By Austin Anderson
The Texas men’s and women’s squads maintained their leads at the 2014 Big 12 Swimming and Diving Championships on Thursday, adding eight more titles to their collection, while West Virginia snapped the Longhorns' title streak with a win in the men’s 50-yard freestyle.
Texas' Kelsey Leneave kicked off the Longhorns' sweep of the women’s events by claiming the 500-yard freestyle title with a time of 4:42.92. Leneave’s teammate Madisyn Cox continued the ‘Horns' winning ways with a victory in the 200 IM in 1:56.31. The wins marked the first conference titles of Leneave and Cox’s careers. In the women’s 50-yard freestyle, UT’s Ellen Lobb claimed her third-consecutive Big 12 title in 22.04.
In the day’s lone diving event, Maren Taylor of Texas clinched her second-consecutive 1M diving title with 346.35 points. The score broke two records, the Big 12 Championship record and the Big 12 record for all meets. Taylor shattered Loren Figueroa’s (Missouri) championship record of 335.15 and Jaele Patrick’s (Texas A&M) record in all meets of 340.60 points.
On the men's side, Clay Youngquist of Texas picked up his second career Big 12 individual title with a 4:15.68 finish in the 500-yard freestyle. In the men’s 200 IM, Austin Vacek of Texas took the top spot with a winning time of 1:46.05.
Tim Squires of West Virginia claimed the Mountaineers' first Big 12 title of 2014 in the men’s 50-yard freestyle in 19.32. The win was the sixth for WVU since joining the Big 12.
The ‘Horns concluded the day with wins in both the men’s and women’s 400-yard medley relays. The women’s quad of Lily Moldenhauer, Gretchen Jaques, Ellen Lobb and Sam Tucker finished in 3:33.09 while the men’s team of Kip Garmody, Jack Conger, Imri Ganiel and Matt Ellis took the crown in 3:07.12.
Competition resumes on Friday at 10 a.m. CT with swimming preliminaries. Finals are set to begin at 6 p.m. with the 400-yard individual medley at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center.
TEAM STANDINGS
-Men-
1. Texas (428); 2. West Virginia (248); 3. TCU (228)
-Women-
1. Texas (395.5); 2. Iowa State (185.5); 3. West Virginia (182); 4. Kansas (177); 5. TCU (161)
DAY TWO CHAMPIONS
-Men-
500-Yard Freestyle: Clay Youngquist (Texas) - 4:15.68
200-Yard Individual Medley: Austin Vacek (Texas) – 1:46.05
50-Yard Freestyle: Tim Squires (West Virginia) – 19.32
400-Yard Medley Relay: Texas (Jack Conger, Matt Ellis, Imri Ganiel, Kip Darmody) - 3:07.12
-Women-
500-Yard Freestyle: Kelsey Leneave (Texas) - 4:42.92
200-Yard Individual Medley: Madisyn Cox (Texas) – 1:56.31
50-Yard Freestyle: Ellen Lobb (Texas) – 22.04
400-Yard Medley Relay: Texas (Ellen Lobb, Lily Moldenhauer, Gretchen Jaques, Sam Tucker) – 3:33.09
Women's 1-Meter Diving: Maren Taylor (Texas) – 346.35
