Feb. 22, 2003
AUSTIN, Texas -
On the final day of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Swimming and Diving Championships Missouri put on a record-breaking performance. The women's team broke three school records enroute to a third place finish, tying the best finish ever by a women's swimming and diving team at the Big 12 Championships. The women's team broke nine records over the course of the championships and finished with 510 points. Kansas (471.5), Iowa State (407) and Nebraska (316.5) finished behind the Tigers. Texas won with 1,031 points with Texas A&M second with 694.
The men's team also finished in third place with 760 team points. Texas won with 1,030 and A&M finished second with 908. Though the men's team did not break any records, they had many top-five times and a few NCAA Championship performances.
The first event of the evening was the women's platform dive. The Tigers were shorthanded, as Joanna Lawrence and Anna Massey were unable to compete in the event; Lawrence was unavailable due to an injury she suffered on Thursday. Freshman Nicole Frazier made the finals and finished eighth with a score of 322.05. She set a team best and career best in the semifinals with a score of 325.95.
The first swimming event of the evening was the men's 1,650 freestyle. Four Tigers medaled with senior Dane Pedersen closing out his Tiger career with a third place finish with a time of 15:39.01. Sophomore Blake Davis finished fifth (16:04.19), junior Eric Sullins finished sixth (16:38.19) and freshman Wade Pennington finished seventh (16:46.50).
In the women's 1,650 freestyle senior Katy Chandler just missed the NCAA provisional qualifying time with her time of 16:57.86. She finished seventh in her last collegiate event. Her split in the 1,000 freestyle of 10:14.92 ranks fourth all-time.
For the second time this evening four Tigers medaled in the men's 200 backstroke. Senior Matt Ferrarelli led the way with his third place finish with a time of 1:47.51. Freshman Chris Lukas finished fifth (1:49.82), sophomore Jacob Thomas (1:53.67) finished seventh and junior Dustin McKnight (1:54.95) finished eighth.
In the women's 200 backstroke Sarah Lo finished fourth with a time of 2:01.74. Senior Chrissy Frieh finished seventh with a time of 2:03.73. In the preliminaries Lo provisionally qualified with her time of 2:00.74. Frieh's prelim time of 2:03.72 ranks fourth on the school's all-time list.
Tyler Belanger set a career best in the 100 freestyle with his time of 45.45. He finished 11th and sophomore Ryan Searby finished 13th with a time of 47.25.
In the 100 freestyle junior Andrea Nigh continued her record-breaking performance. She had already set three school records (50 freestyle and both the 200 and 400 medley relays) She improved on her school record time of 50.64, with a time of 50.21. She finished fourth and her time provisionally qualifies her for the NCAAs.
The men's 200 breaststroke saw Matt North finish seventh with a time of 2:02.49. North's time ranks third on the all-time list. Junior Chris Musfeldt finished 11th with a time of 2:05.05, that time ranks fifth on the all-time list.
The women's 200 breaststroke had two Tiger finalists. Senior Tiffany Bohon closed her career with a third place finish with a time of 2:18.78. That time moved her into second place on the all-time list. Sophomore Mariona Costa finished fourth with a time of 2:18.98.
Senior Radu Miclaus finished second in the 200 butterfly with a time of 1:47.12. His time provisionally qualified him for the NCAAs and should be good enough for his second consecutive NCAA Championship bid. Freshman David Darmitzel finished eighth with a time of 1:55.92.
With two events left the women's team held a slight edge over Kansas for third place. In the 200 butterfly the Tigers pulled away. In an exciting race junior Rebecca Wolfe won with a new school record time of 1:59.82. Texas Olympian Joscelian Yeo took a commanding lead out of the blocks and held it till the last 100 yards. Wolfe kicked into another gear and passed the fading Yeo and won. It was the first individual loss for Yeo in the Big 12 Championships in two years. Wolfe's time is also a NCAA provisional qualifying time.
Wolfe is only the second women's Big 12 Champion in Missouri history. This is her second Big 12 Championship, as a freshman she won the 200 butterfly in 2001 while a member of the Nebraska swim team. She set the Big 12 record in the 200 butterfly with a time of 1:57.94 that year.
Freshman Liz Schoborg finished third with a time of 2:02.20. Her time ranks third on the all-time list. Junior Becca Dawson finished sixth with a time of 2:03.41.
In the diving well, all four members of the men's diving team made the finals of the platform dive. Freshman Zac Metcalf finished second with a score of 488.15. Senior Jamie Sweeney finished fifth (462.05), freshman Aaron Wionzek finished sixth (417.90) and fellow freshman Evan Watters finished seventh with a score of 407.90.
The men's team finished the meet with the 400 freestyle relay. The team of Belanger, Ferrarelli, Lukas and Searby finished third with a time of 3:03.37, just missing the NCAA cut.
The women's team broke yet another school relay record, this time the team of Nigh, Schoborg, Ellen Cross and Lindsay Palbykin set the record in the 400 freestyle relay with a time of 3:23.40. It was the fourth Missouri relay record to be broken at the Big 12's. The relay team finished second in the race and the time also was a NCAA provisional qualifying time.
Tiger diving coach Greg Triefenbach was named Men's Diving Coach of the Meet.
The Texas men's team won their seventh consecutive conference championship. The Texas women's team won their fifth consecutive conference championship.
Complete results are available at the Big 12 website at www.big12sports.com.
MEN'S TEAM SCORES 1. Texas - 1,030 2. Texas A&M - 908 3. Missouri - 760
WOMEN'S TEAM SCORES 1. Texas - 1,031 2. Texas A&M - 694 3. Missouri- 510 4. Kansas - 471.5 5. Iowa State - 407 6. Nebraska - 316
MEN'S BIG 12 HONORS Outstanding Swimmer of the Meet: Matt Rose, Texas A&M Outstanding Diver of the Meet: Jon Linett, Texas Outstanding Newcomer of the Meet: Aaron Peirsol, Texas Men's Coach of the Meet: Mel Nash, Texas A&M Men's Diving Coach of the Meet: Greg Triefenbach, Missouri
WOMEN'S BIG 12 HONORS Outstanding Swimmer of the Meet: Sarah Wanzek, Texas Outstanding Diver of the Meet: Nicole Pohorenec, Texas Outstanding Newcomer of the Meet: Elizabeth Wycliffe, Texas Women's Swim Coach of the Meet: Clark Campbell, Kansas Women's Diving Coach of the Meet: Matt Scoggins, Texas