Minnesota won the 2008 Big Ten Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships with 660.5 total points Saturday night at the Bill and Mae McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion in Columbus, Ohio. This is the Golden Gophers’ third team conference crown. The Gophers’ first win came in 1999 and the squad repeated the feat in 2000.

Michigan finished in second with 609 points while Indiana, the 2007 champions, finished third with 513 points. On the last day of competition, all six swimming event’s records were erased and new records were set.

This weekend, the Wolverines collected six title wins, Indiana and Minnesota garnered five crowns and Northwestern nabbed three. Also earning title wins were Wisconsin (2) and Purdue (1).

The finals Saturday started with the 1650-yard freestyle and featured one of the fastest recorded times in the country. Michigan junior Emily Brunemann won her second individual title of the championships, finishing in 15:51.29 and cracking the previous meet record of 16:02.61. Gabby Maddalena, a sophomore from Wisconsin, took second in a time of 16:16.34 and Yuen Kobayashi, a junior from Minnesota, finished third in 16:18.06.

In the 200-yard backstroke, Kate Zubkova also collected her second individual championship title, setting a new pool and meet record with a time of 1:53.62. The sophomore from Indiana was followed by PennState sophomore Daphne Skelos and Michigan junior Hannah Smith. Skelos placed second in a time of 1:55.65 while Smith took third in 1:56.94.

Andrea Hupman, a sophomore from Northwestern, won her second individual title in the 100-yard freestyle. Hupman set a new pool and meet record, swimming in a time of 48.65. Just behind Hupman was Minnesota junior Stacy Busack in 48.89 for second. Busack’s teammate Meredith McCarthy placed third with a time of 49.60.

A new Big Ten record was recorded in the 200-yard breaststroke as Jillian Tyler swam the event in 2:10.18. It was the second individual win of the league championships for the freshman from Minnesota. Justine Muller, a senior from Michigan, finished second in 2:11.50 and Kaitlin O’Brien, a junior from PennState, finished third in 2:14.46.

In the 200-yard butterfly, Melissa Jaeger, a senior from Michigan, collected her first individual Big Ten title, swimming into first in a Big Ten record time of 1:56.25. PennState junior Kelly Nelson swam the event in 1:57.38 and placed second with Megan Braun, a freshman from Minnesota, just behind her in third with a time of 1:57.85. All three times broke the previous pool record of 1:58.26.

In platform diving, Kara Cook from Purdue nabbed first with a total score of 289.000. Just shy of the first-place mark was OhioState diver Kristen Asman with 288.150 points. Rounding out the Top 3 was Michigan diver Katie Skendrovic with 277.300 points.

To close out the championships, the Michigan 400-yard freestyle relay swam into first with a Big Ten record time of 3:17.47. The Wolverines set the last conference meet record in 2007 in a time of 3:18.40. Wisconsin’s relay finished second in 3:17.98 while Northwestern finished in 3:18.20.

2008 Women’s Swimming and Diving Big Ten Championships
Saturday Finals
Feb. 23, 2008
Bill and Mae McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion
Columbus, Ohio

Championships Honors
High Point Scorers
Illinois – Marissa Clapp
Indiana – Kate Zubkova
Iowa – Katarina Tour
Michigan – Margaret Kelly
MichiganState – Danielle Williams
Minnesota – Jillian Tyler
Northwestern – Andrea Hupman
OhioState – Kristen Asman
PennState – Kelly Nelson
Purdue – Ashley Karnes
Wisconsin – Hannah McClurg

Diver of the Year: Brittany Feldman – Indiana
Diver of the Championship: Brittany Feldman – Indiana
Diving Coach of the Year: Chris Bergere – Michigan
Freshman of the Year: Jillian Tyler – Minnesota
Swimmer of the Championship: Andrea Hupman – Northwestern
Swimmer of the Year: Emily Brunemann – Michigan
Swimming Coach of the Year: Jimmy Tierney – Northwestern

First Team All-Big Ten
Indiana
- Sophomore Brittney Feldman
- Sophomore Kate Zubkova
- Junior Sarah Stockwell
- Sophomore Donna Smailis
- Sophomore Presley Bard

Michigan
-Junior Emily Brunemann
- Senior Melissa Jaeger
- Sophomore Margaret Kelly
- Junior Hannah Smith
- Senior Justine Mueller

