The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Big 12 Championships
Women's Swimming & Diving closes second day in strong fashion
02.23.2012 | Women's Swimming and Diving
Feb. 23, 2012
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The University of Texas Women's Swimming & Diving team closed out the second day of the Big 12 Championships with a pair of victories in the 50 freestyle and 200 IM.
Wins in the final two events on Thursday helped Texas remain in second place behind Texas A&M in the team standings. The Longhorns have 296 points and are 46 points off the leader.
"Kelsey (Amundsen) and I talked about how the 50 free can be a really big motivational booster at this meet," said sophomore Ellen Lobb. "Winning the two races back-to-back is just what we needed and I think we will really take off from here."
The final event of the evening was the 50 free and Texas had three individuals in the final heat. All three finished at the top with Lobb taking home her first career individual Big 12 Championship after her time of 22.56. Kelsey Amundsen won the 50 free last year and would come in second this season with a time of 22.71. Bethany Adams rounded out the top three with a 22.73.
"I was really happy with my prelims swim so I was relaxed going into finals and knew I just needed to have the same strategy," said Lobb. "I wanted to go fast but mostly just score points for the team. I had two of my best friends right next to me so it was easy to go in with a great attitude."
Just before the 50 free, Karlee Bispo won the 200 IM for the second straight season. She swam a 1:56.05 to give UT its first individual title of the weekend.
Three UT swimmers made the A final of the 500 freestyle. Kelsey LeNeave was the top finisher with a time of 4:45.19 for third place. Freshman Kaitlin Pawlowicz was fifth with a time of 4:45.80 and Leah Gingrich touched the wall in 4:49.70 for seventh. The top two times in the B final were both swam by UT swimmers as Samantha Tucker had a 4:47.46 and Katie Riefenstahl a 4:51.08.
In the one relay that took place on Thursday, Texas took second place with Karlee Bispo, Bethany Adams, Ellen Lobb and Kelsey Amundsen just missing an NCAA A cut time with a 1:28.57.
The first diving event for the women took place as well with the 1-meter event leading off the three diving competitions. The Longhorns' Samantha Holland was the lone UT diver to compete as she finished sixth with 272.10 points. She was seventh after the prelims.
Friday will feature seven events with prelims at 10 a.m. and the finals at 5 p.m. The events scheduled to take place include the 400 medley relay, 400 IM, 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke and 3-meter diving.
