Nebraska swimming and diving will return to the Devaney Center Natatorium to host Illinois for Senior Day on Saturday, with events beginning at 11 a.m. (CT).
The Huskers (5-2, 1-1 Big Ten) and the Fighting Illini (6-2, 1-2 Big Ten) have been annual competitors since their first meeting in 2007, with Nebraska owning the 9-6 edge. In the last meeting, NU defeated Illinois, 178-122, behind eight individuals capturing titles.
Nebraska met Illinois this season at the Hawkeye Invitational in December, where the Huskers took the title and the Fighting Illini finished third.
Shannon Stott has led the Big Red in the freestyle and butterfly events, claiming the 200 butterfly crown at the Hawkeye Invitational in a NCAA B Standard Cut time of 1:58.15. Adding another B cut, the senior from St. Albans, Great Britain finished as runner-up in the 500 freestyle in 4:44.97.
Maia Hall notched an NCAA B Cut of her own in Iowa City, clocking a 2:10.76 in the 200 breaststroke to win the title. That time currently ranks third in Nebraska school history. Hall has tallied four victories in the 200 breastroke this season and five 100 breaststroke finishes within the top three.
In the 200 breaststroke, JoJo Randby swam a 1:01.22 in the 100 breaststroke to cruise to a runner-up finish and another NCAA B Cut. Randby, a sophomore from Omaha, won the 100 breaststroke in the South Dakota and Minnesota double-dual, and has finished runner-up on five occasions this season.
Gena Jorgenson has proven her strength and versatility throughout her freshman campaign, pitching in a trio of top-three finishes at the Hawkeye Invitational. In her first collegiate mile, Jorgenson took second among a talented field with a 16:34.48, cutting 20 seconds off her previous personal-best. She also grabbed a pair of third-place finishes in the 500 freestyle (4:48.19) and the 400 IM (4:18.31). In the 1,000 freestyle, Jorgenson has won in duals with Kansas, Iowa and Iowa State, while taking second in the double-dual with Minnesota and South Dakota.
Sarah Barton has provided top finishes in a variety of events throughout the season, highlighted by a second-place finish in the 200 IM at the Hawkeye Invite with a career-best 1:59.68. She added fourth-place finishes in the 400 IM (4:19.16) and the 200 backstroke (2:00.05). Barton also has five top-three finishes in the 200 butterfly this season.
Berkeley Livingston is on the cusp of a 400 IM NCAA B Cut, as she swam a 4:17.52 to place second at the Hawkeye Invitational. The senior captain from Lincoln also clocked a pair of career-best times to place fourth in both the 500 freestyle (4:48.82) and the 200 IM (2:01.43).
Emily Haimes has proven successful in the 100 butterfly, gathering three-straight wins at the Iowa, Kansas and Omaha duals. She took sixth at the Hawkeye Invitational, after clocking a season-best 55.04 in the prelims.
Madesyn Ronquillio has been a major contributor in the backstroke events, with seven top-three finishes in the 100 backstroke and five top-three finishes in the 200 backstroke on the season. Her last time out, Ronquillio took second in the 200 backstroke (1:58.45) and third in the 100 backstroke (54.97) at the Hawkeye Invitational.
Molly Rosenthal has finished in the top-three in the 1,000 freestyle all five times she has competed in the event this season. She added a third-place finish in the mile at the Hawkeye Invitational in 16:45.85.
In the short sprints, Lexi Kucera and Giulia Marchi have led the way in relays and individual events. Kucera, a junior from Hutchinson, Minn., has finished within the top-three every time she has competed in the 100 and 200 freestyle this season. At the Hawkeye Invite, she finished as runner-up in the 100 butterfly and notched a trio of third-place finishes in the 100 freestyle, 200 freestyle and the 200 butterfly. Marchi took fourth in the 100 freestyle and sixth in the 200 freestyle.
On the boards, Kelsey Clairmont is coming off a platform victory (283.15) at the Hawkeye Invite, during her first time competing in the event at the collegiate level. She has chipped in nine top-three finishes this season.
Reagan Hinze scored a career-best 301.10 in the three-meter at the Hawkeye to finish fourth.
Cara Bognar is Illinois’ top returner from last year’s Big Ten Championships, where she finished 16th in the 400 IM and 21st in the 200 butterfly. In Illinois’ last dual, Bognar won the 200 butterfly (2:02.57) and finished third in the 500 freestyle (5:05.96).
Live results will be available on the Meet Mobile app and live video will be streamed through Huskers.com.
Nebraska vs. Illinois
Jan. 21, 2022 (11 a.m. CT)
Devaney Center Natatorium (Lincoln, Neb.)
Order of Events
200 Medley Relay
1,000 Freestyle
200 Freestyle
100 Backstroke
100 Breaststroke
200 Butterfly
50 Freestyle
3M Diving
100 Freestyle
200 Backstroke
200 Breaststroke
500 Freestyle
100 Butterfly
1M Diving
400 IM
400 Freestyle Relay
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