Feb. 18, 2000

COLUMBIA, Mo.- The Missouri women's swimming and diving team came out strong on Friday morning at the Big 12 Championships in College Station, Texas. On the second morning of competition, the Tigers placed five swimmers in tonight's finals.

Freshman Leslie Hoh got things started for Mizzou by a posting a time of four minutes, 21.14 seconds in the 400 individual medley. That time broke a Missouri school record and is also a NCAA consideration cut time. Hoh will enter tonight's final seeded fourth after she placed fifth in last night's 200 individual medley final.

Junior Jeanna Willi followed up Hoh's impressive swim with a school record time of 56.60 seconds in the 100 butterfly. Willi's time is also a NCAA consideration cut time and will have her seeded fourth in tonight's final. Rikki Janes just missed out on reaching the finals with a time 56.98 and will be the No. 1 seed in the consolation race.

Sophomore Molly Vetter qualified for tonight's final in the 200 freestyle with a time of one minute, 50.94 seconds. Vetter's time was just off the school record.

The Tigers had a solid effort in the 100 breaststroke. Junior Kim Lambert will swim in tonight's final and will be seeded fifth after posting a time of one minute, 5.43 seconds. Freshman Tiffany Bohon will be the No. 1 seed in the consolation race and will be joined by senior Kristin Ziemke.

Head Coach Brian Hoffer decided not to compete his prize freshman Hoh in the 100 breaststroke, but she did swim in an exhibition heat to see if she could qualify for the NCAA Championships. Hoh swam the race in a time of one minute, 4.08 seconds, a new school record and a NCAA consideration cut time.

Rounding out the morning's preliminary races was the 100 backstroke event. Rikki Janes will represent Missouri in the finals and will be seeded seventh after posting a time of 57.53 seconds. Freshman Ellen Cross will swim in the consolation race tonight.