Badgers fourth after first day of SMU Classic
October 24, 2008 | Women's Swimming & Diving
The Wisconsin women's swimming and diving team stands fourth place after the first day of competition in the SMU Classic.
The Badgers scored a total of 140 points over the course of the event's first nine events Friday at Southern Methodist University's Perkins Natatorium, earning a top-five finish in each. The six-team field, composed entirely of teams ranked in the CSCAA Top 25, is separated by just 14 points at the meet's mid-way point.
Freshman athid=7385&deptid=194"> --> Beckie Thompson posted the Badgers' strongest individual performance with a runner-up finish in the 50-yard freestyle, clocking in at a season-best 23.42. Sophomore athid=6650&deptid=194"> --> Maggie Meyer , who already owns an NCAA 'B' cut in the event, scored third place in the 100 backstroke with a time of 56.69.
Freshman athid=7386&deptid=194"> --> Ashley Wanland also had a third-place showing in the 100 breaststroke in a season-best time of 1:02.68, finishing behind a pool-record performance by winner Rebecca Soni of USC at 1:00.32.
Also for the Badgers, senior athid=5593&deptid=194"> --> Jen Illescas took fourth in the 200 freestyle (1:49.31) and fifth in the 100 butterfly (56.71), while junior athid=6046&deptid=194"> --> Candice Peak claimed a fifth-place finish in the 400 individual medley (4:27.11).
The UW team of Meyer, Wanland, senior athid=5994&deptid=194"> --> Christine Zwiegers and Thompson opened the night with a third-place finish in the 400 medley relay, clocking in at a season-best 3:45.98. The Badgers then capped the opening session of competition with a fourth-place finish in the 800 free relay. The team of Illescas, junior athid=6044&deptid=194"> --> Gabby Maddalena , junior athid=6045&deptid=194"> --> Rosie Morahan and Meyer turned in a time of 7:29.56.
Junior athid=6657&deptid=194"> --> Emily Cheffins rounded things out for the Badgers with a third-place showing in the diving portion of the night. She racked up a score of 244.85 points on the 1-meter board.
The Badgers wrap up the SMU Classic with the final nine events Saturday. The competition begins at 7:30 p.m. Live results are available here .
