2023 Women’s Big Ten Championships: Day 4 Finals Live Recap

2023 WOMEN’S BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, February 15 – Saturday, February 18, 2023
• Canham Natatorium, Ann Arbor, MI
• Defending Champions:
  • Women: Ohio State (3x)
• Live Results
• Live Video
• Championship Central
• Day 2 Finals Live Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Live Recap
• Fan Guide

SATURDAY FINALS HEAT SHEET

TEAM SCORES AFTER DAY 3

1. Ohio State – 934
2. Indiana – 848.5
3. Michigan – 773
4. Wisconsin – 649
5. Minnesota – 529.5
6. Northwestern – 464.5
7. Penn State – 375
8. Rutgers – 318.5
9. Purdue – 311
10. Nebraska – 299
11. Iowa – 163
12. Illinois – 155

The last session of the 2023 Women’s Big Ten Swimming and Diving Championships have arrived. The finals action tonight technically kicked off with the early heats of the 1650 free, which started at 3:30 this afternoon.

The Ohio State Buckeyes are in a favorable position to extend their Women’s Big Ten title streak to four, entering tonight 85.5 points up on Indiana. Ohio State also put one more ‘A’, ‘B’, and ‘C’ finalist into finals tonight in the swimming events, however, Indiana outperformed the Buckeyes greatly in diving. Both teams have two swimmers in the mile, all of whom are swimming with the fastest heat in finals.

That being said, Ohio State is in the driver’s seat heading into this session, but it’s far from a done deal at this point.

After winning the 200 free last night, Indiana’s Anna Peplowski is looking to add her second individual Big Ten title of her career tonight. Peplowski clocked the top time of the morning in the 200 back after finishing second in the 100 back last night as well. With no Phoebe Bacon in the field, the path is fairly clear for the sophomore, who now has the fastest personal best in the field.

Ohio State’s Felicia Pasadyn, a fifth-year grad transfer out of Harvard, will be maneuvering a tough double tonight. Pasadyn won the 400 IM last night and is the second seed in both the 200 back and 200 fly tonight.  It adds to the excitement of the 200 back final, as Peplowski and Pasadyn will be racing next to each other.

The women’s 100 free should be a race to watch as well, with Ohio State’s Amy Fulmer and Katherine Zenick both clearing the pool record this morning in prelims. It looks like it will be a repeat of the 50 free, where the same duo duked it out, with Zenick winning the race in a photo-finish. Zenick has already won titles in the 50 free and 100 fly and will be looking to add a third tonight in the 100 free.

Michigan freshman Katie Crom emerged as a title contender in the 200 fly this morning, storming to a new personal best of 1:55.52 for the top time of the morning.

1650 FREESTYLE – TIMED FINALS

• Big Ten Meet Record: 15:43.17
• Canham Pool Record: 15:49.98, Lindsey Clary (2016)
• 2022 Champion: Paige McKenna (Wisconsin) – 15:47.31
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 15:52.41
• 2022 NCAA Invite Time: 16:16.47

RESULTS:

1. Paige McKenna (Wisconsin) – 15:46.90
2. Ching Gan (Indiana) – 15:56.55
3. Mariah Denigan (Indiana) – 15:57.82
4. Maya Geringer (Ohio State) – 16:05.34
5. Gwen Woodbury (Ohio State) – 16:05.80
6. Genevieve Jorgenson (Nebraska) – 16:13.54
7. Lola Mull (Northwestern) – 16:14.35
8. Madison Murtagh (Rutgers) – 16:15.36

For the first 500 yards of the race, it was basically a dead heat between Paige McKenna, Ching Gan, and Mariah Denigan. After that point, McKenna, the defending champion in the event, kicked it into another gear and began pulling away from her Indiana competitors.

McKenna ended up beating her winning time for last year by 0.41 seconds, also taking down the Canham Natatorium pool record by about three seconds.

For their part, Gan and Denigan each got under 16:00, marking excellent swims for the duo.

McKenna’s time marks the fastest in the NCAA this season by an order of magnitude, at least prior to tonight’s conference meets.

