Huskers Race to Hawkeye Invite Title

On the final day of the Hawkeye Invitational, Nebraska swimming and diving claimed three individual titles to propel it to a team victory at the three-day mid-season meet.

Maia Hall swam to victory in the 200 breaststroke with a career-best 2:13.18, moving her up to third on Nebraska's All-Time list and marking an NCAA Standard B Cut. Hall finished third in the 100 breaststroke (1:01.72) on Friday. Sydney McCracken joined Hall in the 200 breaststroke top five, placing fourth with a 2:15.43.

Shannon Stott brought another big performance, swimming her second NCAA Standard B Cut of the meet with a career-best 1:58.15 in the 200 butterfly. On Thursday, Stott clocked a NCAA Standard B Cut in the 500 freestyle and went on to finish second in 4:44.97. Lexi Kucera pitched in a pair of third-place finishes on Saturday with a 2:00.97 in the 200 butterfly and a 50.41 in the 200 freestyle. Giulia Marchi finished right behind Kucera to claim fourth in the 200 freestyle with a 50.67.

Gena Jorgenson clocked a 16:34.48, a 20-second career-best, in the 1,650 freestyle to take second. The freshman from Aberdeen, S.D. pitched in a pair of third-place finishes throughout the meet in the 500 freestyle (4:48.19) and the 400 IM (4:18.31) and was a member of the winning 800 freestyle relay. Molly Rosenthal placed third in the mile with a 16:45.85.

In the 200 backstroke, Madesyn Ronquillio finished as runner-up with a 1:58.45 and Sarah Barton took fourth with a 2:00.05.

Kelsey Clairmont excelled during her first time competing platform this season, winning the event with an NCAA Zone qualifying 283.15. The freshman from Canada added a top finish on Friday, finishing third in the three-meter with a 310.60.

In the final event, Kucera and Marchi teamed up with Emily Haimes and Gabby Donahue to place third in the 400 freestyle relay with a 3:20.91.

Nebraska ended the invitational with 952 team points, while Rutgers finished second with 766.5.

NU will return to the Devaney Center Natatorium on Jan. 21 for a home matchup against Illinois with events beginning at 11 a.m. (CT). 

Hawkeye Invitational
December 1-3, 2022
Iowa City, Iowa (Campus Recreation & Wellness Center)

Husker Victories
800 Freestyle Relay - Nebraska - 7:16.24 (Marchi, Jorgenson, Stott, Kucera)
Platform - Kelsey Clairmont (283.15)
200 Breaststroke - Maia Hall (2:10.76)
200 Butterfly - Shannon Stott (1:58.15)