2017 Big 12 Championships: Day 4 Finals Live Recap

2017 BIG 12 SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, February 22 – Saturday, February 25
• Lee & Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center- University of Texas
• Prelims 10 AM/ Finals 6 PM (Central Time)
• Defending Champs: Texas (20x) (results)
• Championship Central
• Live Results

The 2017 Big 12 Swimming and Diving Championships comes to a close with tonight’s finals session in Austin, Texas. Swimmers will compete in the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly, 1650 free, and 400 free relay. Jack Conger will headline the 200 fly, but teammate Joseph Schooling has scratched out of the event tonight. Schooling will instead be going for the Big 12 Record on the leadoff split of the 400 free relay. Distance ace Clark Smith will take on the 1650 free, while American Record holder Will Licon swims the 200 breast.

On the women’s side, Texas distance standout Joanna Evans will look for a sweep of the distance freestyles, while teammate Tasija Karosas looks for a sweep of the backstrokes.

MEN’S PLATFORM DIVING

1. Jacob Cornish, Texas, 391.00
2. Michael Proietto, West Virginia, 325.75
3. Alex Obendorf, West Virginia, 324.75

Texas’ Jacob Cornish kept the Longhorn winning streak going. West Virginia’s Michael Proietto edged out teammate Alex Obendorf by just 1 point for silver.

WOMEN’S 200 BACK

• NCAA ‘A’ cut: 1:51.95
• NCAA ‘B’ cut: 1:59.19
• Big 12 Conference Record: Tasija Karosas (2016)- 1:50.49
• Big 12 Meet Record: Tasija Karosas (2016)- 1:51.21

1. Tasija Karosas, Texas, 1:51.11
2. Claire Adams, Texas, 1:51.16
3. Kaitlin Harty, Texas, 1:54.28

Texas’ Tasija Karosas chipped a tenth off her previous Big 12 Meet Record to win the race in 1:51.11, while teammate Claire Adams (1:51.16) finished just a nail behind. Kaitlin Harty (1:54.28) and Quinn Carrozza (1:54.29) battled for the bronze, with Harty getting her hand on the wall a hundredth faster at the touch.

MEN’S 200 BACK

• NCAA ‘A’ cut: 1:39.87
• NCAA ‘B’ cut: 1:46.39
• Big 12 Conference Record: Aaron Piersol (2003)- 1:39.16
• Big 12 Meet Record: Jack Conger (2015)- 1:39.70

1. John Shebat, Texas, 1:39.74
2. Jonathan Roberts, Texas, 1:39.87
3. Josh Artmann, Texas, 1:43.09

Texas’ John Shebat and Jonathan Roberts were stroke-for-stroke into the finish. Despite a surge on the final 50, Roberts came up just short as Shebat won the gold. Both swimmers narrowly missed the Meet Record. Another close battle between teammates Josh Artmann and Jeff Newkirk for the bronze saw Artmann hold off a hard-charging Newkirk (1:43.11), who just missed the podium by .02.

WOMEN’S 100 FREE

• NCAA ‘A’ cut: 47.69
• NCAA ‘B’ cut: 49.99
• Big 12 Conference Record: Trin Aljand (2008)- 47.35
• Big 12 Meet Record: Julia Wilkinson (2010)- 47.74

1. Rebecca Millard, Texas, 47.90
2. Anelise Diener, Texas, 48.60
3. Laura Miksch, Iowa State, 50.17

Texas’ Rebecca Millard was just 4 hundredths shy of her season best, dippping below 48 to win the gold while teammate Anelise Diener grabbed silver. Iowa State’s Laura Miksch used her back half speed to out-touch Texas’ Nora McCullagh (50.24) and Kansas’ Carly Straight (50.33) for bronze.

MEN’S 100 FREE

• NCAA ‘A’ cut: 42.25
• NCAA ‘B’ cut: 44.49
• Big 12 Conference Record: Jimmy Feigen (2009)- 41.49
• Big 12 Meet Record: Brett Ringgold (2016)- 42.08

1. Brett Ringgold, Texas, 42.32
2. Townley Haas, Texas, 42.62
3. Tate Jackson, Texas, 42.79

Texas’ Brett Ringgold led wire-to-wire in the 100 free, successfully defending his title. Teammate Townley Haas outpaced Tate Jackson on the 2nd 50 to out-touch Jackson for silver. West Virginia’s Merwane Elmerini wound up 4th in a quick 43.60, just ahead of Texas’ PJ Dunne (43.69).

WOMEN’S 1650 FREE

• NCAA ‘A’ cut: 15:53.50
• NCAA ‘B’ cut: 16:30.59
• Big 12 Conference Record: Maureen McLaine (2011)- 15:56.15
• Big 12 Meet Record: Maureen McLaine (2012)- 16:00.70

1. Joanna Evans, Texas, 16:05.11
2. Emma Skelley, West Virginia, 16:23.44
3. Keely Soellner, Iowa State, 16:26.59

Texas’ Joanna Evans dominated the 1650 free, taking gold with a winning margin of almost 20 seconds and sweeping the Big 12 distance free titles. West Virginia’s Emma Skelly outpaced Iowa State’s Keely Soellner as they finished 2nd and 3rd respectively. Kansas teammates Libby Walker (16:32.88) and Jenny Nusbaum (16:43.55) rounded out the top 5.

