2019 WOMEN’S B1G CHAMPIONSHIPS
- When: Wednesday, February 20th to Saturday, February 23rd | Prelims 11am | Finals 6:30pm (6pm Saturday)
- Where: Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatics Center, Bloomington, IN (Eastern Time Zone)
- Defending Champion: Michigan Wolverines (3x) (results)
- Live Results
- Streaming: Big Ten Network
- Championship Central: here
The top two from last year have graduated from the 100 fly, but Michigan freshman Maggie MacNeil has been a sensation, putting up some of the fastest 100 fly times in history. She’ll lead the field into this morning after winning the 50 free last night.
In the 400 IM, the 2018 champ is also graduated, but Penn State’s Ally McHugh has seen a meteoric rise, including a long course national title last summer.
Meanwhile Siobhan Haughey is the defending 200 free champ. She’ll try to avenge a 200 IM loss last night, and has to face breakout University of Minnesota star Chantal Nack, who stunned the 500 free field last night.
Lilly King looks for her fourth consecutive 100 breast title, and perhaps a challenge of her American record.
And 200 IM champ Beata Nelson of Wisconsin has scratched the 100 fly, going all-in on the 100 back this morning. She’s the defending conference champ and one of only a few women ever to break 50 seconds in the event.
Keep refreshing this page for live, event-by-event updates of all the swimming from Bloomington.
Women’s 100 fly – prelims
Top 8 qualifiers:
- MacNeil (MICH) – 49.94
- Jensen (IU) – 51.82
- Hart (PSU) – 52.09
- Waddell (MINN) – 52.28
- Stoppa (RUT) – 52.34
- Greco (RUT) – 52.37
- Kitchel (PUR) – 52.66
- Koontz (IU) – 52.69
Michigan’s Maggie MacNeil blasted a 49.94 this morning to smash the Big Ten meet record and the overall Big Ten record. MacNeil had already been 49.97 at mid-season, ranking 4th all-time. This swim itself should be the 9th-fastest of all-time, behind five from Kelsi Worrell, two from Louise Hansson and one from Erika Brown.
MacNeil is nearly two full seconds ahead of the field. Indiana’s Christie Jensen, who was third last year and the top returner, went 51.82 to qualify second this morning. Fellow IU flyer Shelby Koontz is into the A final in 8th. In fact, Koontz beat out Michigan’s Alexis Margett for that spot by .02 seconds, in a swing that could have a solid impact on the team points race.
Penn State’s Madison Hart finished 8th last year, but surged to third this morning in 52.09. That’s a solid drop of three tenths from seed for her. Minnesota’s Tevyn Waddell went 52.28 for fourth – she’s been as fast as 52.0 before, and faces a 100 fly/100 back double this morning.
Rutgers put two into the A heat, with Francesca Stoppa (52.34) and Federica Greco (52.37) taking fifth and sixth. Purdue also got Taite Kitchel into the A heat. She was 7th last year, and qualified in that same spot this morning.
After last night, Indiana leads by more than 60 over Michigan and Ohio State. The Hoosiers put two into the A final here, but have no other scorers. Michigan has 1 A, 2 Bs and 2 Cs, while Ohio State has just one C finalist.
Women’s 400 IM – prelims
Top 8 qualifiers:
- Sheridan (NU) – 4:06.76
- Andison (IU) – 4:07.90
- Trace (OSU) – 4:08.16
- Demler (OSU) – 4:08.95
- Romano (OSU) – 4:08.96
- Looze (IU) – 4:09.11
- Kowal (OSU) – 4:11.25
- Grote (IU) – 4:11.47
Northwestern’s Calypso Sheridan took the top spot in the women’s 400 IM, belting a 4:06.76 to take exactly two seconds off her previous best. She leads the field by about a second heading into tonight. Sheridan would be Northwestern’s first Big Ten swimming champ on the women’s side since Andrea Hupman in 2008.
Indiana’s Bailey Andison went 4:07.90 – not a season-best, but still enough to qualify second. If she can challenge her 4:05.4 seed time tonight, she’ll be in the hunt for the win. Andison did make a huge drop from prelims to finals in the 200 IM last night.
