Kansas
Kansas' Chelsie Miller topped off an already impressive weekend with two more individual wins during Sunday afternoon's finals session. After garnering five event victories at the three-day championship-style meet inside Capitol Federal Natatorium, Nov. 20-22, Miller was named the Big Challenge's MVP.
A multiple day competition that mirrored a Big 12 Championship meet consisting of prelims and finals helped the Jayhawks get a preview of what is to come in March. Over the course of the weekend Kansas tallied eight finals victories along with multiple career and season-best marks.
"It really helps them understand why we do what we do," head coach Clark Campbell talked about the structure of the meet. "They have now felt what conference is going to feel like. It sets up a good understanding of why we do certain things and then what we need to work on in the months ahead to be ready for the conference championships."26855Yulduz Kuchkarova
Miller's dominating performances, along with season-best marks from her teammates, proved not to be enough for the Big 12 to take over the conference standings by the end of the third day. The Big Ten, made up of Nebraska and Illinois, won the meet with 1,732.5 points, while the Big 12 - Kansas and Iowa State - totaled 1,409.5 points. The Mid Major duo of Northern Iowa and Nebraska-Omaha combined for 323 points.
Riding off of yesterday's 100-yard backstroke performance, Yulduz Kuchkarova claimed another meet record in the stroke, this time in the 200-yard race. With a swim of 1:58.44, Kuchkarova earned her second NCAA B standard of the meet. The first round was just a taste of the Tashkent, Uzbekistan native's talent as she sped past her previous career-best mark with a finals swim of 1:55.87, lowering her meet record from the morning.
"I'm really happy with Yulya, those career-best times and NCAA B cuts are great," Campbell said. "It was a really good meet for her and several others."
Kansas took advantage in the first race of finals for the second day in a row as Miller and freshman Libby Walker paced one another in the 1,650-yard freestyle. The two were neck-and-neck until Miller eventually pulled away with a little less than half of the race remaining. The Kansas All-American lowered her first meet record of the night with a time of 16:31.02, while Walker took second (16:36.15). The pair led the pool by over 10 seconds.
Junior Sammie Schurig continued to thrive in her hometown of Topeka with a lifetime-best in the 200-yard backstroke prelims (2:00.83). The mark not only improved her previous record by almost two seconds, but it also solidified the last spot in the A final. Schurig went on to better her time in the A finals with a swim of 2:00.20.
Nebraska's Taryn Collura used all cylinders to win the 100-yard freestyle by over a second with a time of 49.00, her third victory of the meet. The Jayhawks claimed third-, fourth- and fifth-place with eight-hundredths of second separating them - Breonna Barker (50.90), Haley Molden (50.93) and Haley Bishop (50.98).
After swimming the mile, Miller came back and had another top performance in the 200-yard butterfly. The Houston, Texas product carved her fifth meet record in the prelims with a time of 2:00.25. She was unable to improve her finals time (2:00.48), but still won the race with ease.
"I'm just really glad that I was able to get in these swims this early in the season," senior Chelsie Miller said. "It helps me see where I'm at and set goals for where I want to be in March. The times I got were comforting so I'm excited."
Another career performance came earlier in the morning when Leah Pfitzer registered a record-breaking time in the 100-yard freestyle with a sprint of 52.23.
At the end of the weekend the top two individual high point scorers from each of the squads participating were combined to make up meet's 12-person all-star team. Chelsie Miller and Haley Bishop represented Kansas, while Kasey Robers (ISU), Marissa Engel (ISU), Taryn Collura (Nebraska), Erin Oeltjen (Nebraska), Gabbie Stecker (Illinois), Lori Lynn (Illinois), Molly Lembezeder (UNI), Veronica Hermoann (UNI), Natalie Renshaw (UNO) and TJ Jensen (UNO) completed the team.
Kansas finished second in the final team standings behind Nebraska, 969 to 892. Illinois (763.5), Iowa State (517.5), Northern Iowa (200) and Nebraska-Omaha (123) completed the standings.
