Feb. 22, 2013

Results |  Photo Gallery 

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Big Ten titles in the 400 individual medley and 100 backstroke, to go along with seven top-five finishes has the Hoosiers holding strong in second place after three days of the 2013 Big Ten Women's Swimming and Diving Championships at the University Aquatic Center in Minneapolis, Minn.

Indiana has 422.5 points, trailing leader Minnesota (573.5). Penn State is third with 342.5, followed by Ohio State (263) and Purdue (238.5)

The night opened with the 400 medley relay, where the Hoosiers finished third in 3:33.71. That is an NCAA A cut and the third-fastest time in school history. Freshman Brooklyn Snodgrass opened the race with a smoking time of 51.94 on the 100 backstroke, making her just the second Hoosier ever to clock a 100 back under 52 seconds (Kate Fesenko). Ashley Specht had the fastest breaststroke leg of the field at 58.63, with Justine Ress clocking a 54.18 in the fly and a 48.96 from Cynthia Pammett on the freestyle.

Sophomore Dorina Szekeres won her first Big Ten title, keeping the 400 individual medley crown in the Hoosier family with a time of 4:07.91. That is a career best and NCAA B cut for Szekeres. Allysa Vavra won the race for IU from 2010-12, and it is the seventh time in Big Ten history an IU swimmer has touched the wall first.

Freshman Madeline Maher took 11th overall after finishing third in the consolation final with a career-best time of 4:16.83. Freshman Haley Lips qualified for the consolation final but had to scratch due to injury.

Szekeres entered the evening as the top seed in the 400 individual medley. Szekeres cruised to victory in her heat, winning in a time of 4:10.98. Maher and Lips went 3-4 in their heat, with Maher posting a time of 4:18.25, and Lips right behind with her career best of 4:18.30. That put them in the consolation final in the 13th and 14th spots.

Junior Brenna MacLean finished 15th in the 100 butterfly with a time of 55.33. Right behind her was Ress in 16th at 55.48. Ress and MacLean earned their spots in the consolation final with times of 54.07 (career best) and 54.31. Alexis Bullard placed 36th in prelims with her career best of 55.91.

Junior Lindsay Vrooman added another medal to her collection with a third-place finish in the 200 freestyle, clocking a time of 1:45.33. Teammate Cynthia Pammett was sixth after touching the wall in 1:46.41. The race wasn't without a touch of controversy as the swimmers were called back after the start but were unaware and went nearly 50 yards at full speed before being stopped.

In the bonus final, sophomore Sara Delay was fourth (20th overall) with a time of 1:49.92. Guinevere Vanden Noort placed eighth in the C final (24th) at 1:54.88.

In prelims Pammett qualified second for the championship final with a career-best time of 1:45.55. Vrooman finished fifth in prelims with a 1:46.14. Armstrong's time of 1:48.80 put her in the consolation final. Vanden Noort posted a career best of 1:49.20 (21st), while Taylor O'Brien won her heat with a career time of 1:49.34 but elected not to swim the bonus final. Delay was second in her heat with a time of 1:49.60, while Madelon Webb was fourth in the same heat with a career best of 1:51.08 (46th). Allie Lamberson put up a career best of 1:55.20 (66th).

Specht posted her best-ever individual finish at the Big Ten meet, taking second in the 100 breaststroke in a time of 59.54. That is the third-fastest time in school history. Specht is just one of two Hoosier breaststrokers to ever go under the 1-minute mark, joining Sarah Stockwell. She came with in 9/100ths of a second of the school record in prelims, dipping below the 1-minute mark for the first time in her career with a time of 59.49. That put her as the No. 2 qualifier in the championship.

Junior Bronwyn Pasloski took fourth in the 100 breast with a time of 1:00.69. In prelims she went a career time of 1:00.63 for her spot in the championship final. Freshman Siri Kristiansen finished 11th with a finals time of 1:02.11, a career best. Maher came back from her 11th-place finish in the 400 IM to take 13th with a time of 1:02.50. Rachel Thompson (1:05.00) was 39th.

