Huskers to Compete at Minnesota Invite

For the sixth consecutive year, the Nebraska swimming and diving team will spend a three-day stretch of November in Minneapolis as it is set to compete at the Minnesota Invitational, beginning this Friday at Noon.

Action will take place at the University Aquatic Center, with finals starting at 6 p.m., following the preliminary events. Saturday’s schedule is set to begin at 11 a.m., with finals at 6 p.m., while Sunday’s competition will start with prelims at 10 a.m., ending with finals at 3 p.m. Live stats can be followed at gophersports.com.

The Huskers were sixth out of 10 teams at the 2005 Minnesota Invite, finishing ahead of Iowa State, North Dakota, Saint Cloud State and South Dakota State. This year’s meet welcomes some stiffer competition as 16 women’s teams will compete, including No. 12 Wisconsin, No. 15 Tennessee, No. 20 Notre Dame and No. 23 Minnesota. UCLA and Air Force will be diving only.

Nebraska has had nearly three weeks away from regular season competition as it last defeated Arkansas, 168-132, on Oct. 28. The Huskers are 2-2 overall in 2006-07 with its losses coming to No. 10 Texas and No. 11 Texas A&M.

Nebraska has made steady progress at the Minnesota Invite through its first five years of participation as it finished as high as third at the 2004 meet. The previous season, Nebraska was fourth after not reaching the top 10 in its first two years, placing 13th and 11th.

Following this weekend, the Husker divers will travel to Austin, Texas for the Texas Invitational (Nov. 30-Dec. 2), while the swimmers will embark to Brookings, S.D., on Saturday, Dec. 2 for a dual meet against South Dakota State.

Over the next three days, check Huskers.com for nightly recaps on the Huskers’ progression at the Minnesota Invitational.

Last Year at the Minnesota Invitational

Nebraska racked up 479 points and held a steady position throughout the meet to finish sixth last November at the Minnesota Invite.

 

The Huskers used eight top-eight performances on the final day to maintain its sixth-place position, including a strong performance from Minnesota native Becky Johnson, who took runner-up honors on the platform dive with a score of 222.40 after also finishing second the previous day on the one meter.

 

Lauren Bailey set her second NCAA provisional cut of the season in the 1,650-yard freestyle with a season-best time of 16:34.43 to place third. She was followed by another NCAA provisional cut and career-best performance from co-captain Kate Wheeler, who placed fourth in 16:39.57. Bailey finished fourth in the 400-yard IM in a season-best time of 4:22.27 to set her second NCAA provisional cut of the season, and mark the third straight year in which she had placed in the top four in the event at the Minnesota Invitational. It also gave her seven top-four finishes at the Minnesota Invite throughout her career.

 

Wheeler was NU’s highest finisher in the pool on day two when she tied for third in the 200-yard freestyle after winning a swim-off following the prelims to qualify for the finals. The Issaquash, Wash., native took advantage of the opportunity and came up just one one-hundredth shy of a career-best time (1:50.41). The race was Wheeler’s second impressive race of the meet as she set a career-best mark in the 500-yard freestyle (4:50.51) to place third on Friday.

 

Competing against a talented field, diver Amie Buoy outperformed a duo of Minnesota divers with a score of 327.35 to capture the three-meter crown on the first day of competition. Buoy’s 2005 title followed on the heels of her runner-up performance on the three-meter event at the 2003 meet. Buoy was leading the one meter on Saturday before she broke her wrist when she struck it on the board.