Aggie Women Can't Catch Longhorns, Place Second at Big 12 Championships
Feb 26, 2011 | Women's Swimming and Diving
Feb. 26, 2011
Results
AUSTIN --- The Texas A&M women's swimming and diving team charged down the stretch but it wasn't enough to catch the host Texas Longhorns on the final day of the Big 12 Championships on Saturday at the Jamail Texas Swimming Center.Holding a tenuous seven-point lead after three days, the Aggies quickly found themselves facing a 94-point deficit on Saturday. The Aggies rallied over the last four events, but the Longhorns emerged on top with a 17-point win, 948-931. Missouri was third with 588.5, followed by Kansas (409.5), Nebraska (350) and Iowa State (176).
Perhaps the biggest highlight of the day for the Aggies was the display of power by the flyers - Cammile Adams, Rita Medrano and Kendra Chernoff. Adams solidified her hold on the Big 12 Newcomer of the Meet by dominating the field in a school record and NCAA auto cut of 1:53.66. Adams finished her first Big 12 Championship with wins in the 500 free and 200 fly, both in school record fashion, and a runner-up finish in the 400 IM. Medrano, the previous school record holder, finished second with a time of 1:56.60 and Chernoff was third in 1:57.08.
The Aggies were dominant in the 1,650 freestyle with sophomore Maureen McLaine grabbing her first-ever individual Big 12 Championships and freshman Sarah Henry grabbing second. McLaine and Henry went stroke for stroke for most of the way until McLaine pulled away over the last 200 yards for the win in 16.13.41. Henry was second in 16:17.06, and she was trailed by teammates Liz Nelson (4th, 16:33.57) and Alyssa Conner (6th, 16:39.63).
Freshman Alia Atkinson. Another freshman, Erica Dittmer, became the No. 4 performer in school history with a time of 2:12.01 while placing fourth. Senior Melanie Dodds contributed a sixth-place finish with a time of 2:14.01.
In the platform dive, junior Janie Potvin lost her bid for the win on the final dive for the second straight night as she took runner-up honors to Maren Taylor of Texas. Potvin had rallied to briefly grab the lead with scores of 74.25 and 67.20 on her fourth and fifth dives, but Taylor hit a 70-plus final dive for the win. Potvin finished the day with 320.80, and junior Lorena Lujan was sixth with 239.50 points.
The 200 backstroke featured a lifetime best from senior Lindsey King, as she gutted out a third-place finish in 1:54.19. She was out-touched by Missouri's Lauren Lavigna by .01 for second place. Tess Simpson finished sixth in 1:55.79 and Anna Heller was seventh in 1:56.36.
The 100 freestyle yielded another lifetime best from a senior, this time by Maria Sommer. Sommer grabbed runner-up honors with a time of 48.83, which makes her the No. 4 performer in school history. Lili Ibanez took seventh with a time of 49.20.
The Aggies closed out the meet with a runner-up finish in the 400 free relay with Sommer, Dittmer, Hannah Kinder and Ibanez touching in a season-best and NCAA "B" cut of 3:16.51.
Day 4 Results Platform dive Janie Potvin, 2nd, 320.80 Lorena Lujan, 6th, 239.50
200 back Lindsey King, 3rd, 1:54.19 Tess Simpson, 6th, 1:55.79 Anna Heller, 7th, 1:56.36
100 free Maria Sommer, 2nd, 48.83 Lili Ibanez, 7th, 49.20
1,650 free Maureen McLaine, 1st, 16.13.41 Sarah Henry, 2nd, 16:17.06 Liz Nelson, 4th, 16:33.57 Alyssa Conner, 6th, 16:39.63
200 breast Breeja Larson, 2nd, 2:08.33 Erica Dittmer, 4th, 2:12.01 Melanie Dodds, 6th, 2:14.01 Megan Onstott, 2:13.33 Caroline Maxvill, 2:16.98
200 fly Cammile Adams, 1st, 1:53.66 Rita Medrano, 2nd, 1:56.60 Kendra Chernoff, 3rd, 1:57.08 Jaclin Rehring, 2:00.06 Jordan King, 2:00.32
400 free relay Maria Sommer, Erica Dittmer, Hannah Kinder 3:16.51
