Kuzhil leads Jayhawks to third place finish at first day of Big 12 Championships

Feb. 23, 2011

For complete first day results, click here.

AUSTIN, Texas –

For the second straight year senior Iuliia Kuzhil led her 200-yard medley relay team to a third place finish at the Big 12 Championships. Kuzhil was accompanied by fellow senior Joy Bunting, junior Abigail Anderson and sophomore Monica Johannessen in recording a time of 1:39:10 at the Jamail Texas Swimming Center in Austin. The 1:39.10 mark was their fastest of the season and bested their 1:39.35 time from last year’s conference championships.

In the 800-yard free relay finals Kansas took fourth place and was led by junior Shannon Garlie, sophomores Rebecca Swank, Brooke Brull and freshman Megan Sharp. The group swam to a 7:20.91 mark, which was also their fastest of the season.

“We had some really good swims,” said Kansas Head Coach Clark Campbell. “Shannon Garlie led off in the 800 free relay with her life-time best time and then in our 200 medley relay our back half of Abigail Anderson and Monica Johannessen put it together really well.”

After one full day of competition host Texas as well as Texas A&M are tied for first with 74-points apiece, while both Kansas and Missouri are tied for third with 62. Nebraska claims sole possession of fifth place with 56-points and Iowa State sits in sixth with 52.

Looking ahead to the second day of competition, Campbell said, “With this meet it is always important to get off with good energy the first session. In a preliminary final meet your results are going to come from how good you do in the morning so we have to focus on really good morning swimming because we want to have the opportunity to put points up on the board at night.”

With that in mind, Campbell’s squad is back in action tomorrow (Thursday) morning with preliminary competition in the 500 free style, the 200 Individual Medley and the 50 free style. The finals take place starting at 6pm in Austin.

SCORES THROUGH TWO EVENTS

1-Texas/Texas A&M (74)

3-Kansas/Missouri (62)

5-Nebraska (56)

6-Iowa State (52)

200-YARD MEDLEY RELAY RESULTS

1-Texas A&M (1:36.62)

2-Texas (1:36.98)

3-Kansas (1:39:10)

4-Missouri (1:39.97)

5-Nebraska (1:41.08)

6-Iowa State (1:42.35)

800-YARD MEDLEY RELAY RESULTS

1-Texas (7:00.97)

2-Texas A&M (7:04.26)

3-Missouri (7:10.02)

4-Kansas (7:20.91)

5-Nebraska (7:22.00)

6-Iowa State (7:31.37)