University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
NCAA Championships
Zhou Wins NCAA Crown, Gophers Move Up
3/20/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming & Diving
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Minnesota moved up from 19th place to 13th after night two of the 2015 NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships. The Golden Gophers currently have 66 points, tied with Florida. California took the lead from Georgia, who's now in second, and Stanford rounds out the top three.
Tonight's events were highlighted by three Gophers in the NCAA Championships A finals, including a National Champion performance from sophomore Yu Zhou in three-meter diving.
Zhou claimed the three-meter diving NCAA title, finishing with 410.25 points. It was a battle between Zhou and Miami Ohio's Lin down to the last dive. Lin finished with a score of 409.70 points, around a half point difference. In her first season with the Gophers, Zhou is now a two-time All-American (she took home the bronze in one-meter diving last night) and 2015 Diver of the Championships, where she collected Big Ten Champion titles in the one-meter and three-meter, and took silver on platform. Zhou became Minnesota's first National Champion since 2011, when the Gophers claimed three titles from Jillian Tyler (100 breast), Haley Spencer (200 breast) and Kelci Bryant (one-meter diving).
In the 400 IM, Minnesota freshman Brooke Zeiger placed sixth with a time of 4:05.27. She earned her first All-American honor. Zeiger is the Minnesota school record holder in the event, and was the 2015 Big Ten Champion (4:03.28).
Kierra Smith represented Minnesota in the 100 breaststroke championship final. Smith, the 2014 and 2015 Big Ten Champion in the event, finished seventh with a time of 59.02. During prelims she clocked a personal record of 59.00. Smith's chance at a NCAA title will come tomorrow in the 200 breast. The junior currently has the fastest time in the nation, as well as the Minnesota school record (2:05.12).
The 800 free relay team of Jessica Plant, Tori Simenec, Lauren Votava and Brooke Zeiger took 16th, finishing with a time of 7:07.33. The Gophers were missing their key anchor in the race, Kiera Janzen, who had to scratch from the NCAA Championships due to medical reasons.
The final day of the 2015 NCAA Championships will start at 10 a.m. CT tomorrow with preliminary heats of the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly, 400 free relay and platform diving. The 1650 free will be contested at 3:45 p.m. CT, with the top heat competing with finals.
Gophers competing at Saturday prelims
200 back - Brooke Zeiger
100 free - Becca Weiland, Lauren Votava
200 breast - Kierra Smith
200 fly - Danielle Nack
400 free relay - Minnesota A
Platform diving - Katy Etterman, Lexi Tenenbaum, Yu Zhou
1650 free - Samantha Harding
Players Mentioned
