Peplowski Bronze Highlights Day Two at NCAA Meet

Thursday, March 21

Athens, Ga.

6 p.m.

Indiana University

NCAA Championships - Finals

ATHENS, GA - March 20th, 2024 - Anna Peplowski during the 2024 NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships at the Gabrielsen Natatorium in Athens, Georgia. Photo By Trent Barnhart/Indiana Athletics

Peplowski Bronze Highlights Day Two at NCAA Meet

3/21/2024 10:43:00 PM | Women's Swimming and Diving

Results (PDF)

ATHENS, Ga. – Indiana kept pace at the 2024 NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships thanks to two podium finishes, two program records and five All-America placements Thursday (March 21) inside the Gabrielsen Natatorium on the campus of the University of Georgia. IU sits No. 8 in the team standings with 87 points through two days.

Indiana's night was highlighted by junior Anna Peplowski's bronze-medal finish in the 500-yard freestyle, becoming the program's third medalist in the event all-time and first since Kennedy Goss in 2017. Peplowski broke the program record twice Thursday, going 4:34.72 in the prelim and 4:34.06 in the final – a drop of 3.41 seconds from her Big Ten runner-up time. The junior was the No. 11 seed coming in and dropped eight spots to earn valuable points for the Hoosiers over the projections.

"It was another solid day for the Hoosiers," IU head swimming coach Ray Looze said. "Anna Peplowski really did a fine job in the 500 freestyle. She just gained such valuable experience. The two people that beat her were U.S. Olympians in Tokyo, and that event is going to be really important to her down the line for races like the 200-meter free. And she just stepped up to the pressure, handled it beautifully and took a huge step forward."

Peplowski was fifth after 750 yards but blasted the quickest final 50 in 26.32 to race past Stanford junior Aurora Roghair (4:34.26) and Virginia freshman Cavan Gormsen (4:35.37).

Thursday marked the final chapter of IU's friendly 50-yard freestyle relay rivalry between fifth-year senior Ashley Turak and sophomore Kristina Paegle – the two fastest 50 free swimmers in program history. Turak reclaimed her school standard in the 50 free B final in 19.73 with Paegle swimming in the next lane. It was déjà vu, as Turak set the top mark for the first time at the 2023 NCAA Championships with a time of 21.81 – again with Paegle in the next lane. Paegle had held the record since midseason (21.76), and the duo have set the school's top eight times over the last year.

Turak tied her career-best finish, placing 10th for the second-straight season in her final meet. Paegle improved from 13th to 12th with a time of 21.86.

Senior Anne Fowler earned her third-career 1-meter All-America honors, placing 16th to earn a point in the first diving event of the week. Fowler tallied a score of 266.05.

"The girls fought hard today," IU head diving coach Drew Johansen said. "Anne battled all day to bring some points to the team. Events like these are always decided by the little things. I am looking forward to getting after the little things tomorrow."

Indiana returned to the podium in the 200-yard freestyle relay, finishing eighth with a time of 1:26.84 – the second-fastest time in program history. IU went 1:26.66 during its Big Ten Championship last month. Peplowski (21.91), Turak (21.28), junior Kacey McKenna (22.28) and Paegle (21.37) grabbed IU's second consecutive podium placement after the program had not scored in the race since 2005.

"Getting a top-eight relay is always just so fortunate, because it's not easy to do that at this meet. We just have to keep clawing. It's a long meet, most of it still remains and some of our best events are coming up. Go Hoosiers!"

RESULTS
500 FREESTYLE
2. Anna Peplowski – 4:34.06 (NCAA Bronze, All-America, Program Record, Career Best)

50 FREESTYLE
10. Ashley Turak – 21.73 (Second-team All-America, Program Record, Career Best)
12. Kristina Paegle – 21.86 (Second-team All-America)

1-METER DIVING
16. Anne Fowler – 266.05 (Second-team All-America)

200 FREESTYLE RELAY
8. Anna Peplowski, Ashley Turak, Kacey McKenna, Kristina Paegle – 1:26.84 (All-America)

HOOSIER ALL-AMERICANS
Brearna Crawford (200 medley relay*)
Ching Hwee Gan (800 freestyle relay)
Anne Fowler (1-meter*)
Kacey McKenna (200 medley relay*, 200 freestyle relay)
Kristina Paegle (200 medley relay*, 800 freestyle relay, 50 freestyle*, 200 freestyle relay)
Anna Peplowski (800 freestyle relay, 500 freestyle, 200 freestyle relay)
Ella Ristic (800 freestyle relay)
Chiok Sze Yeo (200 medley relay*)
Ashley Turak (50 freestyle*, 200 freestyle relay)

UP NEXT
Indiana will look to set the tone for a great night when they open day three with the morning preliminary session on Friday beginning at 10 a.m. ET. The 100 fly, 400 IM, 200 free, 100 breast, 100 back, 3-meter dive and 400 medley relay will be contested.

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