ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Eight Wildcats participated in the finals session on day three of the Big Ten Women's Swimming & Diving Championships and six Northwestern swimmers logged NCAA 'B' qualifications.

After three days of competition, the Wildcats sit in ninth place with 309 points.

Olivia Rosendahl (Los Angeles, Calif./Los Angeles) improved her career-high from the 3-meter springboard and clinched a spot in the championship final. She then proceeded to notch a fourth-place spot in the finals.

After setting the school record in the 200 IM last night, Melissa Postoll (Acworth, Ga./Kennesaw Mountain) again put her name atop the Wildcat record books in the 400 IM with a 'B' cut performance in the preliminaries.

Both Julianne Kurke (Atlanta, Ga./Parkview) and Katie Branch (Phoenix, Ariz./Horizon Honors) recorded 'B' qualifications for the first time this season en route to earning spots in the bonus final in the 100 breast.

The dramatics of the afternoon took place when freshman Annika Kollevoll (McLean, Va./The Bolles School) reached the bonus final for the 100 back after only participating in the event once this season and being seeded into the first heat. Her time also etched her into the Northwestern historical top-times list.

Final Sessions
The Wildcats kicked off the night by swimming a season-best time of 3:38.45 in the 400 medley relay, the second-fastest time in program history. The quartet of Lacey Locke (Carmel, Ind./Carmel), Julianne Kurke, Maddy Sims (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North) and Annika Winsnes (Singapore/United World College) finished in first place in the second heat.

Ellen Stello (Shorewood, Wis./Shorewood) cruised to her best time in the 400 IM this season, finishing tops in the 'C' heat with her 'B' cut of 4:16.12. After climbing her way into the Northwestern history books in the morning, Melissa Postoll registered her fifth overall 'B' cut — and second in the 400 IM — touching in at 4:17.35, which was seventh in the consolation final.

Winsnes bested her preliminary time in the finals session of the 200 free, turning in a 1:47.30 finish that was good for first place in the bonus final. That finish was her third 'B' qualification in the 200 free this season.

The 'Cats had two simmers in the 'C' heat of the 100 breast. Both Julianne Kurke and Katie Branch fell from their prelim times, but they netted a combined six points for the squad. Kurke's time of 1:02.29 was another NCAA 'B' qualification for the senior.

In the 100 back, Lacey Locke recorded her second 'B' cut of the day with her 16th place time of 54.20. After becoming the fifth-fastest Northwestern swimmer in the 100 back earlier in the day, Annika Kollevoll swam a time of 56.19 to pick up a point for the Wildcats.

Olivia Rosendahl got the fourth spot on the podium after scoring 344.95 points. Her win picked up 26 points for the team total for Northwestern.

Preliminary Sessions
After snapping the Northwestern record in the 200 IM, Melissa Postoll returned to the fore and became the fifth-fastest Wildcat swimmer in the 400 IM after notching a 4:17.20 swim in the first event of the day. She notched an NCAA 'B' cut — her third so far — and set a new personal record. Postoll earned a spot in the consolation final tonight.

In the same event, Ellen Stello also registered a 'B' cut, touching in at 4:18.43. Her best time of the season ensured her a second swim with a spot in the top 24. She will return in the bonus final.

Emily Launer (DeKalb, Ill./Rosary) set a career-best time in the event with a swim of 4:22.26 in the second heat.

400 IM Preliminary Results
16th (Consolation Final) - Melissa Postoll, 4:17.20 (NCAA 'B' Qualification, career-best)
18th (Bonus Final) - Ellen Stello, 4:18.43 (NCAA 'B' Qualification, season-best)
28th - Emily Launer, 4:22.26 (career-best)
31st - Lauren Abruzzo, 4:23.00 (season-best)
35th - Sydney Modeas, 4:25.73

In the 100 fly, freshman Alex Grimes (Los Gatos, Calif./Los Gatos) led the way, turning in a career-best 55.28 in the fifth heat. Maddy Sims was right on her coattails, turning in a time of 55.43 in the seventh heat.

Lindsay Adamski (Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead) also shaved time off of her previous best, touching in at 56.94.

100 Fly Preliminary Results
32nd - Alex Grimes, 55.28 (career-best)
34th - Maddy Sims, 55.43
45th - Julia Pratt, 55.90 (season-best)
53rd - Lindsay Adamski, 56.94 (career-best)
57th - Chelsea Soderholm, 59.35 (season-best)

Annika Winsnes continued her trend of being Northwestern's most dominant swimmer in the 200 free by notching another NCAA 'B' cut by touching in at 1:47.72. Her performance earned her a spot in the 'C' final in the afternoon finals session, narrowly missing the 'B' final by one place.

