Big Ten Conference Championships, Day Two

BLOOMINGTON, Indiana, February 17. A title in the 200-yard individual medley and a tally of four divers in the 1-meter springboard final have the Indiana women's swimming team alone in first place after two days of the Big Ten Swimming and Diving Championships at the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatic Center in Bloomington.

Indiana heads into the third day with 279 points, followed closely by Minnesota with 236 points. Ohio State is third (149) with Michigan fourth (147) and Purdue fifth (146.5).

"Our girls did a wonderful job in prelims and put us in a good position going into finals to be successful," head coach Ray Looze said. "We are pointed in the right direction but we have a long way to go."

Indiana opened the evening session by breaking a seven year-old school record in the 200 freestyle relay with a time of 1:30.14. Margaux Farrell, Brittany Strumbel, Sara Delay and Stephanie Armstrong broke the old mark of 1:30.45 set in 2004. Farrell's lead-off time of 22.79 is a new career best for the junior.

Brittany Strumbel was the top Hoosier finisher in the 500 freestyle, taking second in a career-best time of 4:39.14. She becomes just the second Hoosier to go under 4:40 in the event. Nikki White, the Big Ten record holder in the event, took third in 4:39.57, a season best mark. Freshman Lindsay Vrooman finished sixth in her first Big Ten individual final in 4:44.08, posting a career-best 4:43.43 in the prelims. Courey Schaefer was 13th after swimming a time of 4:46.58 in the consolation final.

Allysa Vavra became Indiana's first individual Big Ten Champion of this meet and picked up her second career title with a winning time of 1:57.01 in the 200 individual medley. That is a new pool record, NCAA B cut and a personal best for the junior. She also becomes the first Hoosier ever to win the event at Big Tens. Senior Ashley Jones made it a 1-2 IU finish with her time of 1:57.65, also an NCAA provisional time.

Junior Kim Tracey finished 10th overall after posting a mark of 2:00.21 in the consolation final, a B cut and career best. Freshman Bronwyn Pasloski took 11th with her career best time of 2:00.37, also an NCAA B cut.

Margaux Farrell and Sara Delay were the top two finishers in the 50-yard freestyle consolation final with Farrell taking ninth in 22.81 and Delay 10th in 22.83. Delay's time is a career best, while Farrell's time ranks second on her all-time list.

The day ended with the 1-meter springboard competition as the Hoosiers placed four divers in the championship final. Freshman Laura Ryan opened her first Big Ten meet with a second-place finish, tallying a career-best score of 341.50. Senior Brittney Feldman was fourth with 337.50 points, also a career best. Sophomore Logan Kline was sixth at 327.70 points, a career mark, and junior Gabby Agostino set a career mark with 324.60 points, good for seventh place.

Prelims get underway at 11 a.m. tomorrow with the 400 individual medley, 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke and 3-meter diving. Finals will take place beginning at 6:30 p.m.

The above article is a press release submitted to Swimming World Magazine. It has been posted in its entirety without editing. Swimming World offers all outlets the chance to reach our audience by contacting us at Newsmaster@swimmingworldmagazine.com. However, Swimming World reserves the right to choose what material is posted.

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