Illini Add Three Top-Ten Times on Final Day of B1G Championships

Full Results

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.— Illinois swim and dive concluded the Big Ten Championships Saturday evening, placing 14th, and earning 195.5 points. 

In the 200 IM preliminaries, Sara Jass and Chloe Diner, the current school record holder in the event, both qualified for the C final, with times of 1:59.97 and 2:00.08, respectively.

Next, in the 100 free preliminaries, Maggie Adler set a new personal best, finishing in 50.57. 

In 200 backstroke prelims, Michelle Kaner qualified for her second C final in as many days, with a time of 1:58.41. Kalina Nikolaeva also qualified for the C final, finishing just behind Kaner in 1:58.51, improving on her personal best and third-best program time.

Jass finished 20^th overall in the 200 IM (1:59.77), while Diner finished 22^nd (2:00.30). In the 200 backstroke finals, Kaner improved on her time from the morning, swimming a 1:57.04, good for second all-time in Illinois history. She finished 20^th, while teammate Nikolaeva finished 24^th (1:59.17).

In the 1650 freestyle, Liv Dorshorst finished 19^thto earn six points for the Illini, posting a time of 16:48.56. Taylor Judas finished the 1650 swim in 17:14.22.

Bethany Mercer competed on the platform dive, earning a score of 189.65.

In the final event of the meet, the 400-freestyle relay, Martina Cibulkova, Adler, Sophia Yousuf, and Jass, tied for tenth all-time in program history, finishing in 3:22.01. Cibulkova's leadoff leg was also her personal best in the 100 freestyle (50.44).

Top-Ten Program Marks

• Second, 200 backstroke: Michelle Kaner (1:57.04)
• Third, 200 backstroke: Kalina Nikolaeva (1:58.51)
• T-Tenth, 400 freestyle relay: Martina Cibulkova, Maggie Adler, Sophia Yousuf, Sara Jass (3:22.01)

Personal Bests 

• Maggie Adler, 100 freestyle: 50.57
• Kalina Nikolaeva, 200 backstroke: 1:58.51
• Martina Cibulkova, 100 freestyle: 50.44