Huskers Travel to Texas Invitational

Lincoln -- The Nebraska swimming and diving team travels to Austin, Texas this week to compete at the Texas Invitational where it will compete in a USS Open meet. The meet begins on Thursday, Dec. 4 and continues thru Saturday, Dec. 6. After an eighth place finish at the Texas Invitational last year, the Huskers look to improve their performances and find reduced times. Among the teams the Huskers will compete against are No. 5 Southern Cal, No. 6 Texas and No. 7 Arizona.

Competition begins on Thursday at 10 a.m. with preliminary heats. Preliminary heats begin at 10 a.m. all three days of the meet, followed by finals at 6 p.m.

Recap: Minnesota
Bolstered by five swimmers placing among the top nine in the 1,650-yard freestyle, the Nebraska swimming and diving team battled to a fourth-place finish at the 2003 Minnesota Invitational in Minneapolis. The Huskers finished the meet with 502.50 points. Kansas captured the team title with 748 points, while Minnesota placed second with 619 points and Wisconsin took third with 592 points.

Freshman Casey Schnack placed second in the 1,650-yard free for the Huskers, touching the wall in 17:00.93. Fellow freshman Lauren Bailey (17:05.38) and Kate Wheeler (17:07.41) along with sophomore Mackenzie Clark (17:15.67) finished third, fourth and fifth, respectively. Sophomore Esmie Holderman rounded out the scoring for the Huskers in the event, placing ninth in 17:30.42. The Minnesota Invitational marked the first time this season that NU had competed in the 1,650-yard freestyle event.

In addition to NU’s domination in the 1,650-yard free, four Huskers scored in the 200-yard butterfly. Freshman Bailey Ingles touched the wall in 2:05.44 to earn fourth, while junior Diana Torres placed sixth in a time of 2:07.84. Freshman Mallory Keathley (ninth, 2:08.27) and sophomore Courtney Petersen (16th, 2:12.53) also scored in the event for the Huskers.

Sophomores Amie Buoy and Becky Johnson fared well on the platform, as Johnson placed fifth (318.80) and Buoy seventh (311.45) in the event.

Also scoring on the day for the Huskers were sophomores Danielle Erickson (eighth, 200-yard backstroke, 2:06.75) and Rachel Schlatter (15th, 200-yard breaststroke, 2:26.05) along with freshman Julie McCauley (13th, 100-yard freestyle, 52.82). In addition, NU’s 400-yard freestyle relay (senior Angie Matheu, freshmen Michelle Criss, Lauren Bailey and McCauley) placed ninth in 3:33.17.

Huskers get a Strong Start
The Nebraska swimming and diving team has shown a tremendous improvement compared to last year’s record as it’s started off its season with a 3-1 dual record. At the Minnesota Invitational meet, where the team placed 11th last year, it performed well and earned a fourth place finish in this years Invite.

Freshmen Casey Schnack, Laren Bailey, Kate Wheeler, Bailey Ingles, and Julie McCauley’s strong performances at meets have helped the Huskers boost their scores at each of the four dual meets so far.

The distance events have been key for the Huskers. At Truman State, Wheeler placed first in the 1,000-yard freestyle, setting a pool record. NU competed in the 1,650-yard freestyle event for the first time at the Minnesota Invitational where Schnack placed second, helping the Huskers to their 502.50 point finish.