NU Crushes Season Best Relay Times as B1G Championships Open

2/26/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving

Feb. 26, 2014


	Big Ten Championships • Northwestern: 42 points, 8th/10th place Canham Natatorium • Ann Arbor, Mich. Results \| Results

ANN ARBOR, MICH. – The Northwestern relay teams got the Wildcats off to a fast start in the opening night of the Big Ten Championships.

With the 200 medley relay and 800 free relay starting Wednesday night at the Canham Natatorium, NU posted season best times in each relay race.

In the 800 free relay, Northwestern's team of Charlie Cole, Andy Jovanovic, Jonathan Lieberman and Chase Stephens swam a 6:30.20, breaking the 'Cats season best time by more than three seconds. The time also ranks as the No. 4 fastest 800 free relay time in NU history, surpassing the 2010 team's mark of 6:30.61.

Cole's opening 200 leg of the 800 free, going 1:37.71 was nearly two full seconds faster than the season's best time for the freshman.

The 'Cats also swam a season best time in the 200 medley relay, going 1:27.15 to trim nearly a minute off their previous best time.

NU's team of Mark Ferguson, Uula Auren, Jovanovic and Stephens cut 0.49 off the 'Cats previous best time, which was set in Evanston during the TYR Invite in November.

Ferguson began the race to get the 'Cats off to a solid start with a 22.69 in the first leg of the relay.

The events earned NU 42 points to begin the first day of the Big Ten Championships to put the 'Cats at No. 8.

The Big Ten Championships continue Thursday with the prelims of the 500 free, 200 IM, 50 free and 1-meter diving at 10:00 a.m. CT. The finals continue in the evening at 5:30 p.m. The sessions will also be streamed here on the Big Ten Digital Network.

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