2021 BIG TEN WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIPS
- When: Tuesday 23 February to Saturday 27 February | Prelims 11:00 | Final 18:30 (17:00 Tuesday) CT
- Where: Minneapolis, MN (Central Time Zone) / Diving @ Purdue University
- Defending champion: Ohio State (1x) (results)
- Live results
- Current: Big Ten Network
- Championship Central
After a massive first two days, the Ohio State Buckeyes were a little quieter on the first session on the three days, even though they have more than enough cushion to stay on top of the team race now.
Michigan’s Maggie MacNeil is one of the exciting names chasing in the 100 fly tonight, and wants to defend her title and extend her winning streak to three at this event. New Year from Wolverine Kathryn Ackerman was the class off the field this morning in the 400 IM, the only swimmer under 4:10 with a 4: 08.79, yet three seconds less than her best. An experienced group of IMers will race, including last night’s 200 IM champion Kristen Romano of OSU.
The 200 free will meanwhile be a showdown between a string of even participants.
Diving tonight has its first final session in West Lafayette with the 3-meter, while tonight there are no relays.
DAY THREE FINAL HIT JOURNALS
100 FLIGHT – FINAL
- Big ten meet record – 49.42, Maggie MacNeil (Michigan) – 2020
- Big ten record – 49.26, Maggie MacNeil (Michigan) – 2020
- 2020 NCAA Invitation Time – 52.34
- Defending champion: Maggie MacNeil (Michigan), 49.42
Top 3
- Maggie MacNeil (Michigan) – 49.68
- Olivia Carter (Michigan) – 51.54
- Maddie Smith (Northwest) – 52.09
Maggie MacNeil turned up another sub-50 performance and defended her title for 100 flies for the second time, making it three-straight. She was 49.68 and won by almost two seconds. Her teammate Olivia Carter, another junior, was 51.54 for second, just after her morning PR.
MacNeil takes over as the best time of the country this year.
Maddie Smith continues her giant week and drops another 0.3 of her best lead of 52.43 to fetch the bronze. Smith was 52.09 tonight and set a new Northwest record Miriam Guevarasee 52.20 record. Guevara finished fourth tonight, just .04 from her best and the previous school record of 52.20.
Kit Kat Zenick, a first-year student in Ohio, is fifth with a 52.73.
Newcomer to Ohio State Catherine Russo dropped a full second to win the B final in a new best of 52.33.
400 IM – FINAL
- Big Ten meet record – 4: 01.41, Alyssa Vavra (Indiana) – 2012
- Big Ten Record – 4: 01.35, Calypso Sheridan (Northwest) – 2019
- 2020 NCAA Invitation Time – 4: 10.39
- Defending Champion: Calypso Sheridan (Northwest), 4: 03.18
Top 3
- Kristen Romano (Ohio State) – 4: 06.75
- Katherine Trace (Ohio State) – 4: 07.90
- Josie Grote (Indiana) – 4: 07.99
Kristen Romano from Ohio State looked very strong from the start, the pace straight from her dive on the butterfly. The 200 IM champion from last night dominated the longer IM race here and posted a 4: 06.75 to move to the national top-10.
In the freestyle section of the race, three swimmers collided as OSU senior Caroyln Trace came from behind and made it a Buckeye 1-2 finish. Track was 4: 07.90 and past Indiana’s Bridget Grote (4: 07.99), when Grote overtook the first-year student from Michigan Kathryn Ackerman (4: 08.37). Ackerman was a few seconds less than her 4:05-plus from November, but .4 better than her pre-game.
Indiana’s Bailey Kovac and Michigan freshman Claire Donan was head over heels in the B final, Kovac won, 4: 13.18 to 4: 13.19.
In the C-final Kaitlynn Sims dropped a 4: 13.35 for the win.
200 FREE – FINAL
- Big Ten meet record – 1: 41.57, Siobhan Haughey (Michigan) – 2019
- Big Ten Record – 1: 40.69, Siobhan Haughey (Michigan) – 2018
- 2020 NCAA Invitation Time – 1: 45.23
- Defending Champion: Cora Dupre (Indiana), 1: 43.61
Top 3
- Autumn Haebig (Nebraska) – 1: 44.39
- Ella Ristic (Indiana) – 1: 44.89
- Lillie Hosack (Wisconsin) – 1: 45.42
It was a tough battle with a bunch of new faces; none of these women were in the A final of this race last year.
It was a historic victory for Nebraska senior Autumn Haebig, who cut .6 from her own school record. That’s big for Nebraska – the Huskers have never won a Big Ten conference title since joining the 2012 conference. Ella Ristic had a great swim for the second time, with almost a second 1: 44.89 and the first best since 2019.
Wisconsin junior Lillie Hosack takes the bronze and places a 1: 45.42 as a second-year student in Michigan Megan Glass was also under 1:46 for fourth at 1: 45.95. Glass breaks 1:47 for the first time in the preliminary round, and then breaks 1:46 tonight for the first time.
Sally Tafuto of the state of Ohio reached the B final, with a 1: 46.48.
3-METER DIVING – FINALS
- Big Ten meet record – 430.60, Sarah Bacon (Minnesota) – 2019
- Big Ten Record – 430.60, Sarah Bacon (Minnesota) – 2019
- Defending Champion: Emily Bretscher (Purdue), 356.75
- Anne Fowler (Indiana) – 373.90
- Abigail Knapton (Nebraska) – 372.20
- Emily Bretscher (Purdue) – 369.90
Indiana freshman Anne Fowler scored a big win in the 3-meter and scored a 373.90, just ahead of Nebraska’s Abigail Knapton (372.20). Minnesota Sarah Bacon, the Big Ten record holder who took an Olympic red shirt last season after winning the 1-meter NCAA title in 2019, stumbles to fourth place (369.00).
Purdue’s Emily Bretscher, the defending champion, was third in 369.90 and scored a higher point than in 2020, but only beaten by Fowler and Knapton.
TEAM (up to 3 m dive)
- Ohio State 739
- Michigan of 610.5
- Indiana 461
- Northwest 388
- Wisconsin 327
- Minnesota 241
- Nebraska 231
- Iowa 226.5
- Pennsylvania State University 189
- Purdue University 136
- Illinois 109
- Michigan State University 104
- Rutgers University 30