Huskers Collect Top-Ten Finishes on Third Day at U.S. Open

The third day of swimming at the U.S. Open Championships was marked by three Huskers earning top-ten finishes among the elite field, while each of Nebraska’s six swimmers that competed qualified for the finals and got the chance to compete again Friday evening. 

Milica Opacic (Novi Sad, Serbia) provided the top finish for the Big Red in Greensboro, N.C., as she notched the best time in the B-final and finished ninth overall in the 100m butterfly (1:00.95). This has been a solid event for the freshman all season as she has swam to three dual victories so far this year in the 100 butterfly. She added a third place finish in the event two weeks ago at the competitive Mizzou Invitational.

Autumn Haebig swam in the B-final for her second consecutive night and dropped almost a second and a half off her 200m freestyle prelims time to finish 10th overall in the finals with a 2:01.96. The senior from Grafton, Wis. nabbed 13th place last night in the 400m freestyle B-finals (4:16.78).

Sophomore Ella Stein led the team in the 100m breaststroke and rounded out the Huskers with top-ten finishes. She finished as runner-up in the B-final and claimed 10th overall with a 1:12.51. The freshmen duo of Maia Hall and JoJo Randby joined Stein (Hudson, Wis.) in the B-final and finished 12th (1:12.98) and 16th (1:14.49) overall, respectively.

Senior Madesyn Ronquillio capped off the Big Red swimmers on Friday, with a C-final appearance in the 100m backstroke and a top-20 finish (1:04.69).

Several Huskers also participated in time trials, where improvements were seen and multiple career bests were recorded.

“The success we have had in the long course pool shows strength and points to the work these girls have put in outside of the season. They have all stepped up in and out of the pool and shown tremendous determination and spirit,” Nebraska head coach Pablo Morales said.

The Huskers will return for the final day of competition at the U.S. Opens tomorrow (Dec. 4) with prelims beginning at 9 a.m. (CT). Coffey will kick the day off for the Huskers in the 1,500 freestyle, followed by Ronquillio in the 200 backstroke and Haebig in the 100 freestyle. The dominant breaststroke trio (Hall, Stein, Randby) will then take the water, while senior Shannon Stott caps off the meet for the Big Red in the 200 butterfly, an event that she has seen success in this season with five victories which includes a big win two weeks ago at the Mizzou Invitational.

U.S. Open Championships

Greensboro, N.C.

December 1-4

Prelims: 9 a.m. (CT)

Finals: 6 p.m. (CT)

Order of Events:

Saturday

1500 Freestyle (Audrey Coffey)

200 Backstroke (Madesyn Ronquillio)

100 Freestyle (Autumn Haebig)

200 Breaststroke (Maia Hall, Ella Stein, JoJo Randby)

200 Butterfly (Shannon Stott)