Nichols Claims Big 12 Platform Diving Title on Last Day of Competition

Nichols Claims Big 12 Platform Diving Title on Last Day of Competition

02.25.2005 | Swimming and Diving

By: Iowa State University

Feb. 26, 2005

Complete Results

AMES, Iowa - Junior Hillary Nichols accomplished something that hasn't been done by a Cyclone diver since Katie Grinnell in 1992 by becoming a conference champion on the final day of competition at the Big 12 Championships in College Station, Texas. The Thunder Bay, Ontario, native tallied 408.70 points to take the only platform diving conference title in school history, shattering the previous school record (373.75) that she set last season. While the Iowa State swimming and diving team finished in sixth place with 337 points, Nichols' accomplishment was the first of many solid performances by the Cyclones on Saturday.

"I thought we had an outstanding weekend," head coach Duane Sorenson said. "It was highlighted by Hillary Nichols' first-place finish on the platform in a school record score and by Maggie Peterson's races in the 100 and 200 backstroke, with the school record in the 100 backstroke. Also, Lydia Smirniotis had an outstanding meet, just missing the school record in three events. All in all, we're very pleased with the team. They stood up and raced really well in one of the best conferences in the country." After breaking the school record in the 100 backstroke on Friday, junior Maggie Peterson swam the second-fastest time in school history in the 200 backstroke, placing fifth in a NCAA consideration time of 2:00.52. Junior Kim Rogers took 10th place in the event with a time of 2:02.63 and freshman Emily Welborn placed 23rd (2:10.59).

Junior Lydia Smirniotis swam a NCAA consideration time of 16:52.15 to place eighth in the 1650 freestyle. Smirniotis also recorded a NCAA consideration time in the 500 freestyle (4:53.95) on the second day of competition. Sophomore Chelsey Walden placed 12th in the 1650 free with a time of 17:12.20.

Sophomore Lauren Breunig placed ninth in the 100 freestyle (51.65) and senior Brita Benson placed 16th (52.72). Sophomore Cassandra Nelson and senior Jenny Lindberg finished 20th (52.56) and 21st (52.61), respectively.

In the 200 breaststroke, freshman Krista Fehl placed 15th (2:25.86) followed by junior Shannon Parker finished 16th (2:31.72).

Rogers and junior Tami Ritchie placed 11th (2:04.09) and 15th (2:06.56), respectively, in the 100 butterfly.

The 400 freestyle relay of Breunig, Lindberg, Nelson and Peterson ended the competition with a fifth-place finish in a time of 3:27.17.

In diving, senior Katie Herman landed in eighth place on the platform with a score of 304.60 points and senior Gail Olson placed 10th with a semi-final total of 290.10.

The Cyclone divers return to College Station, Texas, on March 11-13 for the NCAA Zone Diving Qualifications. The 2004-05 swimming and diving season concludes with the NCAA Championships on March 17-19 in West Lafayette, Ind.

FINAL TEAM STANDINGS

Texas 965 Texas A&M 783 Nebraska 461 Kansas 454 Missouri 377 Iowa State 337