200 BACKSTROKE – FINALS

• Big Ten Meet Record: 1:48.47, Beata Nelson (2019)
• Canham Pool Record: 1:51.45, Kate Zubkova (2009)
• 2022 Champion: Phoebe Bacon (Wisconsin) – 1:51.23
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:50.50
• 2022 NCAA Invite Time: 1:53.97

RESULTS:

1. Anna Peplowski (Indiana) – 1:51.81
2. Felicia Pasadyn (Indiana) – 1:52.29
3. Mackenzie McConagha (Wisconsin) – 1:53.77
4. Morgan Kraus (Ohio State) – 1:54.53
5. Tristan Harrison (Ohio State) – 1:54.84
6. Justine Murdock (Northwestern) – 1:54.99
7. Paula Rivero (Minnesota) – 1:55.12
8. Mya DeWitt (Indiana) – 1:56.20

In a thrilling race that went wire-to-wire, Indiana’s Anna Peplowski picked up her second individual title of the meet, swimming a 1:51.81. Ohio State’s Felicia Pasadyn got out to a small early lead, which she held for the first half of the race. Peplowski then inched back into a tie with Pasadyn, pulling ahead on the final 25 yards of the race.

This was just race number one in a tough double for Pasadyn as well. She’ll be racing in the 200 fly ‘A’ final later in the session too.

Wisconsin’s Mackenzie McConagha picked up a bronze medal after pulling clearly into third on the back half of the race.

100 FREESTYLE – FINALS

• Big Ten Meet Record: 46.57, Maggie MacNeil (2020)
• Canham Pool Record: 47.23, Amy Fulmer (2023)
• 2022 Champion: Maggie MacNeil (Michigan) – 47.10
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 47.18
• 2022 NCAA Invite Time: 48.44

RESULTS:

1. Amy Fulmer (Ohio State) – 47.02 (pool record)
2. Lindsay Flyn (Michigan) – 47.50
3. Katherine Zenick (Ohio State) – 47.92
4. Teresa Ivan (Ohio State) – 48.30
5. Kristina Paegle (Indiana) – 48.63
6. Ashley Turak (Indiana) – 48.66
7. Christey Liang (Michigan) – 48.80
8. Ashley Strouse (Northwestern) – 48.81

Ohio State’s Amy Fulmer broke the pool record in the event for the second time today, which also marks the third time this pool record went down today, since Katharine Zenick broke it before Fulmer this morning. Fulmer left little doubt as she went into her final turn tonight, having opened up and insurmountable lead over everyone else.

Michigan’s Lindsay Flynn managed to pull away from Zenick on the back half of the race, roaring in for a second-place finish in 47.50.

It was still a great event for the Buckeyes, as Zenick came in third and Teresa Ivan finished fourth. After the 100 free, Ohio State has built their lead to 173 points. At this point, the Buckeyes have all but won their fourth consecutive Big Ten title.

200 BREASTSTROKE – FINALS

• Big Ten Meet Record: 2:04.03, Lilly King (2017)
• Canham Pool Record: 2:05.58, Lilly King (2016)
• 2022 Champion: Brearna Crawford (Indiana) – 2:06.86
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 2:06.18
• 2022 NCAA Invite Time: 2:09.15

RESULTS:

1. Noelle Peplowski (Indiana) – 2:06.01
2. Josie Panitz (Ohio State) – 2:07.57
3. Mac Looze (Indiana) – 2:08.58
4. Elizabeth Moore (Wisconsin) – 2:09.05
5. Letitia Sim (Michigan) – 2:09.32
6. Brearna Crawford (Indiana) – 2:09.65
7. Hannah Brunzell (Northwestern) – 2:10.11
8. Hannah Bach (Ohio State) – 2:12.05

After her younger sister won the 200 back earlier in the session, Indiana fifth-year Noelle Peplowski won her first individual Big Ten title. Peplowski took the race over on the second 50 and never looked back, pulling away from the field on the middle 100 of the race.

Ohio State’s Josie Panitz came in second tonight after posting the top time of the morning.

It was a huge race for Indiana, seeing Mac Looze take third with a 2:08.58 and Brearna Crawford, the defending champion in the event, finish sixth in 2:09.65. Indiana cut into Ohio State’s lead, bringing the gap all the way down to 123 points. Still, it would take a stunning turn of events for the Buckeyes not to win this meet.

100 breast champion Hannah Bach finished eighth tonight, clocking a 2:12.05, just off her prelims time.

