2021 Big Ten Women’s Championships: Day 3 Prelims Live Recap

2021 BIG TEN WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIPS

• When: Tuesday, February 23rd to Saturday, February 27th | Prelims 11am | Finals 6:30pm (5pm Tuesday) CT
• Where: Minneapolis, MN (Central Time Zone) / Diving @ Purdue University
• Defending Champion: Ohio State (1x) (results)
• Live Results
• Streaming: Big Ten Network
• Championship Central

Ohio State is a team on a mission, and at this point, the team race looks pretty set with them on top and Michigan in second. Indiana, Northwestern and Wisconsin will battle it out for third, though, while Nebraska has had a great start to the week and are sitting in sixth.

With a new schedule this year, today’s session includes three individual events, in this order: 100 fly, 400 IM and 200 free. Maggie MacNeil has looked strong so far, and her 100 fly should be a standout event to watch this morning.

TEAM SCORES (through 400 medley relay)

1. Ohio State University 526
2. Michigan, University of 358.5
3. Indiana University 310.5
4. Northwestern University 258
5. Wisconsin, University of, Madi 237
6. University of Nebraska-Lincoln 184
7. Iowa, University of 169
8. University of Minnesota 164
9. Pennsylvania State University 149
10. Purdue University 120
11. Michigan State University 104
12. University of Illinois 96
13. Rutgers University 30

DAY THREE PRELIMS HEAT SHEETS

100 FLY – PRELIMS

• Big Ten meet record – 49.42, Maggie MacNeil (Michigan) – 2020
• Big Ten record – 49.26, Maggie MacNeil (Michigan) – 2020
• 2020 NCAA invite time – 52.34
• Defending champion: Maggie MacNeil (Michigan), 49.42

Top 8

1. Maggie MacNeil (Michigan) – 50.71
2. Olivia Carter (Michigan) – 51.44
3. Mallory Jump (Iowa) – 52.30
4. Maddie Smith (Northwestern) – 52.43
5. Miriam Guevara (Northwestern) – 52.52
6. Elizabeth Broshears (Indiana) – 52.75
7. Kit Kat Zenick (Ohio State) – 52.95
8. Kelsey Drake (Iowa) – 53.21

Michigan junior Maggie MacNeil destroyed the final heat, cruising to the morning’s top time with a 50.71. She finished ahead of Iowa sophomore Mallory Jump (52.30) and OSU freshman Kit Kat Zenick (52.95) in that heat, as Jump broke 53 for the first time ever.

In heat seven, Michigan’s Olivia Carter posted a big win, dropping a 51.44 to jump to #7 nationally. That’s a new best by two-tenths for the Wolverine junior, and she’s favored to help Michigan go 1-2 in this behind MacNeil.

In heat eight, Miriam Guevara of Northwestern picked up the heat win, going 52.52 to hold off Indiana freshman Elizabeth Broshears (52.75), the latter going a lifetime best.

Out of heat one, entered without a seed time, Northwestern senior Maddie Smith dropped a 52.43, slashing 1.4 seconds off of her old best. Last year, Smith was 16th in prelims and finals, going her previous best 53.85 in prelims. Smith is on fire this week; yesterday, she took third in the 50 free after not even scoring in the event last year, and she anchored Northwestern to second in the 400 medley relay with a blazing, field-leading 47.00 anchor.

Iowa got two up in this race, with senior Kelsey Drake joining Jump with a 53.21 to snag eighth.

400 IM – PRELIMS

• Big Ten meet record – 4:01.41, Alyssa Vavra (Indiana) – 2012
• Big Ten record – 4:01.35, Calypso Sheridan (Northwestern) – 2019
• 2020 NCAA invite time – 4:10.39
• Defending champion: Calypso Sheridan (Northwestern), 4:03.18

Top 8

1. Kathryn Ackerman (Michigan) – 4:08.79
2. Josie Grote (Indiana) – 4:11.70
3. Katherine Trace (Ohio State) – 4:11.91
4. Mackenzie Looze (Indiana) – 4:12.42
5. Victoria Kwan (Michigan) – 4:12.76
6. Kristen Romano (Ohio State) – 4:13.23
7. Megan Van Berkom (Minnesota) – 4:13.66
8. Kelli McCarthy (Minnesota) – 4:13.96

In heat one, Michigan freshman Kathryn Ackerman put up a 4:08.79, a time that would last the rest of the prelims hets and earn her the top spot for the A-final. She set the Michigan program record at an intrasquad in the fall, going a lifetime best 4:05.58.

Josie Grote dropped a 4:11.70 in heat two, which propelled the IU senior to another A-final showing after she made the top final in the 500 free yesterday. OSU senior Katherine Trace was also under 4:12 here, going 4:11.91.

This final saw two swimmers from Michigan, Indiana, Ohio State and Minnesota all nab A-final spots.

200 FREE – PRELIMS

• Big Ten meet record – 1:41.57, Siobhan Haughey (Michigan) – 2019
• Big Ten record – 1:40.69, Siobhan Haughey (Michigan) – 2018
• 2020 NCAA invite time – 1:45.23
• Defending champion: Cora Dupre (Indiana), 1:43.61

Top 8

1. Autumn Haebig (Nebraska) – 1:45.56
2. Ally Larson (Northwestern) – 1:46.09
3. Ella Ristic (Indiana) – 1:46.14
4. Lillie Hosack (Wisconsin) – 1:46.24
5. Megan Glass (Michigan) – 1:46.38
6. Sophie Housey (Michigan) – 1:46.47
7. Amy Fulmer (Ohio State) – 1:46.74
8. Selen Ozbilen (Northwestern) – 1:46.89

Nebraska will look to earn a Big Ten title tonight with senior Autumn Haebig, who dropped a 1:45.56 for the fastet time of the day by over a half-second.

In the penultimate heat, Northwestern sophomore Ally Larson and Indiana freshman Ella Ristic battled down the final 100, with Larson just edging out Ristic, 1:46.09 to 1:46.14.

Wisconsin junior Lillie Hosack took heat nine, going 1:46.24 to edge OSU sophomore Amy Fulmer (1:46.74), while Michigan sophomore Megan Glass took heat eight in 1:46.38. Glass’s freshman teammate Sophie Housey dropped a 1:46.47 for sixth.

Notably Hosack, Haebig, Larson, Ristic and Housey all led off their respective 800 free relays in 1:45-lows, while Fulmer split a 1:45.7 on the second leg of OSU’s and Glass dropped a 1:44.2 on Michigan’s third leg. Tonight should be anyone’s race.

In heat two, NU freshman Selen Ozbilen went a lifetime best 1:46.89, better than her 1:47.0 anchor leg on the Wildcats’ 800 free relay on Tuesday night.

In addition to the 100 fly, Ohio State only had one A-finalist here; they still have a giant lead, but look for Michigan, Indiana and Northwestern to eat into the Buckeye lead with tonight’s finals session.