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Women's Swimming and Diving to Begin Big Ten Championship Competition

Feb. 18, 2009

Top Times,
Live Stats, Live Video, Psych Sheet

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -

Head coach John Hargis coaches his first women's Big Ten Swimming and Diving Championships this weekend in Ann Arbor, Mich., as the No. 15 Nittany Lions compete for its fourth Big Ten title in eight years after a laudable regular season in which they accounted for a 7-2-1 record. Preliminary sessions begin at 11 a.m., while the championship sessions take place at 6:30 p.m. in the Canham Natatorium. Action kicks off today at 6:30 p.m. when the 200-yard medley relay and the 800 freestyle relay races begin.

All session passes cost $35 for adults and $20 for senior citizens and youths, aged 18 and younger. Tickets can be purchased for all-session and single-day admittance at the University of Michigan Ticket Office.

The Nittany Lions faces strong competition as the Big Ten has made a considerable impression upon the swimming community over the past few seasons. According to the most recent CSCAA Coaches Poll, Minnesota is ranked 10th, followed by No. 13 Indiana, No. 14 Wisconsin, No. 15 Penn State, No. 23 Northwestern and No. 25 Michigan.

Results can be followed by accessing Live Stats. The University of Michigan Athletic Media Relations, in cooperation with WOLV-TV, is providing a live video stream of all four days of action with evening sessions featuring play-by-play and color commentary.

The Big Ten Network will broadcast television coverage of the four-day event on tape delay on Saturday, Feb. 28 at 8 p.m. Eastern. Check your local listings for more details.

The Nittany Lions are coming off of a spirited performance against conference-foe Ohio State on Jan. 30-31 in which Penn State upended the Buckeyes, 196-132. Penn State also faced Big Ten opponents earlier this season in Columbus, Ohio at the Ohio State Invitational when it finished second out of 11 schools, including Minnesota, Ohio State and Indiana.

Coming into the Big Ten Championships, eight Penn State swimmers own NCAA `B' times and Courtney Adlam has posted an NCAA Zone A qualifying score. Sarah Baker, Lindsey DeForrest, Karie Haglund, Caitlin Meehan, Kailey Morris, Michelle Myers, Kelly Nelson and Kaitlin O'Brien each have posted at least one NCAA `B' time this season.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18

Day One Finals: 6:30 p.m.
1. 200-yard Medley Relay
2. 800-yard Freestyle Relay

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19

Day Two Trials: 11 a.m.
1. 500-yard Freestyle
2. 200-yard Individual Medley
3. 50-yard Freestyle
Approx. 1 pm:
6. One-Meter Diving (Preliminaries and Consolation Finals)

Day Two Finals: 6:30 p.m.
1. 200-yard Freestyle Relay
2. 500-yard Freestyle
3. 200-yard Individual Medley
4. 50-yard Freestyle
5. One-Meter Diving

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20

Day Three Trials: 11 a.m.
1. 400-yard Individual Medley
2. 100-yard Butterfly
3. 200-yard Freestyle
4. 100-yard Breaststroke
5. 100-yard Backstroke
Approx. 1 pm:
6. Three-Meter Diving (Preliminaries and Consolation Finals)

Day Three Finals: 6:30 p.m.
1. 400-yard Medley Relay
2. 400-yard Individual Medley
3. 100-yard Butterfly
4. 200-yard Freestyle
5. 100-yard Breaststroke
6. 100-yard Backstroke
7. Three-Meter Diving

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21

Day Four Trials: 11 a.m.
1. 200-yard Backstroke
2. 100-yard Freestyle
3. 200-yard Breaststroke
4. 200-yard Butterfly
Approx. 1 pm:
5. Platform Diving (Preliminaries and Consolation Finals)
(approx. 4:15; all but last heat)
6. 1,650-yard Freestyle

Day Four Finals: 6:30 p.m.
1. 1,650-yard Freestyle (Last heat of timed finals)
2. 200-yard Backstroke
3. 100-yard Freestyle
4. 200-yard Breaststroke
5. 200-yard Butterfly
6. Platform Diving
7. 400-yard Freestyle Relay