Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Set to Make Splash at Big Ten Championships
2/15/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving
Feb. 15, 2005
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Following two weeks off, Northwestern returns to the pool this Wed. through Sat., Feb. 16-19, at the Big Ten Championships in Bloomington, Ind. The Wildcats are coming off a successful 8-4 dual season and have the ability to record NU's best finish at the Conference meet in the last several years.
Seven Wildcat swimmers have top-15 seeded times in 17 different events, but to score well Northwestern will need a total team effort.
"The biggest thing is the team as a whole has gotten us to this point and doing well will be an entire team effort," NU Head Coach Jimmy Tierney said. "We have a lot of people who have never scored before who have the ability to score. We are also counting on the top seeds coming through like they have all year."
Senior Christy Olin (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West) returns as NU's top finisher from last year's Big Ten Championships, where she finished second in the 200 fly. She has this year's second-seeded time in the event.
Olin, junior Katie Paglini (Chicago, Ill./Latin School) and freshmen Andrea Hupman (Lawrenceville, Ga./Brookwood) and Katie Braun (Edina, Minn./Edina) all are seeded in the top-15 of three different events.
Paglini brings two NCAA 'B' standard times into the meet, with the fourth seed in the 200 back and the seventh in the 200 IM. She is also ninth in the 100 back.
Hupman has 'B' cuts in the 100 free (third seed) and 200 free (sixth seed) while also holding the 11th seed in the 50 free.
Braun is fifth in the 200 fly and sixth in the 100 fly and 400 IM.
One Wildcat looking to break through at her final Big Ten Championships is senior Brielle Bovee (Winter Park, Fla./Lake Highland Prep), who scored first-place points in every dual meet breast event this season. She has provisional cuts in both the 200 breast (second seed) and 100 breast (fifth seed).
Hupman and Bovee were picks for Big Ten Swimmer of the Week accolades during the season.
Freshman Jessie Bailis (Omaha, Neb./Millard North) is seeded 10th in the 100 breast and 15th in the 200 breast while freshman Carrera Harris (Shafter, Calif./Shafter) has the 15th seed in the 200 back.
"Everyone contributes on this team in some way," Tierney said. "If we come in as confident as we should be, we will have a great meet."
Also looking to continue a stellar season is sophomore diver Leanne Dumais (Ventura, Calif./Buena), who has twice been named the Big Ten Diver of the Week.
"Leanne scored well last year and I think she can do even better this time," Tierney said.
Another place Tierney believes the Wildcats can makes significant strides this year are the relays. The 400 free relay comes in with NU's best seed -- fourth -- and a 'B' standard time.
"We have not finished on the high end with our relays the past few years," Tierney said. "If we put it all together and do what we are capable of, we can have some great relays."
Competition begins Wednesday morning and runs through Saturday at the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatic Center in Bloomington, Ind.
