma Canos Cervera – 4:58.82
42nd Lauren Beard – 5:00.29
43rd Adelaide Reaser – 5:00.35
45th Martina Cibulkova – 5:00.48

200 IM Prelims
24th Sara Jass – 2:01.03
30th Sydney Stoll – 2:01.41
40th Kylee Sessions – 2:04.85
EXH Jane Umhofer – 2:06.97

50 Freestyle Prelims
25th Logan Kuehne – 22.96
38th Lily Olson – 23.38
41st Laurel Bludgen – 23.39
48th Molly Yetter – 23.63
60th Abby Ninan – 24.40
66th Gwen Bakker – 29.06
EXH Marin McAndrew – 23.91
EXH Anna Kurzydlo – 23.93
EXH Sophia Burwitz – 24.14
EXH Paige Koscielski – 24.64

One-Meter Dive
20th Matilda Garcia – 238.85
34th Bethany Mercer – 220.95
42nd Taylor Michael – 200.70
44th Dani O'Kelly – 181.80
EXH Elleka Boeres – 208.65