Hoosiers Third After Day 2 of Big Ten Championships

Thursday, February 18

West Lafayette, Ind.

All Day

Indiana University

Big Ten Championships

Junior Ashley Jones set a new school record and finished second in the 200 individual medley.

Hoosiers Third After Day 2 of Big Ten Championships

2/18/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving

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Spurred by a school record and second-place finish for Ashley Jones in the 200 IM, and a third-place performance from Gabby Agostino in the 1-meter springboard, the Hoosiers currently sit in third place after day two of the Big Ten Women's Swimming and Diving Championships at the Boilermaker Aquatic Center in West Lafayette, Ind.

Just 13.5 points separate the Hoosiers from the top spot as Minnesota is first with 204.5, followed by Michigan (195.5) and Indiana (191.0).

Margaux Farrell led off the 200 free relay by going under 23 seconds for the first time in her career, swimming a 22.99, which is an NCAA B cut. Taylor Wohrley and Brittany Strumbel kept the Hoosiers out front in the heat,and Kate Fesenko brought the relay home in a season-best time of 1:31.45, good for seventh place. That is an NCAA B cut and the fourth fastest time in school history. It is the fastest time for the Hoosiers since a 1:31.34 performance at the 2007 NCAA Championships.

"I was proud of the ladies, being able to move from 10th to seventh and posting the fourth-fastest time in school history," said assistant head coach for women's swimming Pam Swander. "It was an outstanding effort."

Nikki White was the top Hoosier finisher in the 500 freestyle, posting a time of 4:43.75 in the final to place fourth. Brittany Strumbel was seventh in 4:43.75, a season best for the Hoosier. Cassie Luhrsen finished sixth in the consolation final and 14th overall with a time of 4:48.72. That is a season best for Luhrsen and an NCAA B cut. In the morning swim, White qualified second for the final with a time of 4:42.75. Strumbel took third in her heat with a time of 4:45.20 to earn a spot in the championship final. Luhrsen won the sixth of nine heats with a time of 4:48.77. Courey Schaefer finished second in her heat and 29th overall with a time of 4:53.14, a new career best. Ashley Kranz finished second in her heat at 41st overall with a time of 4:57.55. Laura Head went a career best 5:06.27 to finish 60th in the prelims. Kristen Mitsch took more than nine seconds off her career best with a time of 5:09.19 to place 65th. Rounding out the group was Justine Jones in 68th (5:12.82).

For the second straight season Ashley Jones took second in the 200 individual medley with a time of 1:57.64. Jones has finished no worse that sixth in the event in her three seasons at IU. Allysa Vavra was eighth, clocking in at 2:00.69. Jones ran away from the field in her heat of the 200 individual medley with a school-record time of 1:57.49. She topped her previous school mark of 1:58.24 set at the 2009 Big Ten Championships. Her time is just off the NCAA A standard of 1:56.13. In the next heat, Vavra also topped the old school record to win in a time of 1:58.05, which is the third fastest in school history. Jones and Vavra posted the two fastest times of the morning. Katelyn Ishee went a career best 2:09.95 in the prelims for a 55th-place finish, while Afton Robertson posted a career time of 2:11.19 to finish 58th.

"It was a surprise," Jones said. "When I came in this morning I had no idea I was going to post that time. I was really excited."

Indiana's only entrant in the 50 free, Farrell took fourth in the consolation heat and 12th overall with a time of 23.07. In the morning prelims, Farrell took fourth in her heat with a time of 23.08.

"We are really looking forward to coming out tomorrow," Swander said.

Sophomore Gabby Agostino posted her best-ever finish at a Big Ten meet with a third-place showing in the 1-meter springboard competition. Agostino finished with 322.30 points, just four points out of second place. Junior Christina Kouklakis had her best finish in a springboard event at Big Tens, placing seventh with 290 points. Sophomore Nicole Brehm finished 14th with a score of 255.35. She advanced to the consolation final after posting a mark of 265.15 in the prelims. Senior Amy Korthauer was 15th with a consolation final score of 249.00. She made it to the consolation round with a score of 264.65 in the prelims. Competing at her first Big Ten meet, freshman Logan Kline placed 17th with a score of 252.45. Junior Cassidy Kahn was 21st with 242.15 points, while freshman Amy Cozad was 28th (229.95) and junior Heidi Mahnken 37th (193.60).

200 Freestyle Relay

7. Indiana (Margaux Farrell, Taylor Wohrley, Brittany Strumbel, Kate Fesenko) - 1:31.45 (NCAA B Cut)

* Farrell swam 22.99 on the leadoff leg, a personal best.

500 Freestyle

4. Nikki White- 4:42.90 (4:42.75- prelims) (NCAA B Cut)

7. Brittany Strumbel - 4:43.75 (4:45.20-prelims) (NCAA B Cut)

14. Cassie Luhrsen - 4:48.72 (4:48.77-prelims) (NCAA B Cut)

29. Courey Schaefer - 4:53.14- prelims (career best)

41. Ashley Kranz - 4:57.55- prelims

60. Laura Head - 5:06.27- prelims (career best)

65. Kristen Mitsch - 5:09.19- prelims (career best)

68. Justine Jones - 5:12.82- prelims