2021 Big 12 Championships: Day 5 Finals Live Recap

2021 BIG 12 SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Swimming: Wednesday, February 24 – Saturday, February 27, 2021
• Diving: Monday, March 1 – Wednesday, March 3, 2021
• Lee & Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center – Austin, TX (Central Time Zone)
• Defending Champion: Texas men (24x) & Texas women (8x) (results)
• Live Results
• Live Video
• Championship Central

TEAM SCORES AFTER DAY 3:

Women:

1. University of Texas – 585
2. University of Kansas – 426
3. Iowa State University – 311
4. West Virginia University – 286
5. Texas Christian University – 284

Men:

1. University of Texas – 640
2. West Virginia University – 425
3. Texas Christian University – 417

On the final night of racing at the Big 12 swimming championships, the Texas men are looking at securing their 25th straight title in the conference. The Texas women are also on track to defend their titles which would make it 9 in a row for them. Follow along as we watch the 1650 freestyle, followed by the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, and 200 fly. The night will cap off with the 400 freestyle relay.

WOMEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE

• Big 12 Record: Tasija Karosas (Texas) – 1:49.91 (2017)
• Big 12 Meet Record: Tasija Karosas (Texas) – 1:51.11 (2017)
• 2020 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:50.50
• 2020 Champion: Julia Cook (Texas) – 1:51.62

Top 3:

1. Manon Manning (Kansas) – 1:55.57
2. Kaleigh Rice (TCU) – 1:56.95
3. Dewi Blose (Kansas) – 1:57.37

Manon Manning moved up from her third seed in the 200 back to claim the 200 backstroke title tonight. Manning notched a new best time in the event, hitting a 1:55.57 to improve upon her 1:56.32.

Kaleigh Rice from TCU and Dewi Blose from Kansas joined Manning on the podium, shutting Texas out of the top 3. This was a weak spot for the longhorns who have made the podium in nearly every event, contributing to their clear lead over the field.

Sydney Silver was just outside the top 3, swimming a 1:57.38 to touch just 0.01 seconds behind bronze medalist Blose.

MEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE

• BIG 12 Record: John Shebat (Texas) – 1:36.42 (2019)
• BIG 12 Meet Record: Ryan Harty (Texas) – 1:38.61 (2019)
• 2020 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:39.87
• 2020 Champion: Austin Katz (Texas) – 1:39.17

Top 3:

1. Carson Foster (Texas) – 1:40.34
2. Austin Katz (Texas) – 1:40.83
3. Kade Knoch (TCU) – 1:46.81

Carson Foster made it 3 for 3 wins tonight adding to his 200 and 400 IM titles from earlier in the meet. Foster got close to his personal best of 1:40.07, swimming a 1:40.34. The freshman was almost bested by teammate Austin Kats who was just half a second behind him. Katz was just a bit off his 2020 title-winning time of 1:39.17.

Kade Knoch and Justin Heimes made it a battle for bronze as well, touching just 0.12 seconds apart. Knoch took bronze for TCU with his 1:46.83 while Heimes missed the podium, earning fourth place for West Virginia with a 1:46.93.

WOMEN’S 100 FREESTYLE

• Big 12 Record: Claire Adams (Texas) – 47.32 (2018)
• Big 12 Meet Record: Claire Adams (Texas) – 47.46 (2018)
• 2020 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 47.18
• 2020 Champion: Claire Adams (Texas) 48.03

Top 3:

1. Julia Cook (Texas) – 48.89
2. Miranda Heckman (Texas) – 49.19
3. Bridget Semenuk (Texas) – 49.21

After sitting out the 200 back in which she won the Big 12 title last year, Julia Cook swam to victory in the 100 free. Cook swam a 48.89 and was the only sub-49 in the field with teammates Miranda Heckman and Bridget Semenuk who pick up silver and bronze, respectively.

The swim for Cook was a second over her PB of 47.82 from back in 2018 but was an improvement from what she swam in the prelims this morning, a 49.41. Along with sweeping the podium, the Texas women scored points from 4th and 5th and Kyla Leibel and Grace Cooper hit 49.24 and 49.67, respectively.

