The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Big 12 Championships
Women's Swimming & Diving victorious in 800 freestyle relay on day one
02.22.2012 | Women's Swimming and Diving
Feb. 22, 2012
COLUMBIA, Mo. - After the first day of the Big 12 Swimming & Diving Championships in Columbia, Mo., the University of Texas women's team sits in second place.
After day one the Longhorns have 72 points for second place, only two points off the leader Texas A&M.
"As a whole tonight I would have liked to have gotten off to a little better start but it is a long meet," said head coach Kim Brackin. "I think we saw some first swim jitters on both relays but we just need to get the kinks out and I know we are capable of good swims."
Texas won the 800 freestyle relay with a time of 7:04.09. Senior Karlee Bispo got the group out to a fast start but it was sophomore Samantha Tucker who exploded at the end to help UT run away with the race by over three seconds. Swimming the other two legs were seniors Katie Riefenstahl and Leah Gingrich.
"I am really happy with today," said Tucker. "Karlee (Bispo) started us off really well. The race was close when it got to me and I wasn't about to let anybody beat us. That is pretty much all I was thinking. Pretty much everyone on our team has had a really good training year. We have talented people in every class so I think we are going to see a lot of fast swims this week."
The first event of the four-day championships was the 200 medley relay. The Texas A group consisting of Lily Moldenhauer, Kelsey Amundsen, Laura Sogar and Bethany Adams swam the fastest time of the season for UT and came in third with a time of 1:37.48. Meanwhile the B group consisting of Jessica Guro, Gretchen Jaques, Alex Hooper and Ellen Lobb swam the fifth best time of the race, 1:39.83.
"We will be strong in some events tomorrow and it should be a good day," said Brackin. "I like the way the heat sheets look and I know there are a lot of kids antsy to get in the pool and race."
The preliminary rounds on Thursday begin at 10 a.m. with the 200 freestyle relay starting things off. The finals take place beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday's event schedule also includes the 500 freestyle, 200 IM, 50 freestyle and women's 1-meter diving.
