Feb. 22, 2002
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Through 11 events, the Northwestern swimming and diving team remains in sixth-place with 233.50 total points after the third day of competition at the Big Ten Championships. Indiana took over the top spot from Michigan with a three-day total of 429.
Coming into the championships, NU knew the fly events would be its best chance to earn points. In the 100 fly, Carmen Cosgrove (Perth, Western Australia/Nebraska) swam the second fastest time in the morning prelims (54.53) but slipped to fourth in the evening finals with a time of 54.82. Rachel Johnson (Champaign, Ill./Centennial) tied for seventh with a career-best time of 55.71. Freshmen Christy Olin (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West) and Paige Nath (Wichita, Kan./Trinity Academy) tied for 15th (56.66). The 'Cats picked up a total of 29.5 points in the event.
Erica Rose (Cleveland, Ohio/Hawken School) and Stephanie Cranston (St. Louis, Mo./Mary Institute CD) swam in the 400 IM final. Rose placed 7th with a season-best time of 4:22.39. Cranston followed her in eighth-place with a time of 4:24.17.
Katie Simmons (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) took home ninth in the 100 breast, touching in 1:03.60. Brielle Bovee (Winter Park, Fla./Lake Highland Prep) was 11th at 1:03.92.
After finishing sixth in the 500 free last night, Erin Swenson (Florissant, Mo./Hazelwood Central) scored again for NU with a 11th-place finish in the 200 freestyle (1:50.19).
In diving action, freshman Ashley Carter (Louisville, Ky./Sacred Heart Academy) scored for NU on the 3-meter springboard with a score of 418.45.
The Wildcats have a lot of work cut out for them in tomorrow's final day of competition. No Wildcat team under Jimmy Tierney has finished lower than fourth at the Championships. Johnson and Cosgrove remain the only Wildcats that have automatically qualified for NCAAs.
Following each race, results can be found on www.mgoblue.com.