Feb. 23, 2014
Big Ten Championships | Results | Championship Central Minneapolis, Minn. • University of Minnesota Aquatic Center | 3rd of 12 (484 pts.) |
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.; Feb. 22, 2014 - The No. 23 Penn State women's swimming and diving team earned a spot on the podium at the Big Ten Championships for the second consecutive year, finishing third with 484 points. Alyson Ackman (Montreal, Quebec) and Mackenzie Powers (Sycamore, Ill.) were named first team All-Big Ten selections while the trio of Melissa Rodriguez (Chihuahua, Mexico), Katie Rowe (Glenville, N.Y.) and Carolyn Fittin earned second team honors.
Ackman finished off an already successful week with a second place finish in the 100 free in 48.34. The sophomore registered a school record in the prelims of the event, clocking in at 48.25 to best the previous record of 48.74 which she held along with former Lion Paige Whitmire. Ackman was also a member of the third place 400 freestyle relay team
Rodriguez added a silver medal finish to her list of achievements after besting her school record mark in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:09.54.
Rowe notched her first Big Ten podium-stand finish for the Blue and White with a second place performance in the 200 fly. The sophomore edged the third place swimmer by .04 with a career-best time of 1:56.80. Rowe also notched a top five performance in the 200 back, touching the wall in 1:56.01. She posted a career-best in the prelims earlier in the day, turning in a time of 1:55.16.
Megan Siverling (Chester Springs, Pa.) posted a top five mark for the Lions as well, placing fifth in the 1650 free with a mark of 16:15.88.
Katelyn Sowinski (Severna Park, Md.) also earned a pair of top 10 finishes for the Lions. The freshman clocked in at 2:00.01 in the 200 fly for eighth place and turned in a season-best time of 16:32.20 in the 1650 free to place 10th. Sowinski notched another season-best mark earlier in the day, touching the wall in 1:56.57 in the prelims of the 200 fly.
Powers returned to the pool after a pair of record-setting performances on Friday. The senior hit another career mark in her final Big Ten outing, swimming to a sixth place finish in the 200 back in a career-best 1:56.18.
Casey Fazio (Washington Township, N.J.) and Gabi Shishkoff (Franklin, Mass.) placed ninth in their respective events. Fazio notched a personal-best time in the 200 back in 1:56.46 and Shishkoff registered a career mark of 1:57.39 in the 200 fly.
The 400 free relay squad of Ackman, Carolyn Fittin (Sea Girt, N.J.), Katelyn Miller (Hershey, Pa.) and Caitlyn Karr (Reading, Pa.) closed out the Big Ten Championships with a third place finish, clocking in at 3:16.33 and earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships next month.
2014 Big Ten Swimming and Diving Awards
2014 First Team All-Big Ten
Gia Dalesandro, Indiana
Kaitlyn Flederbach, Indiana
Bronwyn Pasloski, Indiana
Brooklynn Snodgrass, Indiana
Lindsay Vrooman, Indiana
Courtney Beidler, Michigan
Kiera Janzen, Minnesota
Maggie Keefer, Minnesota
Sarah McCrady, Minnesota
Jessica Plant, Minnesota
Tori Simenec, Minnesota
Kierra Smith, Minnesota
Lauren Votava, Minnesota
Ashley Vance, Ohio State
Alyson Ackman, Penn State
Mackenzie Powers, Penn State
Casey Matthews, Purdue
Chase Kinney, Wisconsin
Ivy Martin, Wisconsin
Rebecka Palm, Wisconsin
Emma Paulson, Wisconsin
Aja Van Hout, Wisconsin
2014 Second Team All-Big Ten
Alexandria Day, Indiana
Kate Hillman, Indiana
Haley Lips, Indiana
Cynthia Pammett, Indiana
Marni Oldershaw, Michigan
Tess Behrens, Minnesota
Erin Caflisch, Minnesota
Samantha Harding, Minnesota
Becca Weiland, Minnesota
Blake Zeiger, Minnesota
Carolyn Fittin, Penn State
Melissa Rodriguez, Penn State
Kathryn Rowe, Penn State
Anna Meinholz, Wisconsin
Anne Tamblyn, Wisconsin
Diver of the Championships
Maggie Keefer, Minnesota (tie)
Casey Matthews, Purdue (tie)
Diving Coach of the Year
Adam Soldati, Purdue
Freshman of the Year
Gia Dalesandro, Indiana
Swimmer of the Championships
Ivy Martin, Wisconsin
Swimming Coach of the Year
Kelly Kremer, Minnesota
2014 Big Ten Top Point Scorers
Illinois: Alison Meng (7)
Indiana: Lindsay Vrooman (56)
Iowa: Joelle Christy (19)
Michigan: Courtney Beidler (43)
Michigan State: Alison Menzies (9)
Minnesota: Kierra Smith (55)
Nebraska: Anna Filipcic (16)
Northwestern: Lauren Abruzzo (15)
Ohio State: Ashley Vance (44)
Penn State: Alyson Ackman (52)
Purdue: Casey Matthews (37)
Wisconsin: Ivy Martin (51)