Session 6: Hutchinson, Arntz Give Huskers a Boost

Austin, Texas? Nebraska found a wave of encouragement Saturday morning as sophomores Mariah Hutchinson and Kaitlin Arntz qualified for the finals of the 200 butterfly and 200 breaststroke during Session 6 of the 2008 Big 12 Championships in Austin, Texas.

 

Hutchinson turned in an outstanding NCAA provisional-qualifying time of 2:02.51 to finish fifth in the preliminaries. It was the second provisional mark of the meet for the Huskers (also Hailey Dean, 100 breaststroke) and gives Nebraska a chance for its first national qualifier in the 200 butterfly since Rebecca Wolfe and Carmen Cosgrove in 2001. Freshman teammate Kelsey Grushecky nearly gained a spot among the top-eight as well, finishing ninth (2:03.88), while freshman Blaine Hoppenrath was 12th (2:05.19). Both will compete in the consolation final.

 

Looking to make a move on IowaState for fifth place in the team standings, Arntz led four Husker swimmers to scoring finals in the 200 breaststroke with her time of 2:19.33. Senior Adrienne Goodman (17th, 2:24.15) and sophomores Hailey Dean (18th, 2:24.34) and Colleen Criss (19th, 2:24.42) will help give Nebraska that chance as they will all compete in the consolation final.

 

Arntz’ finals appearance comes as a big accomplishment after the Omaha, Neb., native also qualified for the finals of the 200 breaststroke as a freshman season last year, ultimately finishing eighth. Hutchinson was sixth in the 200 butterfly at the 2007 Big 12 Championships.

 

Freshman Brandie Kavalec started the four-event morning by lowering her team-leading 200 backstroke time to a season-best mark of 2:04.07. The time placed Kavalec 13th, who will be joined by junior Christina Yemm, as she qualified for her third consolation final of the meet (also 200 and 400 individual medley) with a 17th-place finish (2:07.39). It marked the first ever 200 backstroke appearance for Yemm at the conference meet, but her career-best performance of 2:06.66 did come in the same pool at the Texas Invitational in December.

 

Senior Lynn Siemert will be aiming for her fourth consecutive top-15 finish in the 100 freestyle, as she swam a career-best best time of 51.47 during prelims. Siemert has 100 freestyle finishes of 10th (2005), 14th (2006) and 13th (2007) at the Big 12 Championships during her career, and she enters the consolation final following a 14th-place finish Saturday morning.

 

The Huskers got large contributions in the diving well, as freshman Mariesa Cloud and junior Courtney Jolly each qualified for the finals of the platform dive. Cloud was third (210.10), while Jolly was fifth (205.80).

 

Nebraska trails IowaState for fifth place by 14 points heading into Saturday night’s finals session, which will round out the 2008 Big 12 Championships. Ten Huskers will be competing in scoring events, including four who moved into consolation finals after higher seeded non-scoring competitors were removed. Platform diving begins at 2:30 p.m., while swimming finals start at 6 p.m.

 

Saturday Preliminary Results

200 Backstroke

(1-8 Finalists, 9-16 Consolation Finalists, 17-24 Bonus Finalists)

13. Brandie Kavalec, Nebraska, 2:04.07 (season best)

17. Christina Yemm, Nebraska, 2:07.39 (consolation final)

20. Rachell McClain, Nebraska, 2:11.02

 

100 Freestyle

(1-8 Finalists, 9-16 Consolation Finalists, 17-24 Bonus Finalists)

14. Lynn Siemert, Nebraska, 51.47 (career best)

20. Jenny Toler, Nebraska, 52.02 (career best)

24. Jess Andrews, Nebraska, 52.28 (season best)

26. Julie Giehl, Nebraska, 52.47 (season best) (bonus final)

 

28. Jenna Stroud, Nebraska, 52.51 (bonus final)

29. C.J. Bray, Nebraska, 52.98 (career best)

30. Meredith Matthies, Nebraska, 53.03 (season best)

35. Claire Desormey, Nebraska, 53.68 (season best)

39. Sarah Broker, Nebraska, 54.51

40. Sarah Ziegelmann, Nebraska, 54.76 (career best)

 

200 Breaststroke

(1-8 Finalists, 9-16 Consolation Finalists, 17-24 Bonus Finalists)

8. Kaitlin Arntz, Nebraska, 2:19.33

17. Adrienne Goodman, Nebraska, 2:24.15 (consolation final)

18. Hailey Dean, Nebraska, 2:24.34 (consolation final)

19. Colleen Criss, Nebraska, 2:24.42 (career best) (consolation final)

 

200 Butterfly

5. Mariah Hutchinson, Nebraska, 2:02.51 (career best)

9. Kelsey Grushecky, Nebraska, 2:03.88

12. Blaine Hoppenrath, Nebraska, 2:05.19 (season best)

 

Platform Diving

3. Mariesa Cloud, Nebraska, 235.85

5. Courtney Jolly, Nebraska, 205.80

 

12. Emily Burbach, Nebraska, 182.70

17. Audrey Kruse, Nebraska, 128.20

 

Finals, 6 p.m.

200 Backstroke

100 Freestyle

1,650 Freestyle*

200 Breaststroke

200 Butterfly

Platform Diving

400 Freestyle Relay