IUSD Athletes Combine for Four Big Ten Weekly Awards

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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Following strong team and individual performances against No. 2/3 Texas and No. 14/22 Texas A&M, Indiana swimming and diving athletes, two men and two women, totaled four Big Ten weekly awards, the conference announced on Wednesday (Oct. 26).

Sophomores Quinn Henninger and Anna Peplowski and freshman Kristina Paegle each earned their first-career Big Ten weekly awards, while senior Brendan Burns collected his sixth.

The men’s and women’s teams each tallied wins against Texas A&M, and the men nearly pulled off the upset of last year’s NCAA runner-up Texas, falling 155-145.

Men’s Swimmer of the Week: Brendan Burns

 Senior Brendan Burns won all three individual events he swam which included a sweep of the butterfly events. The defending NCAA Champion in the 200-yard butterfly won the race by nearly a second and set the nation’s current fastest time in the event this season, going 1:42.24. In the 100-yard event, Burns went the sixth-fastest time this season after touching in 46.52.

Burns won a thrilling duel in the 200-yard backstroke, defeating UT’s Carson Foster who finished as the runner-up at the national meet last season. After trailing Foster through the first 100 yards, Burns finished strong to out-touch his opponent by .19 seconds. His 1:41.16 mark ranks No. 2 in the nation this season.

Burns also tied for the fastest leadoff leg in the 200-yard medley relay, going 22.03 for a 50-yard backstroke split.

 Men’s Diver of the Week: Quinn Henninger

 Sophomore Quinn Henninger swept the diving events against a tough field. Henninger dominated on the 1-meter springboard, scoring 368.90 – 47.20 points better than the runner-up. On the 3-meter board, Henninger clinched the win with his final dive, earning 75.25 points for a 5337D. Henninger won the event by 3.05 points, totaling a 401.85-point finish.

Henninger has won three of four events this season, setting NCAA zone qualifying marks in both.

 Women’s Swimmer of the Week: Anna Peplowski

 Sophomore Anna Peplowski earned three wins and swept the backstroke events for a second straight meet. In the 100 back, Peplowski won a close battle over UT’s Emma Sticklen, 53.37 to 53.42. She won big in the 200-yard race, winning by about 2.5 seconds with a time of 1:55.97.

Peplowski was also fantastic in relays, helping IU to a first-place finish in the 400-yard freestyle relay and third place in the 200 medley relay. In the latter, Peplowski’s 25.09 backstroke split was the fastest in the field.

 Women’s Freshman of the Week: Kristina Paegle

 Freshman Kristina Paegle earned top-four finishes in all four events she swam on Saturday which included a victory in the 400 freestyle relay. In that win, Paegle swam IU’s fastest and the third-fastest overall split, going 49.60. The freshman also swam the fastest freestyle leg in IU’s third-place finish in the 200 medley relay.

Individually, Paegle narrowly missed an NCAA B cut in the 50-yard freestyle after touching in 22.73. She also placed fourth in the 100 free, going 50.09.