Huskers Gear Up for Friday Night Finals

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Columbia, Mo. ? The Huskers qualified one swimmer in three of the five individual events and two divers for the finals from Friday morning’s preliminary session of the 2006 Big 12 Championships at the MizzouAquaticCenter in Columbia, Mo.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

Junior Lauren Bailey qualified for her second finals event of the meet after she won the first heat of the 400-yard individual medley. Bailey held the fastest time in the conference coming into the meet, and her season-best mark of 4:21.50 was the third-best time from the preliminary heats heading into Friday night’s finals.

 

Juniors Bailey Ingles and Casey Schnack will also compete in Friday night’s 400-yard individual medley. Each swam season-best times and qualified for the consolation finals, as Ingles was 11th overall in 4:26.94 and Schnack was 14th in 4:28.15.

 

“This was the best I have ever swum in a morning session and it should bode well for tonight,” Bailey said. “It should be a good race and I have a goal to match my personal best from my freshman year at the conference meet (4:17.57).”

 

Junior co-captain Kate Wheeler also qualified for her second final of the meet as she turned in the fifth-best 200-yard freestyle time (1:49.14) in school history to finish runner-up in the fifth heat, fourth overall. The Issaquah, Wash., native is now No. 5 all-time in two events (also in the 1,650-freestyle) and she will aim for her fourth top-five finish at the Big 12 Championships in her career in Friday night’s finals. Freshman Jenny Toler will compete in the consolation finals (13th, 1:52.09) with junior Michelle Criss (21st, 1:53.87) and senior Esmie Holderman (24th, 1:55.45) in the bonus finals.

 

Senior Rachel Schlatter set a career best Friday morning as her 100-yard breaststroke time of 1:03.57 notched her a spot in the finals as the fifth-best time from the preliminaries. Schlatter owns five top-10 finishes in breaststroke events at the Big 12 Championships in her career with three of those coming in the 100-yard breaststroke. Senior Lana Baker will also have an opportunity to score points for the Huskers as she qualified for the consolation finals in 1:06.71

 

Nebraska’s senior diving duo of Amie Buoy and Becky Johnson qualified for the three-meter finals after they finished fifth (266.25) and seventh (255.60) respectively in the prelims. It will be Buoy’s fourth consecutive appearance in the three-meter finals at the conference meet and Johnson’s second when they take the board for the finals Friday night.

 

“We are going to have to move up a notch tonight,” Head Coach Pablo Morales said. “We are going to have to fight and scratch our way back into it. The disqualification in the 400-medley relay last night hurt, us but we still have an opportunity to do some special things. The good start this morning will help us and we need to carry that over to this evening.”

 

The finals begin at 6 p.m.

 

Friday Preliminary Results

(Nebraska finishes)

 

400-yard Individual Medley

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

 

Finals

3. Lauren Bailey, Nebraska, 4:21.50 (Season Best)

 

Consolation Finals

11. Bailey Ingles, Nebraska, 4:26.94 (Season Best)

14. Casey Schnack, Nebraska, 4:28.15 (Season Best)

 

100-yard Butterfly

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

 

Bonus Finals

18. AlexKing, Nebraska, 57.80 (Season Best)

21. Christina Yemm, Nebraska, 57.96

 

200-yard Freestyle

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

 

Finals

4. Kate Wheeler, Nebraska, 1:49.14 (Career Best) (Tie No. 5 NU All-Time)

 

Consolation Finals

13. Jenny Toler, Nebraska, 1:52.09 (Season Best)

 

Bonus Finals

21. Michelle Criss, Nebraska, 1:53.87 (Season Best)

24. Esmie Holderman, Nebraska, 1:55.45

 

100-yard Breaststroke

Finals

5. Rachel Schlatter, Nebraska, 1:03.57 (Career Best)

 

Consolation Finals

10. Adrienne Goodman, Nebraska, 1:04.51 (Season Best)

16. Lana Baker, Nebraska, 1:06.71

 

Bonus Finals

21. Lynn Siemert, Nebraska, 1:09.22 (Season Best)

 

100-yard Backstroke

Bonus Finals

18. Emilee Crawford, Nebraska, 58.28 (Season Best)

 

Three-Meter Dive

(1-8 Finalists)

5. Amie Buoy, Nebraska, 266.25

7. Becky Johnson, Nebraska, 255.60