Kansas places second at Open Water Championship

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas swimming and diving took home the second-place team honor on Saturday in the fourth-annual College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Open Water Championship at Lone Star Lake.

 

The Jayhawks, who hosted the event for the fourth-consecutive year, finished with 40 points on the afternoon, which put them eight points behind first-place Rice (32) and two points ahead of third-place Texas A&M (42). Fifteen women’s teams in total competed on the day.

"I cannot be thankful enough for all the people who poured a lot of time and effort into this. From facilities to media relations, to athletic training. The entire athletic department really embraces this event and they put on a really good race that the kids get excited about. It is a great way to start the year."

Head Coach Clark Campbell

The team was led by senior Jenny Nusbaum who finished in seventh place overall in the 76-swimmer field after finishing the 5k race in a time of 1:05:31.4. Nusbaum was neck-and-neck with the eighth-place finisher Audrey Coffey from Nebraska once they hit the final stretch. However, it was Nusbaum who found a final burst of energy to edge Coffey out in the end.

"Everybody is just going crazy at the beginning, so it is a little hectic. We just had to get out fast. Clark [Campbell] kept telling us to go out fast and get in the front. I tried to do that the best I could. The first two laps I was kind of by myself and then I felt some trickles at my feet. As the third lap progressed [Coffey] got closer and closer and at one point she turned and got in front of me. After that, it was just her and I battling it out. As soon as we rounded the last turn, I knew there was about 300-meters left and Clark [Campbell] always said to just go for it the last 300. So, I just tried to turn it on the best I could."

Jenny Nusbaum

Four other Kansas swimmers competed in the open water event. Sophomore Claire Campbell finished in 13th place with a time of 1:06:17.8 while junior Crissie Blomquist was not far behind claiming 20th place with a time of 1:07:49.7. Rounding out the Jayhawk four was sophomore Katie Callahan who took home 23rd place after completing the race in 1:08:12.4.

 

KU will now have a couple of weeks off before their first indoor meet of the season on October 4. The team will be participating in the first-ever Sunflower Showdown in Topeka, Kansas. It is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. that Friday.