Snodgrass brought the 100 backstroke gold medal back to Bloomington with a time of 52.07, giving IU its 11th 100 backstroke title and first since 2009. Pammett was fourth (53.40) and Ress seventh (54.18).

Snodgrass went 52.06 in the morning as the top qualifier, giving her an NCAA auto time. Pammett was the fourth qualifier (53.22), with Ress fifth (53.26). Day posted a 53.85 this morning to make the consolation final. Shelby Carroll put up a career best 55.74 to place 32nd, while Alexis Bullard was 43rd with her career time of 56.62.

Diving capped off the night as Amy Cozad finished sixth on the 3-meter springboard with a score of 338.50. Kate Hillman finished 11th overall after posting a career-best score of 332.50 in the consolation final. Cassidy Kahn finished 29th with her career best of 267.25. Katie Bittner was 38th with a score of 217.55.

400 Medley Relay
3. Brooklynn Snodgrass, Ashley Specht, Justine Ress, Cynthia Pammett - 3:33.71 (NCAA A Cut, 3rd-fastest time in school history)

400 Individual Medley
1. Dorina Szekeres - 4:07.91 (Career Best; NCAA B Cut) (4:10.98 prelims)
11. Madeline Maher - 4:16.83 (Career Best; NCAA B Cut) (4:18.25 prelims) Haley Lips - 4:18.30 prelims (Career Best; NCAA B Cut; did not swim consolation final due to injury)

100 Butterfly
15. Brenna MacLean - 55.33 (54.31 prelims)
16. Justine Ress - 55.48 (54.07 prelims; Career Best; NCAA B Cut)
36. Alexis Bullard - 55.91 (Career Best)

200 Freestyle
3. Lindsay Vrooman - 1:45.33 (NCAA B Cut) (1:46.14 prelims)
6. Cynthia Pammett - 1:46.41 (1:45.55 prelims; Career Best, NCAA B Cut)
13. Stephanie Armstrong - 1:48.64(1:48.80 prelims)
20. Sara Delay - 1:49.92 (1:49.60 prelims)
24. Guinevere Vanden Noort - 1:59.88 (1:49.20 prelims; Career Best) Taylor O'Brien - (1:49.34 prelims; Career Best; elected not to swim bonus final)
46. Madelon Webb - 1:51.08 (Career Best)
66. Allie Lamberson - 1:55.20 (Career Best)

100 Breaststroke
2. Ashley Specht - 59.54 (third-fastest in school history) (59.49 prelims; Career Best; NCAA A Cut; 2nd fastest in school history)
4. Bronwyn Pasloski - (1:00.63 prelims; Career Best; NCAA B Cut)
11. Siri Kristiansen - 1:02.11 (Career Best; NCAA B Cut) (1:02.23 prelims)
13. Madeline Maher - 1:02.50 (1:02.42 prelims; Career Best; NCAA B Cut)
39. Rachel Thompson - 1:05.00 (Career Best)

100 Backstroke
1. Brooklynn Snodgrass - 52.07 (52.06 prelims; NCAA A Cut)
4. Cynthia Pammett - 53.40 (53.22 prelims; Career Best; NCAA B Cut)
7. Justine Ress - 54.18 (53.26 prelims; NCAA B Cut)
9. Allie Day - 53.55 (Career Best; NCAA B Cut)(53.85 prelims)
32. Shelby Carroll - 55.74 (Career Best)
43. Alexis Bullard - 56.62 (Career Best)

3-Meter Springboard
6. Amy Cozad - 338.50 (347.90 prelims; Career Best)
11. Kate Hillman - 332. 50 (Career Best) 325.45 prelims
29. Cassidy Kahn - 267.25 (Career Best)
38. Katie Bittner - 217.55

Sportsmanship Award
Cassidy Kahn