Ohio State had an absolutely massive showing, making up for a nondescript 100 fly. Sophomore Katherine Trace is third in 4:08.16, dropping four seconds from seed. She was 12th last season, going just 4:12.74. Junior Kathrin Demler is fourth, going 4:08.95. Demler was stuck in the B final last year, but won that heat in 4:09.38. Meanwhile sophomore Kristen Romano is fifth (4:08.96) and making a return trip to the A final after taking third last year, and junior Molly Kowal is seventh in 4:11.25.
Romano might be the name to watch tonight – she dropped three seconds from prelims to finals last year, and is now the fastest returner to the A final after 2018 runner-up Ally McHugh of Penn State missed the A final in 10th.
Indiana also had a nice showing, getting Mackenzie Looze into 6th and Josephine Grote to 8th. They also put 2 into the B final. Ohio State has 4 As and 3 Cs, while Michigan has just 1 B and 2 Cs
Women’s 200 free – prelims
Top 8 qualifiers:
- DeLoof (MICH) – 1:43.74
- Hosack (WI) – 1:44.73
- Haughey (MICH) – 1:44.97
- Bi (MICH) – 1:45.12
- Nack (MINN) – 1:45.31
- Scott (IU) – 1:45.59
- Burvill (IA) – 1:45.93
- Jurkovich-Perisa (OSU) – 1:46.20
After a weak 400 IM, Michigan surged back with three A finalists in the 200 free. Senior Catie DeLoof is first in 1:43.74 – that’s a tenth faster than seed. Siobhan Haughey, who won this event last year and split 1:40 on the 800 free relay earlier this week, is third in 1:44.97, and Rose Bi went 1:45.12 for fourth.
Wisconsin’s Lillie Hosack was the only one to break up the Michigan party, going 1:44.73 for the second spot. Minnesota’s Chantal Nack, who broke a pool record leading off the 800 free relay in 1:43.1, is fifth in 1:45.31.
Indiana and Ohio State got one swimmer into the A final each, trying to keep pace with Michigan. Morgan Scott was 1:45.59 for IU, while Lucija Jurkovic-Perisa went 1:46.20 for Ohio State. Iowa’s Hannah Burvill also made the A final in 7th place.
Michigan leads this event with 3 As and 1 B. Indiana has 1 A, 1 B and 2 Cs. Meanwhile Ohio State has 1 A, 3 Bs and 1 C, the most scorers overall.
Women’s 100 breast – prelims
Top 8 qualifiers:
- King (IU) – 57.49
- Yeung (MICH) – 59.39
- Tucker (MICH) – 59.45
- Kozelsky (MINN) – 59.62
- Peplowski (IU) – 59.90
- Munson (MINN) – 1:00.14
- Morley (IU) – 1:00.22
- Gresser (OSU) – 1:00.25
Indiana paced the 100 breast in a big way, taking the top seed, putting three into the A final and adding three more scorers. Lilly King was the top threat, going 57.49 to easily pace the field in search of her fourth consecutive 100 breast title. Teammates Noelle Peplowski (5th in 59.90) and Laura Morley (7th in 1:00.22) are also into the A heat.
Michigan did keep pace somewhat, though, with two A finalists. Jamie Zhen Yeung had a solid drop from 59.7 to 59.39 in taking second. And Miranda Tucker was 59.45 for third.
Minnesota’s Lindsey Kozelsky is sitting fourth in 59.62 – she was the runner-up last year, and one of the top 10 all-time performers in the event. The Golden Gophers also got Rachel Munson (1:00.14) into the A final.
Ohio State’s Hanna Gresser took 8th, getting into the A final by two tenths over Purdue’s Jinq En Phee.
IU has 3 A finalists, 1 B and 2 Cs. Michigan has just its 2 A finalists, and Ohio State has 1 A and 1 C.