MEN’S 100 FREESTYLE

• BIG 12 Record: Daniel Krueger (Texas) – 41.26 (2020)
• BIG 12 Meet Record: Daniel Krueger (Texas) – 41.46 (2020)
• 2020 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 41.71
• 2020 Champion: Daniel Krueger (Texas) – 41.26

Daniel Krueger successfully defended his 100 freestyle titles tonight by swimming under the NCAA auto-invite cut of  41.71, hitting a 41.33. Drew Kibler won the bronze medal last year but in Maxime Rooney’s absence, this year moved up to silver with his 42.29.

Chris Staka ensured that it was a Texas sweep in the event as he hit a 42.42 for the bronze medal. That’s an improvement from last year for Staka where he finished in 5th place with a 43.59.

WOMEN’S 1650 FREESTYLE

• Big 12 Record: Joanna Evans (Texas) – 15:51.74 (2017)
• Big 12 Meet Record: Joanna Evans (Texas) – 15:57.28 (2019)
• 2020 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 15:52.41
• 2020 Champion: Mary Smutny (Texas) – 16:52.73

Top 3:

1. Evie Pfeifer (Texas) – 15:48.65
2. Kara Church (Kansas) – 16:41.12
3. Brinley Horras (Iowa State) – 16:55.19

Evie Pfeifer capped off a successful set of individual performances this weekend by setting a new school record, Big 12 record, and Big 12 meet record in the 1650 freestyle. Pfeifer lowered Joanna Evans’ conference and Texas school record of 15:51.74 from 2017 by over three seconds. The meet record meanwhile was previously a 15:57.28 from 2019.

That’s a decent improvement for Pfeifer in the event, shedding 10 seconds off her 2018 PB of 15:58.72.

Pfeifer was well ahead of the field with her swimming, finishing almost a minute ahead of silver medalist Kara Church representing Kansas. Church came in at a 16:41.12 for second place, followed by Iowa State’s Bailey Horras with a 16:55.19 for third.

MEN’S 1650 FREESTYLE

• BIG 12 Record: Clark Smith (Texas) – 14:22.41 (2017)
• BIG 12 Meet Record: Clark Smith (Texas) – 14:31.29 (2016)
• 2020 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 14:37.31
• 2020 Champion: Parker Neri (Texas) – 14:55.01

Top 3:

1. David Johnston (Texas) – 14:48.09
2. JohnThomas Larson (Texas) – 14:52.28
3. William Mullen (West Virginia) – 15:33.51

David Johnston and JohnThomas Larson were together for much of the 1650 but Johnston managed to pull ahead in the second half, touching in a 14:48.09 to Larson’s 14:52.28. Despite his win, Johnston was still a bit off his fastest-ever time of 14:41.46. Larson on the other hand lowered his PB from a 14:55.18.

William Mullen represented West Virginia on the podium, coming in at a 15:33.51. While they weren’t represented in the top 3, TCU managed to win a solid number of points as Charlie Brenning (15:46.26), Kevin Chao (15:52.16), and Nicholas Skinne (16:03.93) claimed 5th, 7th, and 8th, respectively.

WOMEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE

• Big 12 Record: Laura Sogar (Texas) – 2:05.04 (2012)
• Big 12 Meet Record: Laura Sogar (Texas) – 2:05.25 (2013)
• 2020 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 2:06.84
• 2020 Champion: Kate Steward (Kansas) – 2:10.68

Kate Steward nearly clinched a repeat victory in the 200 breast tonight but was ultimately run defeated by Kansas. Elendt dropped 5 seconds from her prelim swim of 2:11.63 to hit a 2:06.34 to win gold. That’s more than 4 seconds better than Steward’s 2:10.86 for silver but was just over her PB of 2:06.04 from December.

That swim from Elendt threatened Laura Sogar’s school and a conference record of 2:05.04 from back in 2012. While she didn’t get it tonight, Sogar’s record is within striking distance should Elendt race the event at NCAAs.

While Elendt and Steward took the top 2 spots, Iowa State’s Lehr Thorson and Kansas’ Dannie Dilsaver had a battle for bronze. In the end, Thorson has the upper hand, touching in a 2:14.68, ahead of Dilsaver’s 2:14.93 for fourth.

MEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE

• BIG 12 Record: Will Licon (Texas) – 1:47.91 (2017)
• BIG 12 Meet Record: Will Licon (Texas) – 1:49.89 (2017)
• 2020 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:52.61
• 2020 Champion: Caspar Corbeau (Texas) – 1:53.92

Caspar Corbeau was a second faster than last year in the 200 breast, hitting a 1:52.52 to take the 200 breast title. With that swim, Corbeau hovered over his 1:52.06 that he swam in December of 2019. 2 seconds after Corbeau touched, TCU’s Vitauts Silins came in for silver with a 1:54.54.

