Herrmann Captures Second Individual All-Time Record After Day Three of Big 12s
Feb. 29, 2008
Big 12 Championships (Day Three) Results
AUSTIN, Texas- Led by junior co-captain Danielle Herrmann, the Jayhawks concluded day three of the Big 12 Swimming and Diving Championships in Austin Friday. Herrmann’s morning preliminary time of 1:02.13 in the 100 breaststroke set a career-best time and a Kansas team record, earning her the top position going into finals. Herrmann swam her way to a second-place time of 1:02.27 in finals of the event.
In other breaststroke action, freshman Joy Bunting improved her preliminary time with a 1:04.99, 11th-place, finals swim. Additionally, junior Rhynn Malloy and freshman Sarah Edwards advanced their prelim marks, Malloy finishing 14th with a career-best time of 1:06.01 and Edwards placing 22nd with a time of 1:06.28.
The Jayhawks stand in fourth place after day three competition with 332.5 points behind third-place Missouri (338.5), second-place Texas (516) and first-place Texas A&M (687). Iowa State (235) and Nebraska (221) round out the top six.
KU returned 24 swimmers and divers to day three finals, landing three divers in the top eight of the three-meter competition. The Kansas trio of Erin Mertz, Meghan Proehl and Jenny Roberts marked the most divers from any team to return for finals competition. Proehl returned to finals Thursday after placing seventh in the one-meter competition Wednesday. Leading Kansas on the three-meter board, Proehl tallied 274.20 points, a sixth-place finish, while Roberts (273) and Mertz (268.70) finished close behind in seventh and eighth, respectively.
“I’m really happy with the way the girls performed the past two days,” diving coach Eric Elliott said. “They realized they had the potential to score points and they stepped up to plate. They each took turns leading the group. It was really impressive to have three in the top finals tonight. Having all five divers score has helped the team as a whole.”
The Kansas 200-yard freestyle relay, composed of Ashley Leidigh, Emily Lanteigne, Terri Schramka and Amanda Maez, finished fifth with a time of 1:34.04.
In 400 IM action, KU returned four finalists. Freshman Alyssa Potter led the way for the Jayhawks, landing a 12th-place finish (4:30.78), followed by Malloy in 14th-place (4:31.11), Carrah Haley in 16th (4:34.30) and Molly Brammer in 21st (4:36.64).
Leidigh led the `Hawks in the 100-yard butterfly race, finishing eighth with a time of 55.28. Freshman Brittany Potter improved upon her prelims time, clocking in at 56.55 (13th), while junior Jessica Brozek tapped in at 58.79 (24th).
The KU foursome of Maria Mayrovich, Lanteigne, Erin Goetz and Anne Liggett finished 10th, 13th, 20th and 21st, respectively in the 200-yard freestyle.
KU’s depth shined in the 100-yard backstroke event with five returners. Schramka tapped in with a 10th-place time of 56.91, just shy of her career-best time of 56.31, set in Wednesday relay action. Sophomore Whitney Taylor set a career-best time, placing 19th with a 57.59, while Lauren Bonfe placed 13th (57.61), Melissa Heyrman captured 14th (57.94) and freshman Amanda Maez tapped in at 59.89 (21st).
“We had a lot of best times tonight,” head coach Clark Campbell said. “Our conference has gotten faster from top to bottom, which is great for the conference, but for us to score points we have to continually rise to the level of the conference. We might not put up as many points because of the competition in the Big 12, but we have to step it up. Tomorrow our rivalry with Missouri will come into play and it’s going to be a matter of how much we want it. It will be a challenge because we are both swimming great and at a high level to compete in a championship meet like this.”
Saturday will conclude the 2008 Big 12 Swimming and Diving Championships with the 200 backstroke, 100 freestyle, 200 breaststroke, 200 butterfly, 1650 freestyle and 400 freestyle relay events, in addition to the women’s platform diving competition.
A final recap of Big 12 awards and results of the championship will be available on kuathletics.com following the conclusion of Saturday finals.
