2022 Big 12 Championships: Day 4 Prelims Live Recap

2022 BIG 12 SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, February 23-Saturday, February 26, 2022
• The Aquatic Center at Mylan Park – Morgantown, WV
• SCY (25 yards)
• Defending Champions:
  • Women: Texas (9x)
  • Men: Texas (25x)
• Women’s Big 12 Record Book
• Men’s Big 12 Record Book
• 2021 Big 12 Champs Results
• Championship Central
• Live Results
• Live Streaming: Big 12 Now On ESPN+

The final day of the 2022 Big 12 Swimming & Diving Championships will feature races in the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly, and platform diving in prelims, with the 1650 freestyle and 400 free relay added later in the day.

Both meet titles are well-in-hand: something even a relay DQ for the Texas men on Friday couldn’t interrupt. There is still a relevant battle, though, for the minor positions in the meet: TCU is only 40.5 points behind Kansas on the women’s side, while West Virginia is only 60 points behind TCU on the men’s side.

SCORES THOUGH DAY 3

WOMEN:

1. Texas – 744
2. Kansas – 431.5
3. Texas Christian – 391
4. West Virginia – 318.5
5. Iowa State – 317

MEN:

1. Texas – 721
2. Texas Christian – 569
3. West Virginia – 509

Women’s 200 Back – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 1:50.50
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 1:57.11
• 2021 Invite Time – 1:55.05
• Meet Record: 1:51.11 – Tasija Karosas (Texas), 2017
• Big 12 Record: 1:49.91 – Tasija Karosas (Texas), 2017

Top 8:

1. Olivia Bray (Texas) – 1:51.96
2. Paige Dresesel (West Virginia) – 1:58.34
3. Rylee Moore (Texas Christian) / Dewi Bluse (Kansas)- 1:58.64
4. (tie)
5. Ellie Howe (Kansas) – 1:58.78
6. Emily Haan (Iowa State) – 1:59.30
7. Liz Richardson (Iowa State) – 1:59.41
8. Sydney Silver (Texas) – 1:59.72*

Longhorn Olivia Bray is in line for her second win of the week after posting the fastest time of the morning by over six seconds with a 1:51.96.

West Virginia’s Paige Dressel qualified second over with a 1:58.34. The Mountaineers should get a second women into the A-final as the 8th-fastest woman overall, Texas’ Sydney Silver (1:59.72) appears to be a non-scorer, and that should bump Abby Reardon (1:59.86) into the A-final.

Rylee Moore of Texas Christian and Dewi Bluse of Kansas tied for this morning’s 3rd-fastest time at 1:58.64, closely followed by Bluse’s teammate Ellie Howe at 1:58.78.

Iowa State also put two women into the top eight: Emily Haan (1:59.30) and Liz Richardson (1:59.41).

Men’s 200 Back – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 1:39.13
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 1:45.04
• 2021 Invite Time – 1:41.81
• Meet Record: 1:38.61 – Ryan Harty (Texas), 2019
• Big 12 Record: 1:36.42 – John Shebat (Texas), 2019

Top 8:

1. Carson Foster (Texas) – 1:41.25
2. Peter Larson (Texas) – 1:41.80
3. Chris O’Connor (Texas) – 1:42.29
4. Nathan Quarterman (Texas) – 1:44.11
5. Jason Park (Texas) – 1:44.76
6. Justin Helmes (West Virginia) – 1:45.75
7. Kade Knoch (Texas Christian) – 1:46.46
8. Luke Dimiceli (Texas Christian) – 1:47.13

Carson Foster led a Texas top five sweep of this morning’s prelims times with a 1:41.25, followed by Peter Larson at 1:41.80. The next three Longhorns are all exhibitioned swimmers, which should give two additional West Virginia swimmers and one more Texas Christian swimmer the ability to swim in tonight’s A-final.

Women’s 100 Free – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 47.18
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 49.51
• 2021 Invite Time – 48.77
• Meet Record: 47.46 – Claire Adams (Texas), 2018
• Big 12 Record: 47.32 – Claire Adams (Texas), 2018

Top 8:

1. Kelly Pash (Texas) – 48.32
2. Bridget Semenuk (Texas) – 49.14
3. Julia Cook (Texas) – 49.36
4. Jacqueline McCutchan (West Virginia) / Kyla Leibel (Texas) – 49.73
5. (tie)
6. Grace Cooper (Texas) – 49.99
7. Claudia Dougan (Kansas) – 50.30
8. Serena Gould (Texas Christian) – 50.61

A number of Longhorn women will be swimming for their second individual title of the week. That field is led by Kelly Pash, who posted a 48.32 this morning after winning the 400 IM last night.

Pash will be one of five Texas women in this A-final tonight, while WVU, Kansas, and TCU, each will have one representative.

Men’s 100 Free – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 41.71
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 43.80
• 2021 Invite Time – 42.88
• Meet Record: 41.26 – Daniel Krueger (Texas), 2020
• Big 12 Record: 41.26 – Daniel Krueger (Texas), 2020

Top 8:

1. Cameron Auchinachie (Texas) – 42.04
2. Daniel Krueger (Texas) – 42.29
3. Drew Kibler (Texas) – 42.69
4. Tim Connery (Texas) – 42.99
5. Noah Cumby (Texas Christian) – 44.01
6. Raphael Paiva Da (Texas Christian) – 44.15
7. Anthony Grimm (Texas) – 44.18
8. Jadon Wuilliez (Texas Christian) – 44.64

Just like on the women’s side, we’ll see a number of Texas men vying for a second title tonight. Four men got under 44, led by 100 back champion Cameron Auchinachie (42.04).

