WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Indiana University women’s swimming and diving team had a successful morning at the 2017 Big Ten Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship prelims on Friday at the Boilermaker Aquatic Center in West Lafayette, Ind.
In the morning, the Hoosiers qualified for 20 finals in total – nine Championship Finals, five B Finals and six C Finals. Gia Dalesandro had a great morning, qualifying for the Championship Final in both the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke.
100 Butterfly
Indiana will bring back all four swimmers for Friday night’s finals, led by Dalesandro who qualified first overall with a NCAA B cut time of 51.79. The mark is just .04 seconds off her own school record and is the third-best time in IU history. Joining Dalesandro in the Championship Final will be Christine Jensen, who qualified eighth with a NCAA B cut time of 52.98.
Oliva Barker qualified 19th overall to earn a spot in the C Final with a NCAA B cut time of 54.09, while Shelby Koontz also earned a spot in the C Final with a personal-best and NCAA B cut mark of 54.20. With her time, Koontz now ranks as the 11th-best performer in the event in program history.
400 IM
IU also had a nice showing in the 400 IM, as the Hoosiers will bring back all four of their swimmers for the evening finals. Sam Lisy led the quartet, qualifying eighth overall to earn a spot in the Championship Final with a NCAA B cut time of 4:11.69.
In the B Final for Indiana, Bailey Pressey qualified 11th overall with a NCAA B cut time of 4:13.46, while Reagan Cook earned her 16th place qualification with a NCAA B cut mark of 4:16.41.
Shelly Drozda will swim in the C Final for IU after qualifying 18th overall with a personal-best and NCAA B cut time of 4:16.92. Her mark ranks her as the 13th-best 400 IM swimmer in school history.
200 Freestyle
Indiana will bring four swimmers back for the finals of the 200 freestyle, including two in the Championship heat.
Kennedy Goss qualified second overall with a NCAA B cut time 1:43.99 that ranks as the seventh-fastest time in school history. Freshman Maria Paula Heitmann had an unbelievable prelim swim for IU, cutting nearly seven seconds off her personal best with a mark of 1:45.74 that qualified her seventh overall. Heitmann’s time makes her the eighth-fastest swimmer in the event in program history.
Delaney Barnard will swim in the B Final after touching the wall with a personal-best and NCAA B cut time of 1:46.57 that ranks her as the 12th-best swimmer in the event all-time at IU. Holly Spears earned a spot in the C Final with her time of 1:48.28.
Stephanie Marchuk just missed qualifying for the C Final, placing 25th overall with a time of 1:48.63. Freshman Cassie Jernberg cut almost seven seconds off her previous best time with her mark of 1:48.94 to place 32nd. Hannah Sakaluk placed 60th overall with a personal-best time of 1:51.45.
100 Breaststroke
Defending NCAA and Big Ten champion Lilly King is the top qualifier for Friday night’s 100 breaststroke Championship Final, touching the wall with a NCAA A and Boilermaker Aquatic Center pool record time of 57.46. King’s time is the second-fastest this season to her won mark of 57.30 earlier this season. Her mark is the fifth-fastest time in IU history.
Laura Morley will swim in the B Final after touching the wall with a personal-best and NCAA B cut time of 1:01.25. Morley’s mark ranks her as the seventh-fastest swimmer in the event at Indiana.
Mackenzie Atencio qualified 24th overall to earn a spot in the C Final with her personal-best and NCAA B cut mark of 1:02.12. Her time makes her the 10th-best performer in IU history in the event.
Hope Hayward placed 35th with a personal-best time of 1:02.89 which ranks her 14th all-time in program history, while Taylor Truex with a mark of 1:06.32.
100 Backstroke
The Hoosiers will bring back four swimmers for the finals of the 100 backstroke on Friday night, led by Ali Rockett and Gia Dalesandro.
Both qualified for the Championship Final, with Rockett posting a NCAA B cut time of 52.67 and Dalesandro timing in with a personal-best mark of 53.24. Dalesandro’s time ranks her as the 13th-best swimmer in the event in school history.
Rachel Matsumura will swim in the B Final after touching the wall with a NCAA B cut time of 53.89, while Marie Chamberlain will be in the C Final after posting a NCAA B cut mark of 54.17.
Katherine Keller placed 42nd overall with a time of 55.47.
3-Meter Dive
Jessica Parratto was brilliant in the prelims of the 3-meter dive, earning the No. 1 seed for Friday night’s final with a NCAA qualifying score of 366.70.
After a solid start, Parratto reeled off four-straight great dives, starting with a 61.60 in the third round. The redshirt junior then followed with the best dive of the prelims, recording a 73.50. Parratto followed with scores of 66.00 and 63.00 to end the prelims.
The Hoosiers will continue at the 2017 Big Ten Championships on Friday evening with the finals of the 100 butterfly, 400 IM, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke, 3-meter dive and 200 freestyle relay. The action gets underway at the Boilermaker Aquatic Center in West Lafayette at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Be sure to keep up with all the latest news on the Indiana men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams on social media – Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
100 Butterfly
Gia Dalesandro – 51.79 (NCAA B cut – A Final)
Christine Jensen – 52.98 (NCAA B cut – A Final)
Olivia Barker – 54.09 (NCAA B cut – C Final)
Shelby Koontz – 54.20 (Personal Best, NCAA B cut – C Final)
400 IM
Sam Lisy – 4:11.69 (NCAA B cut – A Final)
Bailey Pressey – 4:13.46 (NCAA B cut – B Final)
Reagan Cook – 4:16.41 (NCAA B cut – B Final)
Shelly Drozda – 4:16.92 (Personal Best, NCAA B cut – C Final)
200 Freestyle
Kennedy Goss – 1:43.99 (NCAA B cut – A Final)
Maria Paula Heitmann – 1:45.74 (Personal Best, NCAA B cut – A Final)
Delaney Barnard – 1:46.57 (Personal Best, NCAA B cut – B Final)
Holly Spears – 1:48.28 (C Final)
- Stephanie Marchuk – 1:48.63
- Cassie Jernberg – 1:48.94 (Personal Best)
- Hannah Sakaluk – 1:51.45 (Personal Best)
100 Breaststroke
Lilly King – 57.46 (NCAA A cut, Boilermaker Aquatic Center record – A Final)
Laura Morley – 1:01.25 (Personal Best, NCAA B cut – B Final)
Mackenzie Atencio – 1:02.12 (Personal Best, NCAA B cut – C Final)
- Hope Hayward – 1:02.89 (Personal Best)
- Taylor Truex – 1:06.32
100 Backstroke
Ali Rockett – 52.67 (NCAA B cut – A Final)
Gia Dalesandro – 53.24 (Personal Best, NCAA B cut – A Final)
Rachel Matsumura – 53.89 (NCAA B cut – B Final)
Marie Chamberlain – 54.17 (NCAA B cut – C Final)
- Katherine Keller – 55.47
3-Meter Dive
Jessica Parratto – 366.70 (NCAA Qualifying score)
