Northwestern University Athletics
The 1999-2000 Women's Swimming Season in Review
3/22/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving
March 22, 2000
A total of six school records were broken as the women's swimming team finished a best-ever sixth -- including tops among all Big Ten schools -- at the NCAA Championships in Indianapolis the weekend of March 16-18.
The Wildcats had a pair of runner-up finishes, as Courtney Allen (Monument, Colo./Air Academy) lost in the 50-meter freestyle by just .07 seconds and Amy Balcerzak (Sharon, Pa./Peddie School) tied for second in the 100-meter breaststroke. Allen also earned All-America in the 100 freestyle, while Balcerzak earned All-America in the 200 breaststroke and honorable mention All-America in the 200 individual medley. Northwestern gained most of its success in four of the five relays, placing fifth or better in three of them and eighth in another.
Balcerzak set new marks in the 100 breast and 200 IM at the NCAA meet, while Allen established a new mark in the 50 free and freshman Susannah Sample (LaGrange, Ill./Lyons Township) broke the previous standard in the 200 backstroke. The Wildcats also set school records in the 200 and 400 medley relays. The 200 MR team consisted of Balcerzak, Allen, senior Dominique Diezi (Zurich, Switzerland/Kantonsschule Stadelhofen) and sophomore Merritt Adams (Norcross, Ga./The Lovett School), while the 400 MR team was comprised of Balcerzak, Adams, Allen and junior Tashy Bohm (Long Valley, N.J./West Morris Central).
In February, the women won a record five individual titles and captured a relay as they took third place behind Minnesota and Michigan at the Big Ten Championships, also held in Indianapolis. Allen set a Big Ten record in winning the 50-yard freestyle, while Balcerzak -- who scored 57 points to finish second among all swimmers at the Big Ten meet -- set a Big Ten record while winning the 100-yard breaststroke. A strong final day saw Bohm and Sample go 1-2 in the 200-yard backstroke, Balcerzak capture the 200-yard breaststroke, and Adams win the 200-yard butterfly.
Facing one of the most demanding schedules ever, the Northwestern women went 4-5 in dual meets including 2-3 in the Big Ten. The Wildcats won the six-team NU Relays in October and placed second to Arizona State in the NU Invitational in November.
NORTHWESTERN'S ALL-AMERICANS
NOTE: HM = honorable mention
Merritt Adams (HM 100 butterfly, 200 medley relay, 400 medley relay)
Courtney Allen (50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 200 medley relay, 400 medley relay, 200 free relay, 400 free relay)
Amy Balcerzak (100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke, HM 200 individual medley, 200 medley relay, 400 medley relay)
Tashy Bohm (HM 200 backstroke, 400 medley relay)
Allyson Bowman (200 free relay)
Dominique Diezi (200 medley relay, 20 free relay, 400 free relay)
Brianne Fowles (400 free relay)
Lauren Moore (200 free relay)
Susannah Sample (400 free relay, HM 200 backstroke)
NORTHWESTERN'S BIG TEN CHAMPIONS
* = Set Big Ten Championship record in event
Merritt Adams (200 butterfly, 200 medley relay*)
Courtney Allen (50 freestyle*, 200 medley relay*)
Amy Balcerzak (100 breaststroke*, 200 breaststroke, 200 medley relay*)
Tashy Bohm (200 backstroke)
Dominique Diezi (200 medley relay*)
SCHOOL RECORDS
NOTE: Times are for short-course yards
* = Converted times from short-course meters
50 Freestyle - 22.28* (Courtney Allen)
200 Backstroke - 1:57.86* (Susannah Sample)
100 Breaststroke - 59.84* (Amy Balcerzak)
200 IM - 1:59.74* (Amy Balcerzak)
200 Medley Relay - 1:40.02*
(Dominique Diezi, Amy Balcerzak, Merritt Adams, Courtney Allen)
400 Medley Relay - 3:37.99*
(Tashy Bohm, Amy Balcerzak, Merritt Adams, Courtney Allen)