Three other Wildcats who participated in the 200 free — Anna Keane (Edmonds, Wash./Meadowdale), Megan Purdy (Boulder City, Nev./Boulder City) and Aja Malone (Acworth, Ga./Allatoona) — registered season-best times in the preliminary sessions.

200 Free Preliminary Results
17th (Bonus Final) - Annika Winsnes, 1:47.72 (NCAA 'B' Qualification)
54th - Megan Purdy, 1:51.14 (season-best)
57th - Ellen Anderson, 1:51.34
64th - Aja Malone, 1:52.04 (season-best)
71st - Anna Keane, 1:53.19 (season-best)

The #B1GCats picked up a pair of 'B' qualifications and a pair of finals berths in the 100 breast, led by Julianne Kurke and Katie Branch.

Kurke, who already owns a spot as one of the best breaststrokers in Northwestern history, picked up her first 'B' cut this season, turning in 1:02.10 in the final heat. Branch set a career-best in her performance of 1:02.36. Her swim moved her up to fifth in program history in the event.

Kurke, who finished in 17th overall, and Branch, who finished 22nd, will return in the bonus final tonight.

Peyton Greenberg (Louisville, Ky./duPont Manual), who has been a strong newcomer to the breaststroke squad, also picked up a season- and career-best time (1:03.16).

100 Breast Preliminary Results
17th (Bonus Final) - Julianne Kurke, 1:02.10 (NCAA 'B' Qualification, season-best)
22nd (Bonus Final) - Katie Branch, 1:02.36 (NCAA 'B' Qualification, career-best)
30th - Peyton Greenberg, 1:03.16 (career-best)
43rd - Lindsay Adamski, 1:03.82 (career-best)
51st - Mary Warren, 1:04.99 (season-best)
54th - Georgie Pettibone, 1:05.54 (season-best)

Predictability went out the window in the 100 back. Northwestern picked up two point-scoring swimmers — one from the first heat and one from the final heat.

After swimming in the 100 back only once this season, Annika Kollevoll swam the event in 55.29, which moved her up to sixth in the NU record books in the 100 back. She finished 24th overall, just good for a spot in the 'C' final tonight.

From a relative rookie to an established veteran, Lacey Locke (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) picked up her second 'B' cut this season, finishing in a season-best 54.40. Her 14th-place overall finish puts her in tonight's consolation final.

Katherine Senseman (Terre Haute, Ind./Terre Haute South Vigo), also swimming in the first heat, registered a career-best time of 57.40.

100 Back Preliminary Results
14th (Consolation Final) - Lacey Locke, 54.40 (NCAA 'B' Qualification, season-best)
24th (Bonus Final) - Annika Kollevoll, 55.29 (career-best)
39th - Jackie Doyle, 56.42 (season-best)
50th - Katherine Senseman, 57.40 (career-best)

In the diving well, Olivia Rosendahl improved her career-best from the 3-meter springboard with her second-place score of 354.65, which was thirty points higher than the next-closest competitor. She will be in the championship final tonight. Eryn Scannell (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc Community) was the second-best Wildcat diver, scoring 258.20 points.

3M Diving Preliminary Results
2nd - Olivia Rosendahl, 354.65 (career-best)
31st - Eryn Scannell, 258.20
43rd - Mashal Hashem, 223.00
46th - Monique Demaisip, 202.60

••••••

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Wildcats Rewrite Record Book at Day Three of Big Tens

••••••

Players Mentioned

Lauren Abruzzo

Lindsay Adamski

Ellen Anderson

Katie Branch

Monique Demaisip

Jackie Doyle

Peyton Greenberg

Alex Grimes

Mashal Hashem

Anna Keane

Annika Kollevoll

Julianne Kurke

Emily Launer

Lacey Locke

Aja Malone

Sydney Modeas

Georgie Pettibone

Melissa Postoll

Julia Pratt

Megan Purdy

Olivia Rosendahl

Eryn Scannell

Katherine Senseman

Maddy Sims

Chelsea Soderholm

Ellen Stello

Mary Warren

Annika Winsnes

Northwestern University Athletics

Wildcats Rewrite Record Book at Day Three of Big Tens

••••••

Players Mentioned

Lauren Abruzzo

Lindsay Adamski

Ellen Anderson

Katie Branch

Monique Demaisip

Jackie Doyle

Peyton Greenberg

Alex Grimes

Mashal Hashem

Anna Keane

Annika Kollevoll

Julianne Kurke

Emily Launer

Lacey Locke

Aja Malone

Sydney Modeas

Georgie Pettibone

Melissa Postoll

Julia Pratt

Megan Purdy

Olivia Rosendahl

Eryn Scannell

Katherine Senseman

Maddy Sims

Chelsea Soderholm

Ellen Stello

Mary Warren

Annika Winsnes

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