Wisconsin Takes Fifth at SMU Classic
October 27, 2007 | Women's Swimming & Diving
The University of Wisconsin women's swimming team took fifth place at the SMU Classic in Dallas, Texas Saturday night. UW finished with 258.5 points, 71.5 points behind Texas AM, the invitational champion.
The second night of competition began with the 400-yard freestyle relay and the Badgers took fourth in this event. Juniors Hannah McClurg, Jackie Vavrek and Jen Illescas along with freshman Maggie Meyer finished with the time of 3:25.78.
Sophomore Gabby Maddalena won the 500-yard freestyle with her time of 4:51.02, which was good for NCAA consideration. Maddalena also set the new season-best team time in this event, as she bettered the previous time by four seconds. Illescas placed eight in this event and received NCAA consideration with her time of 4:51.70.
Illescas later won the 200-yard butterfly (2:01.94), setting a new season-best team time and again earning NCAA consideration. Senior Jenny Gelden also took eighth in this race with her time of 2:04.79.
Meyer set a new team season top time as she placed fourth in the 200-yard backstroke (2:01.47). Vavrek also earned points for UW with her 11th place finish and time of 2:07.43.
Sophomore Rosie Morahan took fourth place in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:20.97), which also set a new season top time. Freshman Kelsey Gergen put another point on the board for Wisconsin in this race as she finished in 12th place with a time of 2:31.94. Morahan later placed sixth (2:07.14) in the 200-yard IM.
In the three-meter diving competition, junior Emily Cheffins placed fifth with a score of 235.30.
In the 100-yard freestyle, McClurg bettered her own season top time as she placed fifth (51.59). Gergen again earned points for UW with her 12th place finish and time of 54.78.
UW won the final event of the meet, the 200-yard freestyle relay, as McClurg, Meyer, Gergen and Vavrek combined for the time of 1:33.43, which also qualified for NCAA consideration.
The Wisconsin men's and women's swimming and diving teams travel to Arizona next weekend to take on the Wildcats.
