University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Win 12 Events to Close Minnesota Challenge
2/7/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming & Diving
The No. 10 University of Minnesota women’s swimming and diving team concluded its home season in dominating fashion, winning all 12 events contested at the Minnesota Challenge, today at the University Aquatic Center. No team scores were kept during the meet.
In the second and third sessions, Minnesota competed in three relays, winning all three. Minnesota started its second day just as it did the first day with a relay win. The Gophers’ 200 medley relay of Melissa Nelson, Corina Hopkins-Vacca, Amanda Borgardt and Megan Braun won the event with a time of 1:45.95. Minnesota’s second relay of Hannah Whitehead, Molly Belk, Kelsey Ridder and Andrea Hanson finished in a time of 1:46.68. Nelson, Funk, Hopkins-Vacca and Michienzi then added a win in the 800 free relay when they combined for a time of 7:43.90. Funk, Borgardt, Lisa Clementi and Nelson closed out the meet with a win in the 400 free relay (3:32.92)
Gopher freestyler Christine Jennings participated in the 400 individual medley and won the event in a time of 4:27.66. Lissa Tommerdahl finished fourth overall in a time of 4:43.25.
Minnesota dominated the 100 fly event, taking the top seven spots. Jillian Tyler won in a time of 54.67, followed by a second-place time of 55.99 from Jenny Shaughnessy and a third-place time of Kristen Steenvoorden in 56.87. Following the top three was Marissa Davies in fourth (58.04), Meredith McCarthy in fifth (58.13), Lauren Smith in sixth (58.27) and Amanda Borgardt in seventh (58.71).
Amy Funk won her second individual event of the weekend, this time in the 200 free. Funk won the 200 free in 1:51.51, while Braun added a second-place time of 1:51.76. Hannah Whitehead and Ashley Steenvoorden held the third and fourth-fastest times in 1:54.66 and 1:54.66 respectively. Nelson, Funk and Borgardt went 1,2,3 in the 100 free. Nelson added the win in 51.81, followed by Funk in second (52.43) and Borgardt in third (53.20).
Hopkins-Vacca added a win in the 100 breaststroke in 1:04.56 and added a win in the 200 breast later on that day (2:18.63). Whitehead then added a win in the 100 back with a time of 56.07. Lauren Smith won the 200 back in 2:03.68, followed by Clementi in second (2:06.10).
In the diving well, Taylor Enerson on the 1-meter event with a score of 274.25 for the lone Gopher competitor.
Minnesota will now take time to taper for the Big Ten Championships, Feb. 18-21 in Ann Arbor, Mich. The Gophers won last year's championship with 660.5 points for their third conference title in school history.
Players Mentioned