200 BUTTERFLY – FINALS

• Big Ten Meet Record: 1:51.83, Olivia Carter (2022)
• Canham Pool Record: 1:54.13, Tanja Kyllainen (2013)
• 2022 Champion: Olivia Carter (Michigan) – 1:51.83
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:52.86
• 2022 NCAA Invite Time: 1:56.14

RESULTS:

1. Katie Crom (Michigan) – 1:53.94
2. Felicia Pasadyn (Ohio State) – 1:54.33
3. Megan Van Berkom (Minnesota) – 1:55.14
4. Miriam Guevara (Northwestern) – 1:55.82
5. Mallory Jump (Wisconsin) – 1:56.36
6. Katie Forrester (Indiana) – 1:56.87
7. Shannon Stott (Nebraska) – 1:57.36
8. Sofia Chichaikina (Rutgers) – 1:57.46

Despite working a tough double, Ohio State’s Felicia Pasadyn got out to a great start, leading the field at the halfway point of the race. Michigan’s Katie Crom made her move on the third 50, however, pulling into the lead. The Wolverine freshman was able to increase her lead on the final 50, tearing into the finish in 1:53.94.

With Crom’s performance, Michigan defending their title in the event, as Wolverine alum Olivia Carter won the event at last year’s championships.

In her grueling double, Pasadyn managed another second-place finish, dropping from prelims.

Minnesota’s Megan Van Berkom clocked a third place finish with a 1:55.14.

PLATFORM DIVING – FINALS

• Big Ten Meet Record: 424.45, Jessica Parratto (2015)
• 2022 Champion: Tarrin Gilliland (Indiana) – 382.80

RESULTS:

1. Maycey Vieta (Purdue) – 318.30
2. Maggie Merriman (Purdue) – 309.35
3. Vivi Del Angel Peniche (Minnesota) – 307.25
4. Skyler Liu (Indiana) – 305.60
5. Sophia McAfee (Purdue) – 294.30
6. Markie Hopkins (northwestern) – 276.40
7. Anne Fowler (Indiana) – 271.80
8. Lucy Hogan (Michigan) – 249.10

Purdue cleaned up in platform diving tonight, finishing first, second, and fifth. Maycey Vieta claimed the crown, denying Indiana’s Anne Fowler from completing her sweep of the diving events. Fowler finished seventh tonight.

Boilermaker Maggie Merriman took second, while their teammate Sophia McAfee was fifith.

Indiana newcomer Skyler Liu came in fourth, capping off an excellent meet by her.

400 FREESTYLE RELAY – TIMED FINALS

• Big Ten Meet Record: 3:09.84, Michigan (2022)
• Canham Pool Record: 3:13.81, Michigan (2016)
• 2022 Champion: Michigan – 3:09.84
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 3:14.10
• 2022 NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 3:16.32

RESULTS:

1. Ohio State – 3:10.12
2. Michigan – 3:13.19
3. Indiana – 3:14.71
4. Wisconsin – 3:14.81
5. Northwestern – 3:15.57
6. Penn State – 3:16.73
7. Minnesota – 3:16.92
8. Rutgers – 318.96

Ohio State capped off an excellent meet with a dominant victory in the 400 free relay. The team of Katherine Zenick (47.57), Catherine Russo (48.22), Teresa Ivan (47.70), and Amy Fulmer (46.63) combined for a 3:10.12, scaring the Big Ten Record of 3:09.84, which was set last year by Michigan. Fulmer’s split was the fastest in the field by a wide margin, as Zenick’s 47.57 lead-off split was actually the second-fastest split in the event.

Interestingly, the third-fastest split in the field belonged to Michigan lead-off Lindsay Flynn, who set the Wolverines up very solidly for their second-place finish.

With the conclusion of the relay, Ohio State has officially won their fourth-consecutive women’s Big Ten title.

FINAL TEAM STANDINGS

1. Ohio State – 1425
2. Indiana – 1291
3. Michigan – 1108
4. Wisconsin – 954
5. Minnesota – 768.5
6. Northwestern – 710
7. Purdue – 492.5
8. Penn State – 475
9. Rutgers – 467.5
10. Nebraska – 437
11. Illinois – 215
12. Iowa – 198