Women’s team tallies highest team finish in five years at Big Ten Championships

Bacon, McKenna bring home more titles

Women's Swimming & Diving February 19, 2022 Kelsey Tehan

Women’s team tallies highest team finish in five years at Big Ten Championships

Bacon, McKenna bring home more titles

MADISON, Wis. - The Badger women gave it their all on the final day of Big Ten competition and walked away with two more individual titles, a third-place relay finish and a fourth-place team finish with 1,085 points.

The first Big Ten Champion of the night was Paige McKenna in the 1650 free. This was the freshman's second title of the meet which makes her the first swimmer to win both the 500 free and 1650 free since 2017. Her time of 15:47.31 was an NCAA 'A' cut.

SHE DOES IT AGAIN🥇

Paige McKenna claims ANOTHER Big Ten title, this time in the 1650 free‼️

She gets an NCAA 'A' cut!#Badgers | #OnWisconsin pic.twitter.com/k45wnH0RZ2
— Wisconsin Swimming & Diving (@BadgerSwimDive) February 19, 2022

Phoebe Bacon followed McKenna's lead and took first in her second event of the championships. Bacon won the 200 back for her second year in a row and the fifth year in a row for a Badger. She hit the wall in 1:51.23.

Bringing home the BACON 🥓🥓🥓

Phoebe Bacon the 200 Back Champ 👑#Badgers | #OnWisconsin pic.twitter.com/tsgy7UPUkP
— Wisconsin Swimming & Diving (@BadgerSwimDive) February 20, 2022

Swimming alongside Bacon in the 200 back finals was Mara Newman. Newman placed fourth in a time of 1:53.96.

Other podium finishers include Sophie Fiske who took seventh in the 100 free (48.33), Jenna Silvestri who took seventh in the 200 breast (2:09.24), Mallory Jump who placed seventh in the 200 fly (1:56.21) and Mackenzie McConagha who placed eighth in the 200 fly (1:56.45).

The team had three All-Big Ten swimmers including first team honorees Phoebe Bacon and Paige McKenna and second team honoree Mackenzie McConagha.

Full results

STRAIGHT FROM THE POOL DECK

Head Coach Yuri Suguiyama: "4 Big Ten Champions, 3 school records, 5 NCAA "A" relay cuts, and our highest team finish in 5 years has us fired up about this team. We knew back in September that it had the opportunity to be special and it was. We'll take a deep breath and then turn our focus to NCAA's. Special thanks to everyone at RecWell and our Athletic Department for their efforts in hosting a great championship event."

Up Next:
The men's swim and dive team will head to Purdue and compete in the men's Big Ten Championships February 23-26.

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Players Mentioned

Jenna Silvestri: Back / Breast / IM; Freshman

Phoebe Bacon: Free / Back / IM; Sophomore

Mara Newman: Free / Back; Senior

Sophie Fiske: Free; Freshman

Mackenzie McConagha: Back/Fly; Freshman

Paige McKenna: Free; Freshman

Mallory Jump: Fly/IM/Breast; Junior

Players Mentioned

Jenna Silvestri
: Freshman
: Back / Breast / IM

Phoebe Bacon
: Sophomore
: Free / Back / IM

Mara Newman
: Senior
: Free / Back

Sophie Fiske
: Freshman
: Free

Mackenzie McConagha
: Freshman
: Back/Fly

Paige McKenna
: Freshman
: Free

Mallory Jump
: Junior
: Fly/IM/Breast

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