Huskers Race Past Jacks in Opener

Senior Shannon Stott swam to two individual titles in the 100 butterfly and the 1,000 freestyle, while senior Madesyn Ronquillio notched a win of her own in the 100 backstroke, while helping the Huskers to a pair of relay victories to power the Nebraska swimming and diving team to a 189-54 win over South Dakota State Saturday at Devaney Natatorium.

The Big Red dominated from start to finish, sweeping the top three spots in eight of the 13 events against the Jackrabbits. Ronquillio (Tracy, Calif.) teamed with sophomore Ella Stein, freshman Milica Opacic and sophomore Gabby Donahue for a victory in the 200-yard medley relay to open the competition.

Stein (Hudson, Wis.) claimed an individual win in the 100 breaststroke, while Opacic (Novi Sad, Serbia) swam to victory in the 200 free. Stott (St. Albans, Great Britain) led a sweep in the 1,000 free, followed by junior Berkeley Livingston (Lincoln, Neb.) and junior Molly Rosenthal (Glen Ellyn, Ill.). Livingston added a runner-up finish behind Stott in the 100 fly and took third in the 100 breast.

South Dakota State’s Elisabeth Timmer took the 50 free with Husker transfer Emily Haimes taking second and junior Kaitlyn Barth finishing third.

In the 200 IM, Nebraska freshman Madison Lloyd (Kingwood, Texas) opened her career with an event win, while sophomore Gabby Donahue (Oviedo, Fla.) and freshman Maia Hall (Whitby, England) completed another top-three sweep for the Big Red.

Senior Autumn Haebig (Grafton, Wis.) swam to victory in the 100 free, while Timmer added a runner-up finish to lead the Jacks. Husker freshman JoJo Randby (Omaha, Neb.) added a third-place finish for the Big Red.

Husker freshman Beatriz Padron (Belen, Costa Rica) won the 500 free by more than seven seconds, before the Big Red finished the dual with a top three-three sweep in the 200 free relay, led by the winning group of Lexi Kucera, Donahue, Ronquillio and freshman Ilaria Murzilli.

The Nebraska divers added top-three sweeps on both the one-meter and three-meter dives with seniors Sara Troyer and Hallie Roman taking the top two spots followed by sophomore Reagan Hinze. Troyer’s win on the three-meter board included a career-best 345.68 performance.

Nebraska will return to action with a home dual against Big Ten rival Iowa at the Devaney Natatorium on Oct. 23 at 11 a.m.