"Meets like this, when we get to spend three days together non-stop, is so much fun," Miller said. "You really get to see more of everyone's personalities, we all get a little crazy by the end but it's super fun just being together. I really do think this is one of the best teams I've ever been a part of."
After a week's time KU will host a dual against William Jewell inside Robinson Natatorium Friday, December 4. However, a selective group of Jayhawks who swam qualifying times will be absent as they head to Federal Way, Wash. to compete in USA Swimming AT&T Winter Nationals Dec. 3-5.
Nebraska
The Nebraska swimming team capped of an impressive weekend by claiming first-place at the Big Challenge. In total, Nebraska set three meet relay records as well as two records set individually by Taryn Collura. Nebraska finished in first-place with 969 points. Kansas followed in second with 892 points, while Illinois finished in third with 763.5 points.
Nebraska kicked off Sunday afternoon’s final session with a strong showing in the 1,650-yard freestyle. Katt Sickle led the Huskers earning a third-place finish after swimming a time of 16:47.23. Kaylyn Flatt was outstanding for Nebraska as well. The freshman earned a sixth-place finish racing to a time of 17:02.85.
1,650-Yard Freestyle
3. Katt Sickle – 16:47.23
6. Kaylyn Flatt – 17:02.85
8. Brooke Holmes – 17:20.73
11. Aimee Fischer – 17:41.19
Erin Oeltjen and Anna McDonald led the way for Nebraska in the 200-yard backstroke. Oeltjen finished in a tie for second-place swimming a career-best time of 1:58.68. McDonald finished right behind Oeltjen in fourth after swimming a career-best time of 1:59.99.
200-Yard Backstroke
2. Erin Oeltjen – 1:58.68 (Career Best)
4. Anna McDonald – 1:59.99 (Career Best)
8. Morgan McCafferty – 2:02.37
11. Jackie Jeschke – 2:02.50
12. Lindsay Helferich – 2:03.51
14. Cassie Brassard – 2:03.94
18. Jacqueline Juffer – 2:04.93
31. Brooke Holmes – 2:10.47
Collura continued her dominant weekend adding a first-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle. Collura’s career-best time of 49.00 was fast enough to set a new meet record. Bria Deveaux was Nebraska’s next top performer in the event finishing in 10th-place with a time of 51.32.
100-Yard Freestyle
1. Taryn Collura – 49.00 (Meet Record) (Career Best)
10. Bria Deveaux – 51.32 (Season Best)
23. Alexandra Bilunas – 52.76
Jordan Ehly continued her strong weekend earning a second-place finish in the 200-yard breaststroke, racing to a time of 2:15.16. Katie Ditter was also a strong performer in the event finishing in fifth-place after posting a time of 2:17.69.
200-Yard Breaststroke
2. Jordan Ehly – 2:15.16
5. Katie Ditter – 2:17.69
11. Samantha Hardewig – 2:20.63
14. Bridget Pacilio – 2:23.06 (Season Best)
16. Krista Van Wie – 2:23.60
21. Michaela Cunningham – 2:26.11 (Season Best)
Dana Posthuma and Julia Roller were Nebraska’s top performers in the 200-yard butterfly. Posthuma led the way with a fifth-place finish posting a career-best time of 2:01.95. Roller finished in sixth-place racing to a time of 2:02.41.
200-Yard Butterfly
5. Dana Posthuma – 2:01.95 (Career Best)
6. Julia Roller – 2:02.41
9. Bria Deveaux -2:02.43 (Career Best)
12. Jackie Jeschke – 2:05.87
17. Aimee Fischer – 2:06.76 (Career Best)
Nebraska capped off the weekend in dominating fashion earning a first-place finish in the 400-yard freestyle relay. The team of Collura, Oeltjen, Deveaux and Helferich raced to a time of 3:22.17 setting a new meet record.
