πŸŠβ€β™€οΈ Jayhawks Dominate Kansas Classic

TOPEKA, Kan. – The University of Kansas swimming & diving team closed out its 2021 fall campaign in dominating fashion this weekend at the Kansas Classic in Topeka, Kansas, winning a total of 11 events and scoring 1,191 points in the team competition.

The Jayhawks won the Kansas Classic for the fourth straight year, totaling 1,191 points, followed by Iowa State (786), Indiana State (431), North Texas (389), Northern Iowa (343) and Little Rock (325). The Jayhawks last won the event in 2019 with 1,203.5 points, while also claiming victories in 2018 (1,279.5 points) and 2017 (1,060 points).

With the strong team effort, the Jayhawks also competed well individually, registering several personal bests.

Kansas sophomore Claudia Dougan put together a pair of strong races in the 100-yard freestyle and 200-yard freestyle, winning both events. Dougan set a personal best in the 100-yard freestyle by a second, besting her time of 50.85 set at the 2021 Big 12 Championships. Dougan also finished first in the 200 freestyle in 1:50.01.

Senior Kate Steward closed in a several of her school records this weekend, while securing victories in the 200-yard individual medley, 100 breaststroke (1:00.68) and 200 breaststroke (2:11.77). Steward clocked a time of 1:59.90 in the 200-yard individual medley, just under two seconds off her school record of 1:58.00, set at the 2021 Big 12 Championship.

Freshman Addi Barnes continued her strong start as a Jayhawk this weekend, registering a pair of second place finishes while contributing in a number of events.

Barnes, of Overland Park, Kansas, finished second in the 500-yard freestyle, coming in at 5:52.01. Barnes also placed second in the 1,650 freestyle in 17:04.16, while placing in the top-six in the 400 individual medley (5th, 4:25.75) and 200 yard backstroke (6th, 2:01.59).

Sophomore Kara Church won the women’s 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:51.73, while also placing as the runner-up in the 200 yard freestyle with a time of 1:50.23.

The Jayhawks fared well in several of the relay events, winning the 200-freestyle relay with the team of Keyla Brown, Autumn Looney, Dewi Blose and Claudia Dougan. Kansas also won the 200-yard medley relay with the team consisting of Elliot Howe, Steward, Looney and Brown in 1:40.43, and the 400 medley relay of Blose, Steward, Looney and Dougan in 3:41.62.

Kansas will return to action in 2022 when they travel to Hawaii to compete in Honolulu on January 6-8. Kansas will then square off in duals against Arkansas and Iowa State before competing at the Big 12 Championship in Morgantown, West Virginia on February 23-26.