Women’s 100 back – prelims
Top 8 qualifiers:
- Nelson (WI) – 50.29
- MacNeil (MICH) – 50.92
- Scott (IU) – 51.97
- Koprivova (RUT) – 52.23
- Waddell (MINN) – 52.31
- Bradley (OSU) – 52.46
- Smailis (PUR) – 52.85
- Unicomb (WI) – 52.92
Wisconsin’s Beata Nelson had a strong prelims swim of 50.29 to take the top spot this morning. Nelson broke the American record at mid-season with a 49.67, and her swim this morning topped the pool record. She’ll have to be on her A-game to win tonight, though, as Michigan’s Maggie MacNeil followed closely in 50.92.
Fellow freshman Morgan Scott of Indiana broke through with a 51.97 for the third spot. That swim has huge national significance: Indiana’s medley relays have long been buoyed by historic breaststroke splits from Lilly King, but have struggled on back and free this year. Scott dropped from a lifetime-best 53.9 she did back in high school, instantly giving IU a 51-second backstroker to lead off their medley relays. (She went 52.2 on the 400 medley last night and 24.2 on the 200 medley day 1). IU could now be a viable national title contender in the 400 medley – they went 3:26.6 on day 2, and Scott has now bettered her leadoff split by almost half a second more.
Rutgers put Vera Koprivova into the A final in 4th (52.23) in what’s been a great morning for them. Minnesota’s Tevyn Waddell made her second A final of the morning with a 52.31 for fifth.
In the team battle, Ohio State added one A finalist (Rebekah Bradley in 6th) to match Michigan and Indiana. Meanwhile Purdue got senior Jacklyn Smailis into 7th, and Wisconsin will lead all teams with 2 A finalists in this event tonight. Jessica Unicomb took 8th this morning.
Michigan, Indiana and Ohio State each have 1 A finalist in this event tonight. Michigan also has 1 B and 2 Cs and Ohio State has the same. Indiana has their 1 A and 1 C.
Even more impressive is that Scott’s backstroke swim came after making the 200 free A final!
Taylor Garcia for Michigan………..ouch.
Is it fun to comment negatively about her every time she swims?
Ohio State seems to have a very negative program. All I ever see from them is complaints, complaints about not enough coverage, tearing down other teams, complaining about the suits that teams wear when they win dual meets…can’t imagine what it’s like to train in such a negative environment.
I don’t see how you can “know” about Ohio State being a negative team considering you aren’t a part of the team. I don’t know why someone has to tear down the buckeyes anytime they do something well. Anyone can create their name on here, just because the name is “buckeyeboy” does not mean they are affiliated with osu women’s swim team.
Interesting claims
OSU has a pretty high attrition rate, especially on the men’s team. A lot of it boils down to poor scholarship distribution, broken promises from coaches, and too much attention given to the stars with little trickle down. Couple that with the high stakes cut times that were put in place last season that got rid of a lot of hardworking swimmers and you have a stressful environment that’s difficult to train in.
Where are you seeing this “high” attrition rate?? You should check your facts before you make a post regarding something you know nothing about. Obviously they are doing something right with their “stressful” environment that is “difficult to train in”
According to the Swimulator model (which isn’t the only model to measure attrition, but is a logical and thought-out model), Ohio State women rank 13th in the Big Ten in attrition: https://staging.swimswam.com/swimulator/?type=programs&gender=Women&division=D1&conference=Big+Ten
And 140th in Division I overall: https://staging.swimswam.com/swimulator/?type=programs&gender=Women&division=D1&conference=All
Ohio State men actually do a little better – 74th nationally and 6th out of 10 in the Big Ten.
I’m not taking sides, just the best data set that I know of on the topic.
Just wait until after this season and then check the roster… considering I’m on the team I think I’d know what I’m talking about
And IN has better driving, but relay looks better for MI, points wise. – As Mike Bottom always says “this is going to be a battle”
Ups/mids/downs (total)
IU 10/4/5 (19)
Mich 7/6/5 (18)
OSU 7/4/8 (19)
So much for a 2-way race between IU and Michigan. OSU has come to fight.
Wow, OSU with 4 A final 400IM