2015 Big Ten Women’s Championships: Day 1 Finals Live Recap

B1G WOMEN

• When: Wednesday, February 18th to Saturday, February 21st | Prelims 11am | Finals 6:30pm
• Where: McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion, Columbus, OH (Eastern Time Zone)
• Defending Champion: Minnesota Gophers
• Live Results 
• Live Video
• Championship Central: here

The Big Ten will start off with its’ women competing tonight, while the men will hit the water next week at the University of Iowa. Tonight will be swimming only, as the B1G women will square off in the 200 medley relay and the 800 free relay. This will be the first chance to see renowned sprinter Ivy Martin flex her muscles, while we’ll also get a look at the defending champions Minnesota as well as a host of fab frosh from Indiana and Michigan, among others.

200 MEDLEY RELAY

The Hoosier women won this event last year in 1:36.69, but that’s when they had a very strong breaststroker in Bronwyn Pasloski. This year, Michigan looked very strong at the half after Ali DeLoof posted a field-best 24.06 lead off. But Wisconsin’s Martin caught up to Zoe Mattingly at the turn on the fly leg, and it was all Wisconsin after that, as sophomore Chase Kinney held off the field for the Wisconsin win, in 1:36.82. Martin was a very fast 22.66, out splitting Mattingly by nearly a second, and Kinney dropped one of only two sub-22 splits to anchor in 21.77. The other sub-22 split came from Rebecca Weiland of 4th place Minnesota, who split a 21.78, just a hundredth behind Kinney.

Michigan was 2nd in 1:37.52, and Ohio State 3rd in 1:37.55. OSU’s secret weapon was last year’s 200 IM champ, Ashley Vance, whose 27.04 breaststroke split was the 2nd fastest in the field. The fastest split snuck in the first heat, where Iowa’s Emma Sougstad dropped a 26.82. The big story here is Indiana, who dropped down to NINTH place. They won the event last year, but the graduation of Pasloski and lack of immediate breaststroke relief is spelling disaster for the Hoosiers. Notably, Snodgrass was taken off that relay, as she has led it off for most of the season.

800 FREE RELAY

Indiana won this relay in a B1G meet record, posting a 6:59.10 to take down their own mark of 6:59.48 from 2013. The big split came from freshman Kennedy Goss, who swam the 2nd leg in a 1:43.18. Seeing as she’s set to do battle with Penn State’s Alyson Ackman, who was only 1:44.47 on their 2nd leg, it’s looking like Goss is shaping up to be the favorite. Haley Lips opened things up nicely for the Hoosiers, going 1:44.16 which was actually the 2nd best time in the field, flat start or flying start.

The Michigan Wolverines, featuring three freshmen and one sophomore, touched 2nd in 7:01.72 ahead of Minnesota (7:01.93), who won the event in 7:00.04 last year with the same four girls. The Wolverines had Clara Smiddy lead off in a school record time of 1:45.21, knocking off teammate Gillian Ryan‘s recent record from December. The two freshman will be a huge factor in Michigan’s scoring capabilities this year. Minnesota didn’t look sharp enough to defend their relay title, although they are still very much so in the game in the team standings at the moment.

DAY ONE STANDINGS

1. Michigan 68

2. Wisconsin 66

3. Minnesota 62

4. Indiana 58

5. Purdue 56

5. Penn State 56

7. Iowa 46

8. Ohio State 42

8. Northwestern 42

10. Illinois 36

11. Rutgers 24

11. Nebraska 24

13. Michigan State 16