Big Ten Women’s Championship Day 2 Finals: Michigan’s Bella Sims, Letitia Sim Race to Wins

The 2026 Big Ten Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships continued with the Day 2 finals session on Thursday, Feb. 18, from Minneapolis.

The events on the docket are the 100 butterfly, 400 IM, 200 freestyle and 100 breaststroke before 1-meter diving and the 200 free relay.

Michigan has won all three relays so far and taken a commanding lead after Bella Sims and Letitia Sim earned wins, too.

   Women - Team Rankings - Through Event 8                      
 
  1. Michigan, University of         517.5   2. Indiana University                398
  3. Ohio State University             390   4. Wisconsin, University of, Madi    384
  5. University of Southern Califor    296   6. University of Minnesota           290
  7. University of California, Los     255   8. Northwestern University           202
  9. University of Nebraska-Lincoln  184.5  10. Rutgers University              171.5
 11. Purdue University                 164  12. Iowa, University of               149
 13. University of Illinois          114.5  14. Pennsylvania State University     106

Here is a look at what happened Thursday evening:

Big Ten Women’s 100 Butterfly

Indiana freshman Alex Shackell earned her first Big Ten win, taking the 100 fly in 49.95. The 2024 Olympian held off the field by a half second.

Michigan senior Brady Kendall took second with a swim of 50.53.

Indiana’s Miranda Grana took third in 50.69, followed by two Wolverines with junior Lexi Greenhawt (51.00)and sophomore Leila Fack (51.45).

UCLA freshman Jada Duncan took sixth in 51.50, followed by Nebraska’s Beatrix Tanko (51.75) and Rutgers junior Anna Vlachou (52.15).

 Event 3  Women 100 Yard Butterfly
=========================================================================
     B1G Meet: ! 49.42  2/21/2020 Margaret J MacNeil, Michigan
         POOL: $ 49.26  12/6/2019 Maggie McNeil, Michgan
                 52.52  A NCAA Qualifying
    Name           Year School            Prelims     Finals       Points 
=========================================================================
                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Shackell, Alex   FR Indiana             50.60      49.95 A       32  
    r:+0.64  10.76        23.21 (12.45)
          36.49 (13.28)       49.95 (13.46)
  2 Kendall, Brady   SR Michigan            51.03      50.53 A       28  
    r:+0.62  10.67        23.47 (12.80)
          36.98 (13.51)       50.53 (13.55)
  3 Grana, Miranda   JR Indiana             51.38      50.69 A       27  
    r:+0.65  10.96        23.89 (12.93)
          37.29 (13.40)       50.69 (13.40)
  4 Greenhawt, Lexi  JR Michigan            51.73      51.00 A       26  
    r:+0.65  10.78        23.57 (12.79)
          36.89 (13.32)       51.00 (14.11)
  5 Fack, Leila      SO Michigan            51.52      51.45 A       25  
         r:+0.66              24.00 ( )
          51.45 (27.45)                    
  6 Duncan, Jada     FR UCLA                51.86      51.50 A       24  
    r:+0.59  10.82        23.83 (13.01)
          37.63 (13.80)       51.50 (13.87)
  7 Tanko, Beatrix   JR Nebraska            51.75      51.75 A       23  
    r:+0.65  11.00        23.92 (12.92)
          37.72 (13.80)       51.75 (14.03)
  8 Vlachou, Anna    JR Rutgers             52.16      52.15 A       22  
    r:+0.66  10.89        23.81 (12.92)
          38.07 (14.26)       52.15 (14.08)

Big Ten Women’s 400 IM

Michigan junior Bella Sims shattered the meet record to win the 400 IM in 4:00.57. She dropped more than three seconds from her prelims swim.

Sims led a 1-2 Wolverines finish with Hannah Bellard taking second in 4:03.32.

UCLA senior Rosie Murphy took third in 4:04.08, just ahead of USC senior Justina Kozan (4:04.77).

Fifth place went to Ohio State’s Sienna Angove (4:06.51), followed by Nebraska senior Gena Jorgenson (4:07.84), Wisconsin sophomore Stella Chapman (4:09.84) and Minnesota junior Katie McCarthy (4:10.02).

