Day two finals at the 2017 Big Ten Women's Swimming & Diving Championships at the Boilermaker Aquatic Center on Purdue's campus in Indiana was filled with many more surprises. The four events featured in tonight’s finals were the 500 freestyle, 200 IM, 50 freestyle, and the 400 medley relay. The Wolverines continued to make an impression with three A-finalists in the 500 freestyle, however, Siobhan Haughey’s first-place disqualification in the 200 IM led to a major loss in team points.  

500 FREESTYLE

B1G Record: 4:34.28 (Gillian Ryan - Michigan, 2016)
B1G Meet: 4:35.19 (Haley Lips - Indiana, 2016) 4:34.40 (Gillian Ryan - Michigan, 2017)
Pool: 4:34.13 (Allison Schmitt - Georgia, 2010)
NCAA ‘A’ Automatic: 4:36.30

By the halfway mark of the 500 freestyle, Gillian Ryan flipped with a full second lead over the rest of the field. Touching in 4:34.40, she shattered the B1G meet record and earned herself an NCAA automatic qualifying time. As expected, Ryan won back that championship title for the second year in a row. The real fight was for second place, between Wisconsin’s Cierra Runge and Purdue’s Kaersten Meitz. Runge, who finished second with a 4:37.38, was able to blast out a 26.82 split in her final 50, out-touching Meitz who came in third with a 4:37.45.

Top 8 Results

1.) Gillian Ryan (Michigan): 4:34.40 (B1G MEET RECORD)
2.) Cierra Runge (Wisconsin): 4:37.38
3.) Kaersten Meitz (Purdue): 4:37.45
4.) Lindsey Clary (OSU): 4:37.65
5.) Rebecca Postoll (Michigan): 4:38.16
6.) Danielle Valley (Wisconsin): 4:38.21
7.) Yirong Bi (Michigan): 4:39.17
8.) Valarie Gruest Slowing (NU): 4:43.76

200 IM

B1G Record: 1:54.97 (Siobhan Haughey - Michigan, 2016)
B1G Meet: 1:54.97 (Siobhan Haughey - Michigan, 2016)
Pool: 1:53.56 (Julia Smit, Stanford 2010)
NCAA ‘A’ Automatic: 1:55.35

Siobhan Haughey came back with a vengeance tonight in the 200 IM finals. With a clear lead from start to finish, she touched the wall at a blazing 1:54.12, over a second and a half faster than Lilly King’s 1:55.90. However, with a disqualification from Haughey’s illegal back-to-breast turn, it moved King into the first place spot. Although a devastating heartbreak for Haughey and the Wolverines, this win will contribute to Indiana’s score enough to put them in the first place position thus far. Michigan will still gain some points here through Clara Smiddy’s second place finish, and Ohio State’s Meg Bailey will take third with a 1:57.75.

Top 8 Results

1.) Lilly King (Indiana): 1:55.90
2.) Clara Smiddy (Michigan): 1:56.15
3.) Meg Bailey (OSU): 1:57.75
4.) Emma Sougstad (Iowa): 1:57.98
5.) Melissa Postoll (NU): 1:58.23
6.) Jessica Unicomb (Wisconsin): 1:58.31
7.) Christine Jensen (Indiana): 1:59.12
*Siobhan Haughey (Michigan): Disqualified*

50 FREESTYLE

B1G Record: 21.70 (Zhesi Li - Ohio State, 2016) 21.48 (Zhesi Li - Ohio State, 2017)
B1G Meet: 21.70 (Zhesi Li - Ohio State, 2016) 21.48 (Zhesi Li - Ohio State, 2017)
Pool: 21.75 (Zhesi Li - Ohio State, 2017) 21.48 (Zhesi Li - Ohio State, 2017)
NCAA ‘A’ Automatic: 21.80

This morning’s records were not enough for Ohio State’s Zhesi Li, who touched the wall at a 21.48, three-tenths faster than her morning prelim swim. Li will now walk away with a championship title, an NCAA automatic qualifying time, a new pool record, B1G meet record, AND B1G conference record. Her 50 freestyle swim was by far the most dominant race of the night, touching the wall with over a half second lead in front of second place finisher Chase Kinney. Marry Warren of Northwestern took third with a finishing time of 22.29.  

Li’s race will definitely bump up Ohio State’s position on the scoreboard tonight. With such an incredible swim on the first day, we can anticipate seeing more astounding results in Li’s 100 butterfly and 100 freestyle this weekend.

Top 8 Results

1.) Zhesi Li (OSU): 21.48 (B1G RECORD)
2.) Chase Kinney (Wisconsin): 22.14
3.) Mary Warren (NU): 22.29
4.) Emmy Sehmann (Wisconsin): 22.33
5.) Danielle Nack (Minnesota): 22.36
6.) Catherine Deloof (Michigan): 22.42
7.) Racheal Bukowski (MSU): 22.51
8.) Kaitlin Saloky (Penn State): 22.60

400 MEDLEY RELAY

B1G Record: 3:30.17 (Indiana, 2016) 3:28.89 (Indiana, 2017)
B1G Meet: 3:30.17 (Indiana, 2016) 3:28.89 (Indiana, 2017)
Pool: 3:29.76 (Arizona, 2010) 3:28.89 (Indiana, 2017)
NCAA ‘A’ Automatic: 3:30.40

At the conclusion of tonight’s individual events, Wisconsin’s depth allowed them to snag the first place spot on the team scoreboard. However, after annihilating the 400 medley relay with an NCAA automatic qualifying time of 3:28.89, Indiana took back that leading score. The Hoosiers shattered their 2016 B1G conference and meet record, and were able to take down a 7-year pool record previously held by University of Arizona. Indiana will end the second day of Big Ten Championships with just a 2.5-point lead above Wisconsin. Michigan trails 30 points behind and will have to make up Haughey’s disqualification points lost today.

Top 8 Results

1.) Indiana: 3:28.89 (B1G RECORD)
2.) Minnesota: 3:30.70
3.) Michigan: 3:31.60
4.) Wisconsin: 3:31.89
5.) OSU: 3:34.91
6.) Purdue: 3:35.93
7.) Iowa: 3:36.71
8.) Rutgers: 3:37.13

TEAM SCORES

1.) Indiana – 329
2.) Wisconsin – 326.5
3.) Michigan – 309
4.) Minnesota – 305
5.) OSU – 257
6.) Northwestern – 198
7.) Purdue – 175
8.) Penn State – 134
9.) Rutgers– 127.5
10.) Iowa – 126
11.) Nebraska – 121
12.) Illinois – 89
13.) MSU – 85
14.) Nebraska – 78