Huskers Qualify 11 for Finals

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<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Columbia, Mo. ? The Huskers qualified 10 swimmers and one diver for Thursday night’s finals after completing Session 2 of the Big 12 Championships on Thursday morning at the MizzouAquaticCenter in Columbia, Mo.

 

Nebraska qualified all five of its competitors for finals events in the 500-yard freestyle, led by junior Lauren Bailey’s first-place finish (4:49.83) in Heat 3, which finished fifth overall. Junior co-captain Kate Wheeler also qualified for the finals with a time of 4:50.11, while junior Casey Schnack will swim in the consolation finals after she turned in a career-best time of 4:53.43.

 

Bailey and Wheeler ranked second and third, respectively, in the conference coming into the meet and 44th and 45th nationally.

 

“Both Lauren and Kate are in good position to challenge for great spots in tonight’s finals,” Head Coach Pablo Morales said. “I think it will be a close race, with several challenging for the win. It will be tough with Texas’ Macie Garrett and Texas A&M’s Codie Hanson but I won’t be surprised if one of our swimmers challenges them for the top spot.”

 

In the 50-yard freestyle, sophomore Lynn Siemert matched her career-best time from last year’s Big 12 Championships with a mark of 23.67 to qualify for the consolation finals. Siemert’s time was 13th overall, while senior Kate Dulgar and freshman Jenna Stroud qualified for the bonus finals. Dulgar swam a career-best time of 24.21 (21st) while Stroud’s time of 24.28 (23rd) was a season best.

 

Three other Husker swimmers also set season-best times in the preliminaries of the 50-yard freestyle in freshman Jenny Toler (24.54), junior co-captain Emilee Crawford (24.96) and sophomore Adrienne Goodman (25.00).

 

Freshman Christina Yemm and junior Bailey Ingles were Nebraska’s top swimmers in the 200-yard individual medley preliminaries as each qualified for the bonus finals. Yemm placed 19th overall in a season-best time of 2:06.76 while Ingles was 20th (2:06.81).

 

In the final event of the session, senior diver Amie Buoy claimed the last spot for Thursday night's finals on the one-meter dive with a preliminary round score of 231.90. She will be up against tough competition in the finals against former Big 12 Diver-of-the-Year winners, Alida DiPlacido and Rosie Whiting of Texas A&M. However, Buoy did edge out Kansas' Shelby Noonan in the prelims. Noonan had defeated Buoy eariler this season in dual action.

 

Thursday night’s finals begin at 6 p.m.

 

Thursday Preliminary Results

(Nebraska finishes)

 

500-yard Freestyle

(1-8 Finalists, 9-16 Consolation Finalists, 17-24 Bonus Finalists)

 

Finals

5. Lauren Bailey, Nebraska, 4:49.83

6. Kate Wheeler, Nebraska, 4:50.11 

 

Consolation Finals

9. Casey Schnack, Nebraska, 4:53.43 (Career Best)

 

Bonus Finals

22. Esmie Holderman, Nebraska, 5:00.98 (Season Best)

23. Mackenzie Clark, Nebraska, 5:01.00 (Season Best)

 

200-yard IM

(1-8 Finalists, 9-16 Consolation Finalists, 17-24 Bonus Finalists)

 

Bonus Finals

19. Christina Yemm, Nebraska, 2:06.76 (Season Best)

20. Bailey Ingles, Nebraska, 2:06.81

 

50-yard Freestyle

(1-8 Finalists, 9-16 Consolation Finalists, 17-24 Bonus Finalists)

 

Consolation Finals

13. Lynn Siemert, Nebraska, 23.67 (Tie Career Best)

 

Bonus Finals

21. Kate Dulgar, Nebraska, 24.21 (Career Best)

23. Jenna Stroud, Nebraska, 24.28 (Season Best)

 

One-Meter Dive

(1-8 Finalists)

8. Amie Buoy, Nebraska, 231.90