TicketsFeb. 21, 2009
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -
University of Cincinnati swimmer Josh Schneider capped the 2009 BIG EAST Swimming and Diving Championships earning BIG EAST Most Outstanding Men's Swimmer after winning his third individual title on the final night of competition, Saturday at the IU Natatorium on the campus of IUPUI.
Schneider won the 100-yard freestyle in a school- and meet record time of 43.08. He bettered his previous record mark of 43.14, set in preliminary action Saturday morning. His finals time also was an NCAA 'B' cut.
Schneider had previously set earned a pair of BIG EAST individual crowns as well as setting UC and meet records in the 100 butterfly, and 50 freestyle. His 50 freestyle time was under the NCAA 'A' standard and his 100 butterfly met the NCAA 'B' cut. He also swam the freestyle leg on UC's 400-medley relay team that set a school record and met the NCAA 'B' time cut Friday.
The men's team took fifth place with 357.5 points, matching their best-ever finish in BIG EAST competition. Notre Dame won the meet (782.5), followed by Louisville (773), Pittsburgh (442.5), West Virginia (405), the Bearcats, Connecticut (287), Syracuse (243), Seton Hall (181.5), Georgetown (104), Villanova (78), and Providence (60).
The UC women were eighth with 192 points. Notre Dame completed the sweep with 828 points, followed by Louisville (581), Pittsburgh (492.5), Rutgers (380), West Virginia (377), Connecticut (279.5), Villanova (264.5), the Bearcats, Syracuse (181.5), Seton Hall (64), Georgetown (61), and Providence (54).
The men's 400-freestyle relay quartet of Schneider, Matt Hays, Jeremy Peter, and Stephen Cunningham earned a fourth-place finish with a UC-record tying time of 2:58.65. The group matches the school record set in 2005. The time was just off the NCAA 'B' standard of 2:58.50.
The women's 400-freestyle relay group of Lange Gilby, Liz Hansson, Amy Billow and Elinore de Jong snagged a fourth-place finish with their time of 3:23.82.
Elinore de Jong placed eighth in the women's 100 freestyle championship final. De Jong clocked 50.96. In the morning preliminaries, she broke Cat Cooper's 21-year old school record in the event. De Jong had a school-record and NCAA 'B' time of 49.71. De Jong also met the NCAA 'B' standard in the 100 butterfly on Friday.
Peter qualified swam a season-best time of 2:00.13 to take fifth place in the championship final of the 200 breaststroke. Jakub Carda timed in a 2:02.47 to place fourth while Rob Langford finished with a time of 2:05.46 to place seventh in the consolation final.
Cunningham and Nathan Williams scored a 2-3 finish in the mile (1,650 freestyle) with times of 15:34.77 and 15:34.85, respectively.
Melody Smith swam the 1,650 freestyle, timing in at 17:16.33 to place 15th.
Karli Kentner (2:18.09), Stephanie Conklin (2:20.09), and Erin Mullins (2:21.37) took third, fifth, and eighth, respectively, in the women's 200 breaststroke consolation final.
Nick Saul clocked 1:52.00 to place eighth in the consolation final of the 200 breaststroke.
Diver Kirtley Krombholz had a six-dive total of 221.30 points to place seventh in the consolation finals on the 3-meter board.