Minnesota
- Senior Roxane Akradi
- Freshman Jillian Tyler
- Freshman Megan Braun
- Junior Stacy Busack
- Junior Jenny Shaughnessy
- Junior Meredith McCarthy
- Junior Yuen Kobayashi
- Junior Christine Jennings

Northwestern
- Senior Andrea Hupman

Purdue
- Freshman Kara Cook

Wisconsin
- Senior Hannah McClurg
- Senior Jackie Vavrek
- Freshman Maggie Meyer
- Freshman Kelsey Gergen

Second Team All-Big Ten
Indiana
- Freshman Amanda Smith
- Junior Allison Kay

Michigan
- Junior Payton Johnson

Ohio State
- Freshman Bianca Alvarez
- Freshman Kristen Asman

Penn State
- Junior Kelly Nelson
- Sophomore Daphne Skelos
- Junior Kelly Nelson

Purdue
- Sophomore Ashley Karnes

Wisconsin
- Sophomore Rosie Morahan
- Junior Christine Zwiegers
- Sophomore Gabby Maddalena
- Junior Jen Ilescas

Quotes
Swimming Finals
1650-yard freestyle winner – Emily Brunemann, Michigan junior
On the weekend
“It’s really exciting and helps set me up for the next month of training. I’ve trained so hard this summer and it’s great to see it pay off. I can’t wait to see what happens next month.”

200-yard backstroke winner – Kate Zubkova, Indiana sophomore
On setting a new Big Ten record
“I’m happy. I wanted to go faster and I expected more from myself, but I am happy I was able to set a new Big Ten record.”

100-yard freestyle winner – Andrea Hupman, Northwestern sophomore
On setting a new Big Ten record
“It feels amazing. My entire team is swimming well which is great. I couldn’t ask for a better senior year at the Big Ten championships.”

200-yard breaststroke – Jillian Tyler, Minnesota freshman
On winning a Big Ten title as a freshman
“I’ve been swimming for such a long time that I don’t feel as young as people think I should.”

200-yard butterfly winner – Melissa Jaeger, Michigan senior
On setting a Big Ten record
“I was just doing my thing and just happened to set a Big Ten record. It’s been a dream with our team achieving their personal best all across the board.”

On swimming at Ohio State
“It’s a very nice facility and they’ve done a great job hosting this event.”

400-yard freestyle relay – Michigan
Jim Richardson, Michigan head coach
On Michigan’s performance in the tournament
“This win is tremendous for us. We don’t really have that many freestyle swimmers. This shows the kind of heart our girls have. It’s a great team win.”

Platform diving winner – Kara Cook, Purdue freshman
On winning
“It’s crazy and it’s great. I went into the event in eighth place so I couldn’t do any worse. I just went out there and had fun. I’m glad I could help my team.”

Minnesota, 2008 Big Ten Team Champion – Terry Nieszner, Minnesota head coach
On winning the championship
“We have great student-athletes that have worked very hard. Our team did an outstanding job. It’s the beginning of the championship season for us and we’re just excited to see what’s ahead of us.”

Freshman of the Year – Jillian Tyler, Minnesota freshman
On winning Freshman of the Year
“It’s amazing. I’m so happy for the team. It’s only going to get better.”

Swimmer of the Year – Emily Brunemann, Michigan junior
On being named 2008 Big Ten Swimmer of the Year
“I didn’t expect it. That in itself makes it a great honor. There are so many girls in the Big Ten that deserve this award as much as I do.”

Diver of the Year – Brittney Feldman, Indiana sophomore
On being named the 2008 Big Ten Diver of the Year
“This has been a long year. We’ve all worked really hard and have shown real dedication. This is great for the team too.”

Swimming Coach of the Year – Jimmy Tierney, Northwestern
On being named the 2008 Big Ten Swimming Coach of the Year
“Our swimmers were awesome this year and I thought they really came together this weekend. Our girls deserve all the credit.”

Diving Coach of the Year – Chris Bergere, Michigan
On being named 2008 Big Ten Diving Coach of the Year
“It feels great. This is the first time I’ve won the award so I am elated. I have to thank my divers – they’ve done great all year and I couldn’t have done it without them.”