Huskers Sit in Seventh at Minnesota Invite

Minneapolis, Minn. ? Seniors Lauren Bailey and Kate Wheeler finished fifth and sixth in the 500 freestyle on Friday to put the Nebraska swimming and diving team in seventh out of 15 women’s teams with 78 points at the three-day Minnesota Invitational.

 

Bailey and Wheeler’s performances in the 500 free were the highest NU placings of the day and both season-best marks after they entered the meet ranked seventh and ninth in the Big 12 Conference in the event. Wheeler was an impressive runner-up finisher in the preliminary race early Friday afternoon with a time of 4:52.90 before slipping to 4:54.11 in the finals race Friday night. Bailey’s finals time was 4:53.87. Freshman Mariah Hutchinson also scored points for the Huskers in the event as she finished 15th overall in 5:02.11.

 

A duo of divers in senior Danielle Stansbury and sophomore Courtney Jolly qualified for the finals of the three-meter dive and then finished seventh (245.35) and eighth (243.45) to earn the Huskers 23 points in the event. Junior Kaci Ressler did not reach the finals, but came in 13th overall (225.90) to tally four team points.

 

Saturday’s preliminary events will begin at 11 a.m., with the finals starting at 6 p.m. Live stats can be followed at www.gophersports.com.