Anne and Anna Star in Friday Finals

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Anne Fowler and Anna Peplowski are again Big Ten Champions.

Indiana women’s swimming and diving junior Anne Fowler won her third-career Big Ten gold, while Anna Peplowski captured her first individual gold in the third night of finals at the 2023 Big Ten Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships on Friday (Feb. 17) inside Canham Natatorium.

Fowler followed up her 1-meter win on Thursday with her second-career 3-meter title Friday to complete the sweep of the springboard events. Her career-best 385.55 score lifted her to a 12.50-point victory as she earned at least 60 points on all six dives. IU also got a bronze medal in the event as well, as sophomore newcomer Skyler Liu earned her first-career conference medal with a 356.10 score. Fowler was previously the Big Ten champion in the 3-meter dive in 2021 as a freshman.

 The silver medalist a year ago, Anna Peplowski is the new Big Ten Champion in the 200-yard freestyle.

Dueling Ohio State senior and 2022 champion Amy Fulmer, who had set the 200 free pool record on Wednesday during the 800 freestyle relay, the IU sophomore claimed the crown swimming a program record 1:43.33. The swimmers were tied after 100 yards with a 50.71 split before Peplowski took a slight edge in the next fifty and held off Fulmer through the end.

The win marked Peplowski’s first individual Big Ten gold after taking silver in the 200 free, 200 back and 800 freestyle in last year’s championships where she was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year. She had already won gold and bronze in relays coming into Friday night.

Two events after the win, Peplowski won her second straight silver medal in the 100-yard backstroke. After entering as the No. 3 seed, Peplowski dropped six tenths of a second from her time to touch in a career-best 51.72 and in the runner-up spot. It was Peplowski’s first time under 52.00 in the event.

The sophomore’s title in the 200 free is IU’s second in the event in four years after Cora Dupre won in 2020. The Hoosiers have totaled seven Big Ten titles in the event.

Following the diving, Peplowski was then inserted as the opening leg of the 200-yard freestyle relay, helping IU to its fourth relay medal in as many events. The quartet of Peplowski, freshman Kristina Paegle, senior Ashley Turak and Elizabeth Broshears was .05 seconds faster than their program record relay in midseason with a re-ordered lineup. Paegle and Turak both swam sub-22 legs, while Peplowski and Broshears went 22.3 each.

Peplowski totaled three medals on the day to bring her meet total to five.

Indiana totaled 10 top-10 finishes on the night, including sophomore Mariah Denigan (4:11.25) and senior Mackenzie Looze (4:11.78) in the 400 IM, Elyse Heiser (1:46.58) in the 200 free and Noelle Peplowski (59.10) and Brearna Crawford (1:00.24) in the 100 breast.

TEAM SCORES
1. Ohio State – 934

  1. Indiana – 848.5
  2. Michigan – 773
  3. Wisconsin – 649
  4. Minnesota – 529.5
  5. Northwestern – 464.5
  6. Penn State – 375
  7. Rutgers – 318.5
  8. Purdue – 311
  9. Nebraska – 299
  10. Iowa – 163
  11. Illinois – 155

    RESULTS
    100 BUTTERFLY

  12. Elizabeth Broshears – 53.45 (NCAA B Cut)
  13. Lily Hann – 53.77 (NCAA B Cut)

 

400 IM

  1. Mariah Denigan – 4:11.25 (NCAA B Cut)
  2. Mackenzie Looze – 4:11.78 (NCAA B Cut)
  3. Ching Hwee Gan – 4:14.65 (NCAA B Cut)
  4. Anna Freed – 4:17.65

 

200 FREESTYLE

  1. Anna Peplowski – 1:43.33 (Big Ten Champion, Program Record, NCAA B Cut, Career Best)
  2. Elyse Heiser – 1:46.58 (NCAA B Cut, Career Best)
  3. Kristina Paegle – 1:46.69 (NCAA B Cut, Career Best)
  4. Ashley Turak – 1:47.92

100 BREASTSTROKE

  1. Noelle Peplowski – 59.10 (NCAA B Cut)
  2. Brearna Crawford – 1:00.24 (NCAA B Cut)
  3. Catherine Graham – 1:01.50 (NCAA B Cut)

100 BACKSTROKE

  1. Anna Peplowski – 51.72 (Silver, NCAA B Cut, Career Best)
  2. Mya Dewitt – 53.55 (NCAA B Cut)
  3. Kacey McKenna – 55.25

 

3-METER DIVE

  1. Anne Fowler – 385.55 (Big Ten Champion, Career Best, NCAA Zone Qualifier)
  2. Skyler Liu – 356.10 (Bronze, Career Best, NCAA Zone Qualifier)
  3. Megan Carter – 291.15 (Consolation Final, NCAA Zone Qualifier)

200 FREESTYLE RELAY

  1. Anna Peplowski, Kristina Paegle, Ashley Turak, Elizabeth Broshears – 1:27.70 (Silver, Program Record, NCAA A Cut)

    UP NEXT

Saturday marks the final day of competition at the Big Ten Championships. The 1,650 free, 200 back, 100 free, 200 fly, platform dive and 400 freestyle relay will be contested, with prelims beginning at 10 a.m. ET.

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