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Indiana Finishes Third at Big Ten Championships

Feb 18, 2001

Bloomington, Ind. - Not since 1982 has Indiana women's swimming and diving performed so well at the Big Ten Championship. Saturday night, the team walked away from Counsilman and Billingsley Aquatics Center in third place with 460.5 points, behind only Michigan with 582 points and Penn State with 557. The weekend was capped off with Hoosier head coach Dorsey Tierney earning conference coach of the year honors and senior Jenn Cristy being named swimmer of the championship. Indiana had four All-Big Ten selections, set 16 school records, and had 36 personal records during the championship.

"This year we had a group of leaders. From the first day of practice I knew that this was a highly motivated group. They are all on the same page. If one is down they will go and pick them up. Our captains do a great job of motivating the team," Tierney said.

After the announcement was made that Tierney earned her coach of the year honors for the first time in her she received an emotional response from her team and the natatorium then broke into the Hoosier fight song.

Cristy finished the last conference meet of her collegiate career with a win in the 100-yard free in 49.14, breaking the school and pool record she had set at the preliminary races that morning. Anne Williams (51.07), Liz Weyerbacher (51.71), and Susan Woessner (52.21) rounded out the top IU sprinters.

"I've never won the 100 free before. Every year I've gotten closer and closer and I finally got it. This has been an amazing experience. We (team) are surprising everyone with all the records we are breaking and how well we are performing," Cristy said.

The 200-yard fly carried the Hoosiers to success on Saturday, with four swimmers in scoring position. Tina Gretlund set a school record in the morning session and broke it in 2:00.98 in her final swim. She finished in fifth place. Kristy Martin took sixth place in 2:00.98. Maggie Helmers (10th, 2:02.25) and Jenni Watts (13th, 2:03.75) rounded out the event that contributed 34 points to the Hoosiers' success.

In the 1650 free, Megan Ryther swam out to a 10:00.92 1000 split, giving her the school record which was set in 1993. Ryther finished eighth in 16:37.50. In the final heat, Sarah Fiden jumped out even quicker, posting splits of 5:53.06 at the 500 mark and 9:54.23 at the 1000 mark, to take over the 1000 record. Her final time of 16:25.86 was good enough to break the 20-year old school record set by Hall of Famer Jennifer Hooker.

"It was smooth. I felt really good during warm-ups," said Fiden. "I went out a little fast, my 500 split was a nice 500, but not for a mile. I'm young, and I'm still learning. It was my first Big Ten meet, and I think I got excited."

Colleen McCracken set an Indiana record in the 200 back, touching the wall in 2:00.2, to qualify for the finals. She finished 13th. The 200 breast saw only one Indiana competitor, but she certainly made her mark. Megan Geers swam a school record time of 2:19.49 in the prelims, then bettered it in the finals en route to a 13th place finish with a 2:19.38.

The final event saw yet another Indiana record. Anne Williams, Susan Woessner, Liz Weyerbacher, and Jenn Cristy swam to a third place finish in 3:21.96. Michigan won in a pool record setting 3:19.61.

Indiana sent three divers to the final round of platform diving. Jessica Williams finished the night as the top Hoosier, placing third with 366.75 points. Lori Matthys and Mamie Goodson followed in fifth and seventh with 309.2 and 346.05 points respectively.