2018 Women’s B1G Ten Championships: Day 4 Prelims Live Recap

2018 WOMEN’S B1G TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS

• February 14-17, 2018
• Columbus, Ohio
• McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion
• Live Results
• Championship Central
• Live Stream (BTN Plus subscription required)

The final day of the 2018 Women’s B1G Ten Championships are here, with four more individual events on the docket this morning before timed final heats of the 1650 commence prior to finals.

The 200 back will feature Wisconsin’s Beata Nelson, who is fresh off becoming the 2nd fastest performer of all-time in the 100 back (49.78), along with top seed Clara Smiddy of Michigan and defending champ Kennedy Goss of Indiana.

Ohio State’s Zhesi Li will look to defend her title in the 100 free, and has shown great form here winning the 50 free and 100 fly on Thursday and Friday. She’ll be challenged by 200 free winner Siobhan Haughey of Michigan, along with her teammates Gabby and Catie DeLoof.

Lilly King will look to win the breaststroke double for a third straight year in the 200, as she was just .16 off her American record last night in the 100. She’ll be challenged by Minnesota’s Lindsey Kozelsky and former teammate Miranda Tucker of Michigan.

400 IM champ Meg Bailey of Ohio State holds the top seed in the 200 fly, with Vanessa Krause (MICH), Taite Kitchel (PUR) and Danielle Nack (MINN) close behind.

200 Back Prelims

• B1G Record: 1:49.92, Kate Fesenko (IU), 2010
• Defending Champion: Kennedy Goss (IU), 1:50.95

1. Beata Nelson, WISC, 1:50.46
2. Kennedy Goss, IU, 1:52.12
3. Clara Smiddy, MICH, 1:52.61
4. Jessica Unicomb, WISC, 1:52.99
5. Jacqueline Schafer, MICH, 1:53.79
6. Kathleen Coughlin, WISC, 1:54.62
7. Tevyn Waddell, MINN, 1:54.63
8. Kristen Romano, OSU, 1:54.65

Wisconsin sophomore Beata Nelson impressed once again in the women’s 200 back, touching for the top seed in 1:50.46 to lower Kennedy Goss‘ meet record of 1:50.95 set last year. Nelson also broke the pool record and got under the NCAA ‘A’ cut of 1:50.99.

Goss qualifies 2nd in 1:52.12, with Michigan’s Clara Smiddy (1:52.61)and Wisconsin’s Jessica Unicomb (1:52.97) 3rd and 4th. In a crazy battle for the last A-final slots, Kathleen Coughlin (1:54.62), Tevyn Waddell (1:54.63) and Kristen Romano (1:54.65) got in while Chantal Nack (1:54.82) was left on the outside looking in.

100 Free Prelims

• B1G Record: 47.24, Ivy Martin (WIS), 2015
• Defending Champion: Zhesi Li (OSU), 47.50

1. Siobhan Haughey, MICH, 47.77
2. Gabby DeLoof, MICH, 47.86
3. Zhesi Li, OSU, 47.93
4. Catie DeLoof, MICH, 48.27
5. Daria Pyshnenko, MICH, 48.77
6. Zoe Avestruz, MINN, 49.05
7. Marissa Berg, WISC, 49.09
8. Macie McNichols, OSU, 49.12

Michigan showed off their freestyle strength in the 100 free heats, taking four of the top five spots heading into tonight’s A-final. Siobhan Haughey led the way in 47.77, and Gabby DeLoof was right behind in 47.86. Defending champ Zhesi Li of Ohio State also cracked 48 seconds (47.93) as tonight’s race should be a close one.

Catie DeLoof (48.27) and Daria Pyshnenko (48.77) were the other two Wolverines in the top five, and an incredibly tight race for a spot in the A-final saw Zoe Avestruz, Marissa Berg and Macie McNichols (8th, 49.12) get in with Emmy Sehmann (49.15) in 9th.

200 Breast Prelims

• B1G Record: 2:03.18, Lilly King (IU), 2017
• Defending Champion: Lilly King (IU), 2:04.03

1. Lilly King, IU, 2:06.38
2. Lindsey Kozelsky, MINN, 2:08.05
3. Miranda Tucker, MICH, 2:09.82
4. Emily Kopas, MICH, 2:09.91
5. Rachel Munson, MINN, 2:10.59
6. Hannah Gresser, OSU, 2:11.01
7. Laura Morley, IU, 2:11.35
8. Sophie Angus, NW, 2:11.41

Two-time defending champ Lilly King easily took the top seed in the 200 breast, as the Hoosier clocked 2:06.38 in the prelims. Her closest challenger this week has been Minnesota’s Lindsey Kozelsky, and that should prove true once again tonight as she takes the #2 spot in 2:08.05.

The Michigan duo of Miranda Tucker and Emily Kopas qualify 3rd and 4th, both going 2:09-high, and Rachel Munson joins teammate Kozelsky in the A-final in 5th.

200 Fly Prelims

• B1G Record: 1:53.67, Gia Dalesandro (IU), 2017
• Defending Champion: Gia Dalesandro (IU), 1:53.67

1. Vanessa Krause, MICH, 1:55.02
2. Meg Bailey, OSU, 1:55.36
3. Emmy Rawson, PUR, 1:55.95
4. Sierra Schmidt, MICH, 1:55.99
5. Danielle Nack, MINN, 1:56.43
6. Shelby Koontz, IU, 1:56.89
7. Francesca Stoppa, RUT, 1:56.90
8. Taite Kitchel, PUR, 1:56.91

Michigan’s Vanessa Krause clocked a solid 1:55.02 to take the top spot in the women’s 200 fly prelims, followed by Ohio State’s Meg Bailey (1:55.36) and Purdue’s Emmy Rawson (1:55.95).

Sierra Schmidt was also strong for the Wolverines, registering a PB of 1:55.99 to qualify 4th, and the rest of the A-finalists were all under 1:57 in what should be an intriguing race tonight.