Notably, Longhorn freshman Tim Connery swam to a big new personal best; he qualified 4th in 42.99 and took over a second off of his previous best of 44.18. Connery won the 100 fly last night.

Women’s 200 Breast – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 2:06.58
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 2:13.97
• 2021 Invite Time – 2:10.49
• Meet Record: 2:05.25 – Laura Sogar (Texas), 2013
• Big 12 Record: 2:04.69 – Anna Elendt (Texas), 2022

Top 8:

1. Anna Elendt (Texas) – 2:07.77
2. Kate Steward (Kansas) – 2:09.73
3. Channing Haley (Texas) – 2:14.59
4. Ellie Andrews (Texas) – 2:15.39
5. Martha Haas (Iowa State) – 2:15.49
6. Lehr Thorson (Iowa State) – 2:15.90
7. Brigid Gwidt (Kansas) – 2:15.90
8. Alaina Breitbach (Iowa State) – 2:15.93

Texas sophomore Anna Elendt set the Big 12 conference record in the 100 breast last night, and although it’s not reflected in the live results, she actually owns the Big 12 record in the 200 breast as well, thanks to a 2:04.69 against Rice just a few weeks ago.

She and Kanas’ Kate Steward were the only two women under 2:10 this morning. Two other Longhorns will join Elendt in the A-final, along three women from Iowa State and a total of two Kansas swimmers.

Men’s 200 Breast – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 1:52.28
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 1:58.43
• 2021 Invite Time – 1:54.28
• Meet Record: 1:49.89 – Will Licon (Texas), 2017
• Big 12 Record: 1:47.91 – Will Licon (Texas), 2017

Top 8:

1. Jake Foster (Texas) – 1:53.86
2. Caspar Corbeau (Texas) – 1:54.51
3. Janis Silins (Texas Christian) – 1:56.72
4. Braden Vines (Texas) – 1:57.17
5. Hugh McPherson (Texas Christian) – 1:57.36
6. Halvor Borgstroem (Texas) – 2:01.05
7. Reilly Keaney (West Virginia) – 2:03.04
8. Joe Schaefer (West Virginia) – 2:03.31

Jake Foster has taken second in both IM races so far this week, and tonight he’ll race for the win here after putting up the fastest time of the morning. He’ll face off against a field that will include 100 breast champion Caspar Corbeau, also of Texas.

Texas Christian and West Virginia also put two in the top 8, but WVU should get an additional swimmer there tonight as Texas’ Halvor Borgstroem is listed as exhibition, and should get bumped to the B-final.

Women’s 200 Fly – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 1:53.20
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 1:57.42
• 2021 Invite Time – 1:59.23
• Meet Record: 1:52.03 – Olivia Bray (Texas), 2021
• Big 12 Record: 1:51.18 – Kathleen Hershey (Texas), 2009

Top 8:

1. Emma Sticklen (Texas) – 1:52.67
2. Amelie Lessing (Kansas) – 2:00.93
3. Mia Walters (West Virginia) – 2:01.00
4. Mary Smutny (Texas) – 2:01.25
5. Winter Craig (Iowa State) – 2:02.61
6. Paige Riekhof (Kansas) – 2:02.63
7. Lauren Musbach (West Virginia) – 2:02.73
8. Jeanne Dahmen (Texas Christian) – 2:03.99

With meet record holder Olivia Bray opting for the 200 back, the door is wide open for Emma Sticklen to win this event tonight.

Still, Sticklen didn’t coast through prelims, instead swimming a strong 1:52.67 that was a whopping eight seconds faster than anyone else this morning.

Men’s 200 Fly – Finals

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 1:53.20
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 1:57.42
• 2021 Invite Time – 1:59.23
• Meet Record: 1:52.03 – Olivia Bray (Texas), 2021
• Big 12 Record: 1:51.18 – Kathleen Hershey (Texas), 2009

Top 8:

1. Sam Artmann (Texas) – 1:42.20
2. Andrew Koustik (Texas) – 1:46.11
3. Coby Carrozza (Texas) – 1:46.19
4. David Dixon (West Virginia) – 1:46.54
5. Piotr Sadłowski (Texas Christian) – 1:48.22
6. Ethan Heasley (Texas) – 1:48.69
7. Zhenya Ingram (West Virginia) – 1:49.69
8. Michael Chwaluk (Texas Christian) – 1:49.97

Well, this is awkward. Only 14 men competed in this event today, and of that group, only five actually appear eligible to score.

The non-scoring swimmers include the top qualifier, Texas’ Sam Artmann, who was nearly four seconds faster than anyone else this morning with his time of 1:42.20. That’s a new lifetime best for Artmann, improving on his 1:42.54 from December.

Longhorn fifth year Alvin Jiang scratched this event, but then time trialed the 100 back. He swam a 45.11, which should lock in his NCAA invite after he was looking a bit bubbly in both this (45.83) and the 100 fly (45.56).