The 2015 Big Ten Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships hosted by Ohio State University will be held Wednesday, Feb. 18 through Saturday, Feb. 21 at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion. The event begins on Wednesday with the timed finals of the 200-yard medley relay and 800-yard freestyle relay at 6:30 p.m. ET. Preliminary heats will begin at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with the finals scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. each night.
Thursday’s slate features the 500-yard freestyle, 200-yard individual medley, 50-yard freestyle and one-meter diving competition, with the 200-yard freestyle relay taking place that evening. Friday’s schedule includes the 400-yard individual medley, 100-yard butterfly, 200-yard freestyle, 100-yard breaststroke, 100-yard backstroke and three-meter diving event, with the 400-yard medley relay contested during the finals. Saturday’s events include the 200-yard backstroke, 100-yard freestyle, 200-yard breaststroke, 200-yard butterfly, 1,650-yard freestyle and platform diving, with the 400-yard freestyle relay finals taking place that evening.
Minnesota won its third consecutive Big Ten Championship last season, amassing 760 points throughout the four-day event. Indiana finished second with 649 points, Penn State placed third with 484 points, Ohio State was fourth with 374 points and Michigan rounded out the top five with 361 points.
The Golden Gophers return five first-team All-Big Ten selections, including the reigning 800-yard freestyle relay champions Kiera Janzen, Jessica Plant, Tori Simenec and Lauren Votava, who finished in a time of 7:00.04, and Kierra Smith, who won the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke with marks of 59.80 and 2:06.66, respectively. Head coach Kelly Kremer was named Big Ten Coach of the Year last season.
The Hoosiers return first-team All-Big Ten honorees Brooklynn Snodgrass and Gia Dalesandro. Snodgrass won the 100- and 200-yard backstroke events, and Dalesandro set an individual meet record in the 200-yard butterfly. The pair was also a part of the record-setting 400-yard medley relay squad.
Penn State’s Alyson Ackman, Ohio State’s Ashley Vance and Wisconsin’s Ivy Martin all garnered first-team All-Big Ten accolades, and look to duplicate their event titles. Ackman bested the competition in the 200-yard freestyle last season, while Vance claimed gold-medal honors in the 200-yard individual medley, and Martin set meet records in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events.
Last year, Wisconsin claimed the 200- and 400-yard freestyle relays, while Indiana won the 200- and 400-yard medley relays, and the Gophers took home the 800-yard freestyle relay.
Championships Schedule
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 18
Day One Finals: 6:30 p.m.
200-yard Medley Relay
800-yard Freestyle Relay
THURSDAY, FEB. 19
Day Two Prelims: 11 a.m.
500-yard Freestyle
200-yard Individual Medley
50-yard Freestyle
1M Diving (Prelims & Consolation Finals, 1 p.m.)
Day Two Finals: 6:30 p.m.
200-yard Freestyle Relay
500-yard Freestyle
200-yard Individual Medley
50-yard Freestyle
1M Diving
FRIDAY, FEB. 20
Day Three Prelims: 11 a.m.
400-yard Individual Medley
100-yard Butterfly
200-yard Freestyle
100-yard Breaststroke
100-yard Backstroke
3M Diving (Prelims & Consolation Finals, 1 p.m.)
Day Three Finals: 6:30 p.m.
400-yard Medley Relay
400-yard Individual Medley
100-yard Butterfly
200-yard Freestyle
100-yard Breaststroke
100-yard Backstroke
3M Diving
SATURDAY, FEB. 21
Day Four Prelims: 11 a.m.
200-yard Backstroke
100-yard Freestyle
200-yard Breaststroke
200-yard Butterfly
Platform Diving (Prelims & Consolation Finals, 1 p.m.)
1,650-yard Freestyle
Day Four Finals: 6:30 p.m.
1,650-yard Freestyle
200-yard Backstroke
100-yard Freestyle
200-yard Breaststroke
200-yard Butterfly
Platform Diving
400-yard Freestyle Relay
Television Coverage
BTN will air the Big Ten Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships on Sunday, Feb. 22 at 9 a.m. ET.
Live Coverage
Wednesday evening Finals: BTN Plus
Thursday morning Prelims: BTN Plus
Thursday evening Finals: BTN Plus
Friday morning Prelims: BTN Plus
Friday evening Finals: BTN Plus
Saturday Finals: BTN and BTN2Go