πŸŠβ€β™€οΈ Jayhawks Continue Strong Big 12s with Three Records Broken on Day Three

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. –Β Kansas swimming and diving had three different record-breaking performances on the third day of the Big 12 Championships inside the Aquatic Complex at Mylan Park. The Jayhawks head into the final day of the competition in second place with 573 points.

After another strong performance during the Friday preliminaries, Kansas sent 16 Jayhawks into the A finals for the six individual events on Friday evening. At those finals, the Jayhawks let loose and put forth a dominant performance on all fronts.

The night began with freshman Jiayu Chen breaking the Big 12 Championship meet record, and being named the Big 12 Champion, in the 3-meter dive with a 384.60 final score performance. With the victory, Chen claimed first place in all nine of her 3-meter dive events in the 2019-20 season.

Next up for the Jayhawks was sophomore Kate Steward and her performance in the 100-yard breaststroke. For the second time this season, Steward managed to swim her way into the record books by breaking her own school record that she set back at the Kansas Classic in November, finishing the race in 1:00.34. The time also named her KU’s second Big 12 Champion of the day.

Kansas closed out the night with its third record-breaking event in the 200-yard freestyle relay. The foursome of seniors Carly Straight and Jenny Nusbaum combined with junior Manon Manning and freshman Autumn Looney broke the school record with a final time of 1:31.03 and claimed silver in the event. The previous record had been set at the 2019 Big 12 Championships.

Head Coach Clark Campbell’s Thoughts

Kate Steward Share’s Her Thoughts on Her Record-Setting Race

Diving Results

  • Jiayu Chen was named the Big 12 Champion, as well as set the Big 12 Championship meet record, in the 3-meter dive with a final score of 384.60.
  • Franny Cable won the consolation final with a final score of 304.90.
  • Peri Charapich finished sixth in the consolation final with a final score of 265.70.

Diving Coach Gabe Downey’s Thoughts

Key Race Results

  • Greta Olsen claimed silver in the 100-yard butterfly with a final time of 53.90.
  • Autumn Looney finished fourth in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 54.09.
  • Elizabeth Amato-Hanner swam to a fifth-place finish at 54.21 seconds in the 100-yard butterfly.
  • Kaitlyn Witt finished sixth in the 100-yard butterfly with a final time of 54.72.
  • Dannie Dilsaver won bronze in the 400-yard individual medley with a time of 4:18.12.
  • Paige Riekhof finished seventh in the 400-yard individual medley with a time of 4:24.15.
  • Jenny Nusbaum finished in third place in the 200-yard freestyle with a final time of 1:47.35.
  • Claire Campbell swam to a seventh-place finish in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:50.02.
  • Lauryn Parrish claimed eighth place in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:50.13.
  • Kate Steward claimed the Big 12 title, as well as the KU school record, in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:00.34.
  • Haley Downey placed fourth in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:01.30.
  • Witt took home eighth place honors in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:03.33.
  • Dewi Blose finished in third place in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 52.44.
  • Manon Manning swam to a fourth-place finish in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 52.84.
  • Amato-Hanner finished fifth in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 54.01.
  • The foursome of Looney, Nusbaum, Manning and Carly Straight set the school record, and claimed silver, in the 200-yard freestyle relay with a final time of 1:31.03.

Next Up

  • Kansas will finish out the Big 12 Championships on Saturday, Feb. 29, with the preliminaries scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. (CT) and the finals set for 5 p.m. (CT) inside the Aquatic Complex at Mylan Park. Here are the events scheduled for Saturday’s session:
    • 200-yard backstroke
    • 100-yard freestyle
    • 1,650-yard freestyle
    • 200-yard breaststroke
    • 200-yard butterfly
    • Platform diving
    • 400-yard freestyle relay