πŸŠβ€β™€οΈ Kansas Breaks Record on Day One of Big 12 Championships

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. –Β Kansas swimming and diving began the 2020 Big 12 Championships in record-breaking fashion and head into day two in second place with 68 points through two events.

After participating in the time trials on Wednesday morning (where the Jayhawks claimed four lifetime best times and two season-best finishes), the championship opened the finals with the 200-yard medley relay and the 800-yard freestyle relay.

In KU’s first event of the evening, the Kansas A relay team broke an 11-year-old record. Seniors Elizabeth Amato-Hanner and Carly Straight, junior Manon Manning and sophomore Kate Steward finished the 200-yard medley relay in 1:37.70, breaking the time of 1:38.45 that was set back in 2009. This placed them second overall in the event, giving the Jayhawks their first medal placing of the week.

Kansas followed this up with its second silver medal placing of the evening in the 800-yard freestyle relay. The foursome of senior Jenny Nusbaum, juniors Dannie Dilsaver, Lauryn Parrish and sophomore Claire Campbell touched the wall in 7:19.65.

Head Coach Clark Campbell’s Thoughts

Key Race Results

  • The foursome of Manon Manning, Kate Steward, Elizabeth Amato-Hanner and Carly Straight set the KU record in the 200-yard medley relay with a final time of 1:37.70. That placed them second overall in the event.
  • The relay team of Jenny Nusbaum, Dannie Dilsaver, Claire Campbell and Lauryn Parrish claimed silver in the 800-yard freestyle relay with a final time of 7:19.65.
  • KU’s B relay squad of Dewi Blose, Haley Downey, Kaitlyn Witt and Autumn Looney completed the 200-yard medley relay in 1:39.51.
  • The Jayhawks’ C relay group of Mackenzie Bravence, Ellie Flanagan, Greta Olsen and Katy SChlies finished the 200-yard medley relay with a final time of 1:46.99.

Time Trial Results

  • Blose set a lifetime best time in the 100-yard butterfly touching the wall in 55.10 seconds.
  • Olsen set a season-best time of 2:01.73 in the 200-yard butterfly.
  • Bravence finished with a lifetime best time of 51.98 in the 100-yard freestyle.
  • Amato-Hanner claimed her lifetime best finish in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 53.17 seconds.
  • Dilsaver completed the 100-yard breaststroke in just 1:01.32 for a lifetime best time.
  • Paige Riekhof swam the 200-yard freestyle in 1:50.12, which is the fastest time of her 2019-20 season.

Up Next

  • The Jayhawks will compete in the second day of the Big 12 Championships on Thursday, Feb. 27, with preliminaries scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. (CT) and the finals slated to start at 5 p.m. (CT). Kansas will compete in the following events on Thursday:
    • 500-yard freestyle
    • 200-yard individual medley
    • 50-yard freestyle
    • 1-meter diving
    • 400-yard medley relay