MEN’S 1650 FREE

• NCAA ‘A’ cut: 14:44.43
• NCAA ‘B’ cut: 15:30.39
• Big 12 Conference Record: Clark Smith (2016)- 14:31.29
• Big 12 Meet Record: Clark Smith (2016)- 14:31.29

1. Clark Smith, texas, 14:33.28
2. James Koval, West Virginia, 15:27.34
3. Trayton Saladin, West Virginia, 15:33.78

Texas’ Clark Smith finished nearly a minute ahead of the field, winning in 14:33.28 to come within 2 seconds of his own Big 12 Conference Record. West Virginia’s James Koval and Trayton Saladin landed on the podium in 2nd and 3rd, respectively, while teammate Brandon Christian (15:53.97) took 4th.

WOMEN’S 200 BREAST

• NCAA ‘A’ cut: 2:07.33
• NCAA ‘B’ cut: 2:15.99
• Big 12 Conference Record: Laura Sogar (2012)- 2:05.04
• Big 12 Meet Record: Laura Sogar (2013)- 2:05.25

1. Madisyn Cox, Texas, 2:07.23
2. Emma Harris, West Virginia, 2:12.37
3. Haley Downey, Kansas, 2:15.32

Texas senior Madisyn Cox picked up her 3rd Big 12 title of the weekend, finishing 5 seconds faster than anyone else in the field. West Virginia’s Emma Harris picked up the silver, while Kansas’ Haley Downey used her front half speed to outpace Iowa State’s Kasey Roberts (2:15.98) for 3rd.

MEN’S 200 BREAST

• NCAA ‘A’ cut: 1:52.99
• NCAA ‘B’ cut: 1:59.79
• Big 12 Conference Record: Will Licon (2016)- 1:48.12
• Big 12 Meet Record: Will Licon (2016)- 1:50.47

1. Will Licon, Texas, 1:49.89
2. Sam Stewart, Texas, 1:56.90
3. Jake Armstrong, West Virginia, 1:58.00

American Record holder Will Licon dropped a lightning fast sub-1:50 to win gold, taking down his former Meet Record with a 1:49.89. Teammate Sam Stewart secured a 1-2 finish for the Longhorns, while 100 breast champ Jake Armstrong outswam Texas’ Casey Melzer (1:58.51) for bronze.

WOMEN’S 200 FLY

• NCAA ‘A’ cut: 1:54.01
• NCAA ‘B’ cut: 1:59.59
• Big 12 Conference Record: Kathleen Hersey (2009)- 1:51.18
• Big 12 Meet Record: Cammile Adams (2011)- 1:53.66

1. Lauren Case, Texas, 1:53.85
2. Remedy Rule, Texas, 1:54.70
3. Morgan Carr, West Virginia, 1:58.80

Texas freshman Lauren Case narrowly missed Cammile Adams’ Meet Record, winning gold by almost a second over teammate Remedy Rule. West Virginia’s Morgan Carr and Texas’ Maggie D’Innocenzo (1:58.85) were stroke-for-stroke into the finish, with Carr coming from behind on the last 50 to take bronze by .05.

MEN’S 200 FLY

• NCAA ‘A’ cut: 1:41.86
• NCAA ‘B’ cut: 1:47.99
• Big 12 Conference Record: Joseph Schooling (2016)- 1:37.97
• Big 12 Meet Record: Jack Conger (2016)- 1:40.57

1. Jack Conger, Texas, 1:39.17
2. Max Holter, Texas, 1:44.73
3. Will Glass, Texas, 1:45.02

Texas senior Jack Conger ripped a 1:39.17 to successfully defend his Big 12 title in the 200 fly. That took down his previous Meet Record of 1:40.57 from last season’s Big 12 meet by almost 1.5 seconds. Behind him, teammates Max Holter and Will Glass rounded out the podium.

WOMEN’S PLATFORM DIVING

1. Sofia Rauzi, Texas, 252.45
2. Julie Dickinson, Iowa State, 230.25
3. Peri Charapich, Kansas, 207.15

Texas’ Sofia Rauzi brought home the platform title for the Longhorns. Iowa State’s Julie Dickinson took silver, while Kanasa teammates Peri Charapich and Amanda Maser finished 3rd and 4th respectively.

WOMEN’S 400 FREE RELAY

• NCAA ‘A’ cut: 3:15.78
• NCAA ‘B’ cut: 3:17.11
• Big 12 Conference Record: Texas (2009)- 3:11.69
• Big 12 Meet Record: Texas (2009)- 3:13.62

1. Texas- 3:13.36
2. Iowa State- 3:21.90
3. Kansas- 3:21.90

Texas’ Rebecca Millard (47.86), Claire Adams (47.46), Tasija Karosas (49.01), and Madisyn Cox (49.03) combined for a new Meet Record in the 400 free relay. Iowa State and Kansas tied for silver, as Kansas’ Carly Straight brought her team back from behind with her 49.58 anchor split.

MEN’S 400 FREE RELAY

• NCAA ‘A’ cut: 2:52.45
• NCAA ‘B’ cut: 2:53.68
• Big 12 Conference Record: Texas (2016)- 2:46.85
• Big 12 Meet Record: Texas (2009)- 2:49.17

1. Texas- 2:48.66
2. West Virginia- 2:58.23
3. TCU- 3:03.50

Joseph Schooling popped a personal best 42.24 to get the Longhorns started. He was joined by Jack Conger (42.35), Brett Ringgold (41.80), and Townley Haas (42.27) as the Longhorns set a new Meet Record to close the meet.