Jayhawks Complete Day 1 of Big 12 Showcase - West with 10 Personal Bests

Friday, January 16

Tempe, Ariz.

11 a.m. CT

University of Kansas

554

Big 12 Showcase-West

Jayhawks Complete Day 1 of Big 12 Showcase - West with 10 Personal Bests

1/16/2026 10:20:00 PM | Women's Swimming and Diving

Big 12 Showcase West Day 1 P.M. Results 2026 Big 12 Showcase West Day 1 A.M. Results 2026

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Kansas closed the first day of the Big 12 Showcase–West with 10 lifetime bests and 554 points, standing second overall among conference opponents.

The Jayhawks opened the meet with a fifth-place finish in the 200-yard medley relay as sophomore Anna Gearhart led off with 23.55 for a personal best time. Senior Lydia Lafferty, junior Ryan Johnston and freshman Sarah Blake continued for a combined for a time of 1:39.88.

Lafferty followed with a runner-up finish in the 100-yard butterfly (53.32), Kansas' first top-three result of the day. Gearhart placed eighth (53.78), while sophomore Ella Hansen (55.06) and junior Mia Waldron (55.40) added scoring finishes.

Freshman Madison Wagner earned third in the 400-yard IM (4:23.28). Senior Hailey Farrell was eighth (4:21.74), freshman Sammy Cummins 12th (4:24.13) and sophomore Maya Lambert 16th (4:29.76).

In the 200-yard freestyle, sophomore Gabi Dyer finished fifth (1:50.84), followed by freshman Ivy Solt in ninth (1:48.84) and junior Bradie Ward, who posted a lifetime best in 13th (1:51.09), and sophomore Taylor Cloutman followed just 27 milliseconds behind for 14^th.

Johnston added a fourth-place showing in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:01.32). Senior Aidan Howze (1:04.25) placed 13^th, senior Molly Robinson trailed 24 milliseconds behind for 14^th, and sophomore Alayna Henage (1:04.25) in 17^th.

KU swim and dive later closed the morning with a fifth-place effort in the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:32.60) from Lafferty, Sarah Blake, senior Caroline Blake and sophomore Sophie Wallace.

On the boards, junior Shiyun Lai won the 3-meter dive by more than 20 points. Senior Lize van Leeuwen placed third (291.25), while senior Grace Zifcak finished 14th.

Lafferty opened the evening session with a third-place finish in the 100-yard backstroke (53.59). Ward placed 14^th at 55.71, Farrell (56.35) finished in 16^thwith a personal record, and freshman Kelsey Healy (56.54) right after in 17^th.

Johnston followed with another podium result, taking third in the 200-yard breaststroke with a personal-best 2:12.26. Howze completed the event in 15^th at 2:18.76, Robinson just seconds behind in 17^th, and Henage (2:23.38) in 19^th for their respective second races of the day. Wagner also acquired a lifetime best in the 200 breast time trail at 2:23.23.

Dyer claimed second in the 500-yard freestyle (4:47.14). Solt, senior Madison Haag and Cummins each recorded lifetime bests, placing eighth, 10th and 14th, respectively. Sophomore Taylor Cloutman added a third-place, personal-best swim in the 500 free time trial (4:59.84).

In the 50-yard freestyle, S. Blake placed fifth (23.15) with Wallace touched the wall at 23.39 for 14^th, C. Blake claimed 18^th with 23.58, and Waldron (24.06) rounding out the competition in 20^th.

Kansas wrapped up the day with a fifth-place finish in the 400-yard medley relay as Lafferty, Johnston, Gearhart and C. Blake touched in at 3:39.93.

The Jayhawks also placed third in the team diving event with combined efforts from Lai, van Leeuwen and Zifcak.

The Big 12 Showcase–West concludes Saturday, Jan. 17, at noon CT.

HOW TO FOLLOW

Live results are available on the Kansas Swimming and Diving X account and the Meet Mobile app.

ORDER OF EVENTS

Saturday, Jan. 17^th

(12 p.m. CT session)

1650 (B/C Finals)

200-yard IM

100-yard Freestyle

200-yard Butterfly

200-yard Backstroke

1650 (A Final)