Session 4: Huskers Qualify 17 for A Finals

Lincoln? Nebraska will have a sufficient opportunity to extend its team lead as it qualified 17 swimmers for A Finals during Saturday’s preliminary session of the Husker Invitational. Finals events will begin at 4 p.m., at the Devaney Natatorium.

 

The Huskers enter Saturday’s finals with three of the five fastest preliminary times in individual swimming events, while the 200-yard medley relay, 800-yard freestyle relay and one-meter diving will also take place.

 

Nebraska will have its largest representation in the 200-yard freestyle, as seven Huskers clocked top-10 times during Saturday’s morning session to qualify for the A Final. Junior Jenny Toler led the Big Red attack with the fastest time (1:53.19), followed by freshman Kelsey Grushecky (2nd, 1:53.74), freshman Julie Giehl (3rd, 1:53.75), sophomore Mariah Hutchinson (5th, 1:54.38), sophomore Kaitlin Arntz (6th, 1:55.55), junior Jenna Stroud (7th, 1:55.67) and freshman Brandie Kavalec (10th, 1:56.12).

 

Grushecky and Hutchinson, in addition to freshman Meredith Matthies will also swim the A Final of the 100-yard butterfly, where Grushecky had the No. 1 preliminary time of 57.16. Hutchinson was third (57.50), while Matthies was eighth (59.28).

 

Arntz will also be swimming in two A Finals as she had the fourth-fastest 100-yard breastroke time (1:07.15). Sophomore Hailey Dean was second overall (1:07.01) behind Iowa State’s Jeli Nixt (1:06.74), with senior Adrienne Goodman (7th, 1:07.88) and sophomore Colleen Criss (9th, 1:08.36) also qualifying.

 

Junior Christina Yemm won the longest event of the session, taking the 400-yard individual medley preliminaries with a time of 4:35.84, one of three Huskers to qualify for the A Final (also freshmen Blaine Hoppenrath, 5th, 4:41.54 and Rachell McClain, 8th, 4:46.84).

 

Saturday’s 4 p.m. finals session will the fifth session of the Husker Invitational. Sunday’s action (8 a.m. prelims, 2 p.m. finals) will conclude the meet.

 

Saturday’s Events

200-yard Medley Relay

400-yard Individual Medley

100-yard Butterfly

200-yard Freestyle

100-yard Breaststroke

100-yard Backstroke

Three-meter Diving

800-yard Freestyle Relay