Harris Picks up 100 Back Title at Northwestern Invite

11.20.2010 | Swimming and Diving

By: cyclones.com

EVANSTON, Ill. – The Iowa State swimming and diving team posted its first event victory of the Northwestern TYR Invitational Saturday at the Norris Aquatics Center. The Cyclones maintained their second place position with 472.5 points. Hosts Northwestern continue to lead the way with 890.5.

“I was very pleased today,” Iowa State head coach Duane Sorenson. “We had a great prelim and an even better finals session. We challenged our women to come back better tonight and they did.”

Dani Harris continued her impressive early season form by posting a victory in the 100 backstroke in a new career-best time of 55.52. The sophomore finished runner-up in the 100 back last year at the TYR Invite to former Cyclone Nan Liu. Harris also competed in the 400 IM, finishing 10th in 4:30.03.

“That was her lifetime best in the 100 back and again in the 400 IM,” Sorenson said. “She really took charge of her 100 back from the start and had the lead at the first 25 and never looked back.”

Harris was joined in the 100 back final by fellow sophomore Sarah Norris, who brought home a third place finish in 57.31, the 10th-fastest time in school history. Norris also scored team points for the Cyclones in the 100 butterfly, finishing 11th in 58.04.

“She had a very good prelim swim and we found a couple of things to work on at finals,” Sorenson noted. “She stuck to the plan and she posted her best time.”

Jenny Vondenkamp made her second 'A' final of the meet, qualifying fifth in the morning prelim session. In the finals, Vondenkamp stayed in fifth but improved her time to 1:53.05 from her prelim time of 1:53.54.

“Jenny has been solid like she always is,” Sorenson stated. “She put together a nice final in her 200 free to move up from seventh at the start of the last 25 yards.

Elena Carvell and Tiana Wollin earned 'A' finals berths in the 100 fly, finishing fourth in 57.15 and eighth in 58.02, respectively. Emily Wiltsie and Jeli Nixt earned finals berths in the 100 breaststroke and brought home finishes of sixth (1:05.47) and seventh (1:05.58), respectively.

The first relay of the night was the 200 medley relay and the Cyclones finished fourth in 1:46.82 through the team of Harris, Wiltsie, Carvell and Katie Vollhaber. The final event of the night was the 800 free relay and the Cyclones took fourth in that as well in 7:39.23 through the team of Vondenkamp, Kalyn Amundsen, Meredith Doran and Alex Gustafson.

In the diving well, the Cyclones saw four divers earn top ten finishes on the night in the 3-meter competition. They were led by Jenn Botsch's third place finish with a score of 256.40.

“I was really happy with her first four dives,” diving coach Jeff Warrick said. “I was not watching the scores but I know going into that fifth round she was right up there with first place and she just missed her last two dives. She has to hit those to win but I thought she did really well going through.”

Other Cyclones in the top ten included Lauren Naeve (seventh, 234.75), Sarah Nelson (eighth, 233.15) and Jessica Nicholson (10th, 231.40).

“I thought Sarah had a decent list, she missed two dives that didn't help her,” Warrick said. “Jessica dove phenomenal except for one dive. That score is pretty much a five-dive score but I was still proud of how she did. She is still new to the competition and doing a great job.”

The Cyclones will wrap up competition tomorrow with prelims starting at 9 a.m. and finals at 3 p.m. Events for tomorrow include the 1650 free, 50 fly, 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 50 back, 200 fly, platform diving and the 400 free relay.

Team Standings
1. Northwestern, 890.5 points
2. Iowa State, 472.5 points
3. Cleveland State, 397.5 points
4. North Dakota, 307 points
5. Kenyon, 238 points
6. Illinois-Chicago, 159.5 points

Individual Results (Iowa State point scorers listed)
200 medley relay
1. Northwestern, 1:44.15
4. Iowa State (Harris, Wiltsie, Carvell, Vollhaber), 1:46.82

400 IM
1. Joanna Olsson (Cleveland State), 4:20.09
10. Dani Harris, 4:30.03
12. Emily Wiltsie, 4:31.80
15. Lindsey Frodyma, 4:35.42

100 fly
1. Alexandria Kraus (Northwestern), 55.42
4. Elena Carvell, 57.15
8. Tiana Wollin, 58.02
11. Sarah Norris, 58.04

200 free
1. Jackie Powell (Northwestern)
5. Jenny Vondenkamp, 1:53.05
11. Alex Gustafson, 1:54.16

100 breast
1. Jenny Wilson (Northwestern), 1:03.50
6. Emily Wiltsie, 1:05.47
T7. Jeli Nixt, 1:05.58
9. Marley Suckow, 1:06.05
12. Lindsey Frodyma, 1:06.56

100 back
1. Dani Harris (Iowa State), 55.52
3. Sarah Norris, 57.31
12. Chelsea Tomek, 59.30
14. Megan Thompson, 59.53

3-meter diving
1. Cosima Lenz (Northwestern), 275.50
3. Jenn Botsch, 256.40
7. Lauren Naeve, 234.75
8. Sarah Nelson, 233.15
10. Jessica Nicholson, 231.40
13. Justine Anders, 224.15
16. Abby Christensen, 216.40

800 free relay
1. Northwestern, 7:20.42
4. Iowa State (Vondenkamp, Amundsen, Doran, Gustafson), 7:39.23