 Event 4  Women 400 Yard IM
=========================================================================
     B1G Meet: ! 4:01.41  2012      Allysa Vavra, Indiana
         POOL: $ 3:58.12  3/21/2014 Maya DiRado, Stanford
                 4:13.20  A NCAA Qualifying
    Name           Year School            Prelims     Finals       Points 
=========================================================================
                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Sims, Bella      JR Michigan          4:03.82    4:00.57!A       32  
    r:+0.57  24.57        52.94 (28.37)
        1:23.44 (30.50)     1:53.88 (30.44)
        2:28.80 (34.92)     3:04.59 (35.79)
        3:32.84 (28.25)     4:00.57 (27.73)
  2 Bellard, Hannah  JR Michigan          4:06.40    4:03.32 A       28  
    r:+0.74  25.08        53.77 (28.69)
        1:25.59 (31.82)     1:56.75 (31.16)
        2:32.69 (35.94)     3:09.14 (36.45)
        3:37.03 (27.89)     4:03.32 (26.29)
  3 Murphy, Rosie    SR UCLA              4:06.21    4:04.08 A       27  
    r:+0.69  25.46        54.66 (29.20)
        1:25.27 (30.61)     1:55.28 (30.01)
        2:30.60 (35.32)     3:05.91 (35.31)
        3:34.62 (28.71)     4:04.08 (29.46)
  4 Kozan, Justina   SR Southern Cal      4:07.92    4:04.77 A       26  
    r:+0.69  26.19        56.44 (30.25)
        1:28.73 (32.29)     2:00.17 (31.44)
        2:35.01 (34.84)     3:10.72 (35.71)
        3:38.20 (27.48)     4:04.77 (26.57)
  5 Angove, Sienna   SO Ohio State        4:07.60    4:06.51 A       25  
    r:+0.69  26.07        56.79 (30.72)
        1:28.49 (31.70)     1:59.20 (30.71)
        2:35.95 (36.75)     3:12.43 (36.48)
        3:40.03 (27.60)     4:06.51 (26.48)
  6 Jorgenson, Gena  SR Nebraska          4:08.33    4:07.84 A       24  
    r:+0.78  27.32        58.11 (30.79)
        1:29.20 (31.09)     1:59.79 (30.59)
        2:35.89 (36.10)     3:12.32 (36.43)
        3:40.80 (28.48)     4:07.84 (27.04)
  7 Chapman, Stella  SO Wisconsin         4:08.20    4:09.84 A       23  
    r:+0.73  26.64        57.43 (30.79)
        1:29.44 (32.01)     2:01.04 (31.60)
        2:36.38 (35.34)     3:12.02 (35.64)
        3:41.29 (29.27)     4:09.84 (28.55)
  8 McCarthy, Katie  JR Minnesota         4:06.49    4:10.02 A       22  
    r:+0.70  26.11        56.07 (29.96)
        1:27.81 (31.74)     1:59.25 (31.44)
        2:35.45 (36.20)     3:12.55 (37.10)
        3:41.86 (29.31)     4:10.02 (28.16)

Big Ten Women’s 200 Free

Indiana freshman Liberty Clark held her seed to win the 200 free in 1:40.84, an NCAA A cut.

Michigan junior Stephanie Balduccini took second in 1:42.04, just ahead of Ohio State sophomore Rachel Bockrath (1:42.82.

USC fifth-year Nicole Maier was fourth in 1:43.19, followed by Wisconsin sophomore Maggie Wanezek (1:43.45), Indiana freshman Grace Hoeper (1:43.99), USC senior Claire Tuggle (1:46.07) and Wisconsin senior Blair Stoneberg (1:44.91).

 Event 5  Women 200 Yard Freestyle
=========================================================================
     B1G Meet: ! 1:40.69  2/19/2025 Anna Peplowski, Indiana
         POOL: $ 1:40.31  3/21/2014 Missy Franklin, California
                 1:45.53  A NCAA Qualifying
    Name           Year School            Prelims     Finals       Points 
=========================================================================
                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Clark, Liberty   FR Indiana           1:42.08    1:40.84 A       32  
    r:+0.66  23.48        49.29 (25.81)
        1:15.14 (25.85)     1:40.84 (25.70)
  2 Balduccini, Ste  JR Michigan          1:43.67    1:42.04 A       28  
    r:+0.70  23.85        49.41 (25.56)
        1:15.60 (26.19)     1:42.04 (26.44)
  3 Bockrath, Rache  SO Ohio State        1:43.44    1:42.82 A       27  
    r:+0.72  23.68        49.89 (26.21)
        1:16.39 (26.50)     1:42.82 (26.43)
  4 Maier, Nicole    5Y Southern Cal      1:43.76    1:43.19 A       26  
    r:+0.68  24.19        50.51 (26.32)
        1:17.01 (26.50)     1:43.19 (26.18)
  5 Wanezek, Maggie  SO Wisconsin         1:43.89    1:43.45 A       25  
    r:+0.68  24.15        50.46 (26.31)
        1:17.09 (26.63)     1:43.45 (26.36)
  6 Hoeper, Grace    FR Indiana           1:44.76    1:43.99 A       24  
    r:+0.72  24.28        50.88 (26.60)
        1:17.79 (26.91)     1:43.99 (26.20)
  7 Tuggle, Claire   SR Southern Cal      1:44.84    1:46.07         23  
    r:+0.66  24.59        51.04 (26.45)
        1:18.36 (27.32)     1:46.07 (27.71)
  8 Stoneburg, Blai  SR Wisconsin         1:44.91    1:46.16         22  
    r:+0.67  24.94        52.18 (27.24)
        1:19.24 (27.06)     1:46.16 (26.92)

