Iowa Finishes 3rd at Hawkeye Invitational

Dec. 2, 2012

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Hawkeye Invitational – Complete Results

IOWA CITY, Iowa — The University of Iowa women’s swimming and diving team wrapped up the Hawkeye Invitational with a third place finish. The Hawkeyes accumulated 559.5 points during the three-day competition at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center.

Michigan took the victory, finishing with 876.5 points, followed by Nebraska (670), Iowa (559.5), Northwestern (472.5), Denver (330.5), Washington State (278), Wisconsin-Milwaukee (278), and Notre Dame (96).

“Competing at a high level against great competition really helps us get that experience and get ready for the peak season, which is February and March,” said UI head coach Marc Long.

Sophomore Becky Stoughton opened Sunday’s finals with a runner-up finish in the 1,650 freestyle. The Peoria, Ill., native swam a time of 16:22.42, which is an NCAA “B” qualifying mark. Sophomore Hillary Weigand won the “B” final with a personal best time of 17:00.28 to finish ninth overall.

The Hawkeyes posted three top 10 times in school history in the 200 backstroke. Junior Lindsay Seemann advanced to the “A” final, where she swam to a seventh place finish, touching the wall at 1:59.04. Seemann’s prelim time of 1:58.98 ranks fourth in the UI record books. Sophomore Elaine Boosalis (2:02.10) and freshman Maddie Bro (2:02.46), meanwhile, notched the seventh and ninth fastest times, respectively, in the event.

Two competitors finished in the top seven in the 100 free “A” finals. Freshman Olivia Kabacinski collected a season-best time, touching out in 50.49 to finish sixth overall. Her time is the third fastest in school history. Junior Emily Hovren tallied a seventh place finish with a time of 50.84.

“Kabacinski is doing great, and she is still learning,” said Long. “She is a racer, so she is fun to coach, and I think we will see great things out of her.”

Karolina Wartalowicz bettered her own time in the 200 breast “A” final. The junior swam to the wall in 2:14.83 to claim fourth place and post an NCAA “B” mark. The time ranks second in Iowa history.

Junior Abbey Tuchscherer tallied a sixth place finish in the 200 fly “A” final coming in at 2:02.12.

Iowa closed out Invitational with a fourth place finish in the 400 free relay. The quartet of Kabacinski, Hovren, sophomore Heather Arseth, and sophomore Danielle Klunk swam a time of 3:22.61, a mark that registers as the fourth fastest in the record books.

The Hawkeyes return to action Friday when they host a dual against Iowa State in an Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series matchup beginning at 6 p.m. (CT).