Feb. 14, 2008

Results

CARBONDALE, Ill. - The University of Northern Iowa women's swimming team claimed three top-ten finishes during the first day of competition at the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Championships Thursday evening.  The Panthers are currently in fourth place with 107 points.

 

Freshman Josie Itzen (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Cedar Falls) took fifth place in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:10.62.  Sophomore Abby Girard (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Cedar Falls) was close behind with a time of 2:11.51, taking sixth place.  Both swimmers turned in personal bests in the preliminaries with times of 2:10.31 and 2:09.67, respectively.

 

Sophomore Maggie Rickert (Hudson, Iowa/Hudson) took eighth in the 50 freestyle, clocking in at 24.95.

 

The Panthers also recorded season-best times in both of the relay events.

 

The 400-yard medley relay team consisting of Girard, freshman Ashley Mangrich (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Jefferson), Rickert and Itzen took fourth place in a time of 4:00.61, nearly seven seconds ahead of this season's best performance.

 

UNI's 200 freestyle relay also earned fourth-place honors.  Senior Jamie Keefer (Spencer, Iowa/Spencer), Rickert, junior Maegan Miller (Olathe, Kan./Olathe) and Itzen finished in a time of 1:38.53.

 

The Panthers will return to the pool tomorrow morning (Feb. 15) in Carbondale, Ill. at day two of the MVC Championships.  Preliminaries will begin at 11 a.m., with the finals to follow at 6 p.m.