Big Ten Women’s 100 Breaststroke

Michigan senior Letitia Sim made it two wins for the Wolverines with a strong swim in the 100 breaststroke, an NCAA A cut.

Ohio State sophomore Maria Ramos Najji was second in 58.22 and USC freshman Bella Brito was third in 59.10.

Fourth went to Wisconsin freshman Brooke Corrigan (59.22) followed by UCLA junior Sarah Bennetts (59.55), USC junior Ashley McMillan (59.61), Wisconsin senior Hazal Ozkan (59.84) and Michigan freshman Sarah Pasquella (1:00.26).

 Event 6  Women 100 Yard Breaststroke
=========================================================================
     B1G Meet: ! 55.88  2/22/2019 Lillia King, Indiana
         POOL: $ 57.23  3/21/2014 Breeja Larson, Texas A & M
               1:00.30  A NCAA Qualifying
    Name           Year School            Prelims     Finals       Points 
=========================================================================
                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Sim, Letitia     SR Michigan            58.84      57.90 A       32  
    r:+0.68  12.38        27.04 (14.66)
          42.38 (15.34)       57.90 (15.52)
  2 Ramos Najji, Ma  SO Ohio State          58.52      58.22 A       28  
    r:+0.67  12.49        27.19 (14.70)
          42.37 (15.18)       58.22 (15.85)
  3 Brito, Bella     FR Southern Cal        59.71      59.10 A       27  
         r:+0.66              27.80 ( )
          59.10 (31.30)                    
  4 Corrigan, Brook  FR Wisconsin           59.01      59.22 A       26  
    r:+0.71  12.97        28.11 (15.14)
          43.56 (15.45)       59.22 (15.66)
  5 Bennetts, Sarah  JR UCLA                59.99      59.55 A       25  
    r:+0.64  12.73        27.86 (15.13)
          43.47 (15.61)       59.55 (16.08)
  6 McMillan, Ashle  JR Southern Cal        59.92      59.61 A       24  
    r:+0.72  12.51        27.68 (15.17)
          43.47 (15.79)       59.61 (16.14)
  7 Ozkan, Hazal     SR Wisconsin           59.79      59.84 A       23  
    r:+0.78  13.13        28.36 (15.23)
          43.94 (15.58)       59.84 (15.90)
  8 Pasquella, Sara  FR Michigan          1:00.15    1:00.26 A       22  
    r:+0.71  13.04        28.04 (15.00)
          43.87 (15.83)     1:00.26 (16.39)

Big Ten Women’s 1-Meter Diving

Minnesota’s Elna Widerstrom won 1-meter diving with a score of 336.95.

Ohio State’s Lena Hentschel finished second with 332.35 and Purdue’s Avery Worobel was third with 319.10.

 
 Event 7  Women 1 mtr Diving
=========================================================================
     B1G Meet: ! 376.10  2/17/2022 Sarah Bacon, Minnesota
         POOL: $ 351.45  3/20/2014 Maggie Keefer, Minnesota
                 265.00  A NCAA Qualifying
    Name           Year School            Prelims     Finals       Points 
=========================================================================
                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Widerstrom, Eln     Minnesota          309.65     336.95 A       32  
  2 Hentschel, Lena     Ohio State         294.15     332.35 A       28  
  3 Worobel, Avery      Purdue             288.55     319.10 A       27  
  4 Del Angel Penic     Minnesota          280.05     311.95 A       26  
  5 Wright, Daryn       Purdue             284.95     305.75 A       25  
  6 Roselli, Ella       Indiana            272.00     282.75 A       24  
  7 Sturgill, Baile     Rutgers            274.60     282.00 A       23  
  8 Hoffman, Kateri     Rutgers            288.90     280.90 A       22  
 
