Two Titles Push Hoosiers to Lead at Big Ten Championships
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Indiana University women’s swimming and diving team had an amazing night at the 2017 Big Ten Championships at the Boilermaker Aquatic Center in West Lafayette, Ind. on Thursday.
After the team’s great showing on Thursday night, the Hoosiers have stormed to the top of the standings with a total of 393.0 points. Wisconsin is second with 378.5, while Michigan is third with 363.0.
The performance of the night for IU came in the 400 medley relay, where the team of Ali Rockett, Lilly King, Gia Dalesandro and Holly Spears won the Big Ten title with a school, Big Ten, Big Ten meet and Boilermaker Aquatic Center record time of 3:28.89. The mark is also a NCAA A cut and is the second-fastest time in the nation this year.
With the victory, IU has now won the 400 medley relay three times in program history, with all three coming in the last four years. The Hoosiers also touched first in the event in 2014 and 2016.
Rockett’s leadoff 100 backstroke leg of 52.58 was a personal-best and NCAA B cut time. With the mark, Rockett now ranks as the seventh-best performer in the event at IU.
In the 200 IM, King won the Big Ten title with a NCAA B cut time of 1:55.90 to claim her third career individual conference crown. Last year, King won both the 100 and 200 breaststroke for IU.
King becomes just the second Hoosier to win the 200 IM league title, joining Allysa Varva who won in both 2011 and 2012. The Evansville, Ind. native’s time of 1:55.90 is the fourth-fastest time in school history.
Also in the Championship Final for the Hoosiers, Christine Jensen took seventh place with a NCAA B cut time of 1:59.12.
Leading a quartet of Hoosier swimmers in the B Final of the 200 IM was Sam Lisy, who touched the wall first to place ninth overall with a personal-best and NCAA B cut time of 1:58.51. Lisy’s time ranks her as the ninth-best performer in the event in school history.
Bailey Pressey took 13th overall with a NCAA B cut time of 1:59.19, while Reagan Cook placed 15th with a NCAA B cut mark of 2:00.03. Rachel Matsumura was 16th overall with a NCAA B cut time of 2:00.88.
IU had a nice showing in the Championship Final of the 1-meter, with both IU divers earning a spot in the top-8. Jessica Parratto finished fifth overall with a NCAA qualifying score of 318.70, while Michal Bower took seventh with a NCAA qualifying total of 310.65.
Parratto had a great final two dives for IU, scoring a 62.40 and a 60.00 to move up three spots. Bower was consistent the whole event, posting four scores over 50.00 points, including final dive of 57.20.
Stephanie Marchuk led four Hoosiers in the 500 freestyle, taking third in a tightly-contested B Final with a NCAA B cut time of 4:41.92. Freshman Cassie Jernberg placed 15th overall with her NCAA B cut mark of 4:45.57.
In the C Final of the 500 freestyle, Kennedy Goss had a great swim, touching the wall first to take 17th place overall with a NCAA B cut time of 4:41.64. Stephanie Marchuk was fifth in the C Final to take 21st place with a NCAA B cut of 4:46.37.
Rockett had a great swim in the B Final of the 50 freestyle, placing 14th overall with a personal-best and NCAA B cut time of 22.79. Rockett’s time improves her standing as the sixth-fastest swimmer in the event in IU history.
In the C Final of the 50 free, Shelby Koontz placed fourth to take 20th overall with a personal-best and NCAA B cut time of 22.88 that ranks her as the ninth-best performer in the event at IU. Holly Spears took 23rd overall with a time of 23.15.
The Hoosiers will continue at the 2017 Big Ten Championships on Friday morning with the prelims of the 100 butterfly, 400 IM, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke and 3-meter dive. The action gets underway at the Boilermaker Aquatic Center in West Lafayette at 11:00 a.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.
500 Freestyle
11. Stephanie Marchuk – 4:41.92 (NCAA B cut)
15. Cassie Jernberg – 4:45.57 (NCAA B cut)
17. Kennedy Goss – 4:41.64 (NCAA B cut)
21. Delaney Barnard – 4:46.37 (NCAA B cut)
200 IM
1. Lilly King – 1:55.90 (NCAA B cut)
7. Christine Jensen – 1:59.12 (NCAA B cut)
9. Sam Lisy – 1:58.51 (Personal Best, NCAA B cut)
13. Bailey Pressey – 1:59.19 (NCAA B cut)
15. Reagan Cook – 2:00.03 (NCAA B cut)
16. Rachel Matsumura – 2:00.88 (NCAA B cut)
50 Freestyle
14. Ali Rockett – 22.80 (Personal Best, NCAA B cut)
20. Shelby Koontz – 22.88 (Personal Best, NCAA B cut)
23. Holly Spears – 23.15 (Personal Best)
1-Meter Dive
5. Jessica Parratto – 318.70 (NCAA Qualifying score)
7. Michal Bower – 310.65 (NCAA Qualifying score)
400 Medley Relay
1. Ali Rockett, Lilly King, Gia Dalesandro, Holly Spears – 3:28.89 (School, Big Ten, Big Ten Meet and Boilermaker Aquatic Center record, NCAA A cut)