Collura and Oeltjen were both named to the Big Challenge All-Star team. Collura racked up three-first place finishes and set two meet records in individual events. Collura was also part of three meet-record setting relay teams. Oeltjen racked up three top-five finishes, including a second-place finish in today’s 200-yard backstroke. Oeltjen was also a part of two meet-record setting relay teams.
Nebraska’s swimmers will be back in action Thursday, Dec. 3, as they travel to Federal Way, Wash., to compete at the USA Winter National Championships. That meet will run from Thursday, Dec. 3 to Saturday, Dec. 5.
lllinois
The Fighting Illini Swimming and Diving team wrapped up the three-day Big Challenge in Topeka, Kansas, on Sunday, November 22. Illinois finished third as a team in the competition, while the Big Ten came away victorious with a win over the Big 12 teams of Kansas and Iowa State, as well as the Mid-major pair of Nebraska-Omaha and Northern Iowa.
“Overall this was a very successful meet for the team,” said head coach Sue Novitsky. “We kept getting stronger each session and the last session was arguably our strongest. I am proud of the character, competitiveness and resilience that the team showed through the three days. Each athlete kept going back to work to put the pieces together for their races.”
The Illini started fast on day one of competition, setting four separate top-10 times on the school’s fastest individuals list. The 400 medley relay team of Sloane McDermott, Jennifer Coady, Lori Lynn and Gabrielle Bethke became the third fastest in school history with a time of 3:42.47. Individually, Lynn made another splash in the record book with a time of :23.19 in the 50 free, placing her fourth on the fastest individuals list. In the 200 IM, freshman Gabriele Serniute became the eighth fastest in school history with a time of 2:03.62, while Bethke placed 10 on the list with a time of :23.42 in the 50 free.
UI stayed hot on day two of competition, as 14 more changes were made to the top-10 fastest individuals list. Highlighting the day was Gabbie Stecker, who set the meet record in the 200 free with a time of 1:48.70. Also thrusting themselves onto the list, were McDermott (fourth) in the 100 back (:55.99), Coady (fourth) in the 100 breast (1:02.92), Ashley Aegerter (10th) in the 100 breast (1:04.06), Lynn (second) in the 100 fly (:54.51), Bethke and Sarah Sykstus (tied fifth) in the 100 fly (:55.46), Megan Vuong (eighth) in the 100 fly (:55.83) and Audrey Rodawig (10th) in the 100 fly (:55.70).
Two relay teams also entered the record book, as the 200 medley team of McDermott, Coady, Lynn, Bethke finished with the sixth-best mark in school history with a time of 1:42.46. Additionally, the 800 free relay unit of Stecker, Vuong, Rodawig and Amelia Schilling posted a mark of 7:20.42, the fourth-fastest time in the Illinois books.
On the final day of action, the Illini continued their impressive showing with nine more additions to the all-time lists at Illinois. In the 200 back, McDermott and Stecker etched their names in the books with the fourth- and sixth-fastest individual times with marks of 1:59.93 and 2:00.12, respectively.
Bethke (:50.44) and Rodawig (:50.86) both added their marks in the 100 free section of the record book, earning the fourth- and ninth-fastest individual times in Illinois history. Ashley Aegerter (2:15.45, sixth) and Coady (2:15.54, seventh) both earned marks on the 200 breast all-time list in addition to earning their first NCAA time standards in the event. Charli Wike registered the 10-fastest individual mark in the event as well. Sykstus notched her name in the fifth-fastest individual slot for the 200 fly when she clocked a 2:01.88. Finally, the 400 free relay group of Rodawig, Vuong, Kirsten Zborek and Bethke posted a time of 3:23.16, which will go into the books as the ninth-fastest Illinois time.
“It was great to see Ashley Aegerter and Jen Coady earn their first NCAA time standards in the 200 breaststroke,” shared Novitsky. “The team compiled 64 lifetime-best times over the three days, which is fantastic to see. We made great strides and now we have a great training block to build on the work that we have put in so far this fall.”