                            === B - Final ===                            
 
  9 Woodward, Laine     Iowa               265.55     286.15 A       20  
 10 Miller, Kate        Southern Cal       264.45     285.75 A       17  
 11 Brasica, Molly      UCLA               264.55     281.55 A       16  
 12 Milligan, Kiarr     Michigan           252.55     275.65 A       15  
 13 Prusiecki, Mia      Ohio State         249.50     269.80 A       14  
 14 Albrecht, Adeli     Minnesota          264.35     267.00 A       13  
 15 Bishop, Kaylee      Indiana            265.45     263.65         12  
 16 Bernatsky, Zita     Iowa               256.35     227.60         11

RESULTS

Big Ten Women’s 200 Free Relay

Michigan made it 3-for-3 on relays with a win in the 200 free in a meet record.

Lexi Greenhawt, Brady Kendall, Stephanie Balduccini and Leila Fack touched the wall in 1:25.44, breaking the Wolverine’s own mark set last year (1:26.13).

Indiana finished second with Liberty Clark, Alex Shackell, Mya DeWitt and Kristina Paegle breaking the previous pool record in a swim of 1:26.20.

Wisconsin’s Hailey Tierney, Maggie Wanezek, Abby Wanezek and Blair Stoneburg took third in 1:27.35.

 Event 8  Women 200 Yard Freestyle Relay
==================================================================================
     B1G Meet: ! 1:26.13  2/20/2025 Michigan, University of, Michigan
                          B Kendall, C Newman, S BALDUCCINI, L Flynn
         POOL: $ 1:26.23  3/20/2014 Stanford
                          M. Schaefer, L. Neal, F. Lee, K. Olsen
                 1:28.26  A NCAA Qualifying
                 1:28.78  B NCAA Provisional
    School                           Seed     Finals       Points 
==================================================================================
  1 Michigan  'A'                 1:25.99    1:25.44!A       64  
     1) Greenhawt, Lexi JR            2) r:0.19 Kendall, Brady SR     
     3) r:0.22 Balduccini, Steanie JR 4) r:0.30 Fack, Leila SO        
    r:+0.66  10.50        21.67 (21.67)
           31.40 (9.73)       42.39 (20.72)
          52.70 (10.31)     1:04.00 (21.61)
        1:14.13 (10.13)     1:25.44 (21.44)
  2 Indiana  'A'                  1:26.83    1:26.20$A       56  
     1) Clark, Liberty FR             2) r:0.12 Shackell, Alex FR     
     3) r:0.22 Dewitt, Mya SR         4) r:0.28 Paegle, Kristina SR   
    r:+0.60  10.63        21.48 (21.48)
          31.75 (10.27)       43.17 (21.69)
          53.65 (10.48)     1:05.25 (22.08)
         1:15.22 (9.97)     1:26.20 (20.95)
  3 Wisconsin  'A'                1:28.11    1:27.35 A       54  
     1) Tierney, Hailey JR            2) r:0.35 Wanezek, Maggie SO    
     3) r:0.20 Wanezek, Abby SR       4) r:0.24 Stoneburg, Blair SR   
         r:+0.61          21.85 (21.85)
                              43.64 (21.79)
                            1:05.41 (21.77)
        1:27.35 (21.94)                    
  4 Ohio State  'A'               1:28.92    1:27.94 A       52  
     1) LeBlanc, Kk FR                2) r:0.26 Bockrath, Rachel SO   
     3) r:0.23 Little, Erin SO        4) r:0.36 Furbee, Carrie FR     
    r:+2.55  10.81        22.37 (22.37)
          32.64 (10.27)       43.96 (21.59)
          54.50 (10.54)     1:06.08 (22.12)
        1:16.48 (10.40)     1:27.94 (21.86)
  5 UCLA  'A'                     1:28.45    1:28.07 A       50  
     1) Duncan, Jada FR               2) r:0.45 Yovanovich, Claudia SO
     3) r:0.16 Wetteland, Anna SO     4) r:0.30 Schaffer, Alexis JR   
    r:+2.90  10.64        22.09 (22.09)