Jake Foster for Texas was also in the mix, vying for gold but settled for bronze with his 1:55.13. That was an NCAA B cut for Foster and Silins while Corbeau hit the A standard.

WOMEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY

• Big 12 Record: Kathleen Hersey (Texas) – 1:51.18 (2009)
• Big 12 Meet Record: Camille Adams (Texas A&M) – 1:53.66 (2011)
• 2020 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:53.20
• 2020 Champion: Kelly Pash (Texas) – 1:54.56

Top 3

1. Olivia Bray (Texas) – 1:52.03
2. Kelly Pash (Texas) – 1:52.69
3. Emma Sticklen (Texas) – 1:55.52

The 200 fly was one of the only events on the women’s side where two swimmers hit the NCAA A cut. Olivia Bray and Kelly Pash battled it out, both getting under the standard of 1:53.20. Bray won the event with a 1:52.03 while Pash, unable to defend her title, touched in a 1:52.60 for silver.

The bronze medal race was a little more clear-cut as Texas’ Emma Sticklen was a 1:55.64, 4 seconds ahead of teammate Grace Ritch’s 1:59.64 for fourth.

MEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY

• BIG 12 Record: Jack Conger (Texas) – 1:37.35 (2017)
• BIG 12 Meet Record: Jack Conger (Texas) – 1:39.17 (2017)
• 2020 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:40.76
• 2020 Champion: Sam Pomajevich (Texas) – 1:41.78

Top 3:

1. Alvin Jiang (Texas) – 1:41.60
2. Andrew Koustik (Texas) – 1:42.38
3. David Dixon (West Virginia) – 1:42.75

Alvin Jiang won the 200 butterfly, matching teammate Carson Foster’s 3-for-3 record at Big 12s. Jiang swam a 1:41.60. Going into the meet Jiang’s best time sat at a 1:43.89 and was lowered to a 1:43.21 in the prelims and then again in the finals.

Jiang’s teammate Andrew Koustik kept his rank from the prelims, touching the wall in second place with a 1:42.38, just ahead of West Virginia David Dixon’s 1:42.75.

WOMEN’S 400 FREESTYLE RELAY

• Big 12 Record: Texas – 3:09.56 (2018)
• Big 12 Meet Record: Texas – 3:11.72 (2018)
• 2020 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 3:14.61
• 2020 Champion: Texas – 3:14.24

Top 3:

1. Texas – 3:13.32
2. West Virginia – 3:20.21
3. Kansas – 3:21.99
4. Iowa State – 3:22.85
5. TCU – 3:24.14

To clue up their Big 12 performance, the Texas women pulled off 1 final win in the 400 freestyle relay. Miranda Heckman opened things up for them with a 49.34 split, followed by Julia Cook’s 48.21, and Olivia Bray’s 48.50. Kelly Pash took it home with a 47.27 anchor split giving the team a 3:13.32 overall.

MEN’S 400 FREESTYLE RELAY

• BIG 12 Record: Texas – 2:45.12 (2019)
• BIG 12 Meet Record: Texas – 2:48.35 (2018)
• 2020 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 2:51.11
• 2020 Champion: Texas – 2:48.56

Top 3:

1. Texas – 2:48.48
2. TCU -2:54.94
3. West Virginia – 2:59.75

In the final event of the night, the Texas men earned one final victory, throwing down a 2:48.48 to beat out TCU’s 2:54.94 and West Virginia’s 2:55.75. Daniel Krueger opened it up with a 42.09, establishing an early lead over TCU’s Noah Cumby ) 43.58, and West Virginia’s Max Gustafson (44.15).

Jake Sannem, Chris Staka, and Drew Kibler finished the relay for Texas splitting 42.43, 42.24, and 41.72, respectively.

Final Team Scores:

Women:

1. Texas – 854 Points
2. Kansas – 649 Points
3. Iowa State – 460 Points
4. TCU – 434 Points
5. West Virginia – 421 Points

Men:

1. Texas – 951 Points
2. TCU – 681 Points
3. West Virginia – 661 Points