Huskers Top Jacks in Opening Dual

Brookings, S.D. – Lexi Kucera collected a relay win and a pair of individual victories in the 200 freestyle and 50 butterfly to help Nebraska defeat South Dakota State in its opening dual on Friday, 151-111.

To start the meet, junior Gabby Donahue, sophomore Maia Hall and senior Emily Haimes joined Kucera in the winning 200 medley relay with a time of 1:47.51.

The Huskers followed up the opening win with a top-three sweep in the 1,000 freestyle, led by senior Berkeley Livingston (10:26.67). Fellow seniors Shannon Stott (10:28.97) and Molly Rosenthal (10:32.88) took second and third.

Hall swam to first in the 100 breaststroke (1:07.48), an event that she earned a B-finals spot in during the 2021-22 Big Ten Championships.

Freshman Gena Jorgenson claimed the 500 freestyle title and set the Marshall Center Pool record during her NU debut with a 5:04.50, while junior Sarah Barton finished as runner-up with a 5:13.98. Barton swam to a win of her own in the 100 butterfly, clocking a 58.96.

Junior Caitlin Cairns joined Barton in the top three in the 100 butterfly, finishing third with a 1:00.01.

Sophomore JoJo Randby raced to a 50 breaststroke win (30.67), while Sydney McCracken took third with a 31.24.

Madesyn Ronquillio, NU’s strongest backstroker from last season, won the 100 backstroke with a facility record time of 57.59 and finished third in the 50 backstroke with a 27.99.

SDSU’s Elisabeth Timmer claimed the 100 IM win (59.60), with Donahue taking second (59.64) and McCracken finishing third (1:00.69).

Timmer also swam to first in the 100 freestyle with a 52.29, while Haimes took second with a 52.87 and Stott finished third with a 55.81.

Giulia Marchi began her freshman campaign with a runner-up finish in the 50 freestyle (25.49). She also teamed up with Cairns, Randby and Haimes to win the 200 freestyle relay to cap off the night.

Nebraska will be back in action for a big weekend at home, starting on Friday, Oct. 14 with a dual against Iowa State at the Devaney Center Natatorium at 4 p.m. The Huskers will then host Minnesota and South Dakota in a double-dual on Saturday, Oct. 15.