          32.65 (10.56)       44.16 (22.07)
          54.28 (10.12)     1:06.08 (21.92)
        1:16.53 (10.45)     1:28.07 (21.99)
  6 Northwestern  'A'             1:28.06    1:28.38 B       48  
     1) Ervin, Lindsay SR             2) r:0.20 Nikonova, Ekaterina SR
     3) r:0.21 Yu, Audrey SR          4) r:0.20 Pan, Amy JR           
    r:+0.65  10.89        22.18 (22.18)
          32.48 (10.30)       43.99 (21.81)
          54.43 (10.44)     1:06.17 (22.18)
        1:16.79 (10.62)     1:28.38 (22.21)
  7 Minnesota  'A'                1:29.68    1:28.40 B       46  
     1) Wanner, Livi SO               2) r:0.27 Thomas, Morgan JR     
     3) r:0.28 Kaljevic, Mina JR      4) r:0.26 Yablonski, Ava SR     
    r:+1.59  10.60        21.97 (21.97)
          32.16 (10.19)       43.81 (21.84)
          54.42 (10.61)     1:06.27 (22.46)
        1:16.72 (10.45)     1:28.40 (22.13)
  8 Southern Cal  'A'             1:29.05    1:28.85         44  
     1) Brito, Bella FR               2) r:0.31 Maier, Nicole 5Y      
     3) r:0.35 McMillan, Ashley JR    4) r:0.25 Kozan, Justina SR     
    r:+0.67  10.76        22.25 (22.25)
          32.61 (10.36)       43.99 (21.74)
          54.74 (10.75)     1:06.41 (22.42)
        1:17.11 (10.70)     1:28.85 (22.44)
  9 Iowa  'A'                     1:30.21    1:29.68         40  
     1) Flowers, Payton FR            2) r:0.38 Dildine, Rachel SO    
     3) r:0.22 Kelly, Ella Jean FR    4) r:0.27 Olen, Audrey SO       
    r:+0.64  10.80        22.12 (22.12)
          33.13 (11.01)       44.76 (22.64)
          55.43 (10.67)     1:07.38 (22.62)
        1:17.96 (10.58)     1:29.68 (22.30)
 10 Purdue  'A'                   1:30.85    1:29.78         34  
     1) Hill, Hannah 5Y               2) r:0.30 Phipps, Lara SO       
     3) r:0.28 Rojas, Ana SR          4) r:0.40 Fasano, Ava JR        
    r:+0.61  10.75        22.45 (22.45)
          32.98 (10.53)       44.66 (22.21)
          55.41 (10.75)     1:07.15 (22.49)
        1:17.99 (10.84)     1:29.78 (22.63)
 11 Rutgers  'A'                  1:31.14    1:30.61         32  
     1) Gonzalez, Emilianna FR        2) r:0.25 Vlachou, Anna JR      
     3) r:0.41 Alberti, Chiara JR     4) r:0.41 Hazlehurst, Ana SO    
    r:+0.65  11.02        22.62 (22.62)
          33.09 (10.47)       44.57 (21.95)
          55.50 (10.93)     1:07.59 (23.02)
        1:18.71 (11.12)     1:30.61 (23.02)
 12 Penn State  'A'               1:31.18    1:30.91         30  
     1) Markvardt, Margaret 5Y        2) r:0.38 Ketter, Katie SO      
     3) r:0.25 Robinson, Cyrah FR     4) r:0.47 Meisner, Catherine SR 
         r:+0.60          22.67 (22.67)
                              45.12 (22.45)
                            1:07.39 (22.27)
        1:30.91 (23.52)                    
 13 Illinois  'A'                 1:32.34    1:32.03         28  
     1) Wilhelm, Isabella SO          2) r:0.16 Adler, Maggie JR      
     3) r:0.13 Cibulkova, Martina JR  4) r:0.28 Diner, Chloe SO       
    r:+0.70  11.19        23.17 (23.17)
          33.85 (10.68)       45.84 (22.67)
          56.87 (11.03)     1:08.92 (23.08)
        1:19.89 (10.97)     1:32.03 (23.11)
 14 Nebraska  'A'                 1:32.52    1:32.13         26  
     1) Marchi, Giulia SR             2) r:0.35 Miklos, Riley SO      
     3) r:0.36 Jorgenson, Gena SR     4) r:0.30 Dunaway, Natalie FR   
    r:+0.69  11.35        23.26 (23.26)
          34.28 (11.02)       46.32 (23.06)
          57.50 (11.18)     1:09.73 (23.41)
        1:20.24 (10.51)     1:32.13 (22.40)

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