Gena Jorgenson and Maia Hall each raced to three individual titles while Maisie Gilford continued the impressive start to her Husker career with two more victories, as the Nebraska swimming and diving team cruised to a 182-117 dual win over Kansas at Robinson Natatorium in Lawrence on Friday.
Nebraska’s victory marked the first win for the Huskers over the Jayhawks in Lawrence since a 176-120 victory on Jan. 29, 1999.
Jorgenson, a first-team All-American for the Huskers a year ago, remained undefeated in her individual races this season by dominating the 200 (1:48.31) and 500 freestyles (4:48.29) and the 200 backstroke (1:57.67) with season-best times. The junior captain from Aberdeen, S.D., added a leg in Nebraska’s winning 400 freestyle relay to put the finishing touches on the Husker team victory over the Jayhawks. The reigning Big Ten swimmer of the week put up a time of 50.60 in her 100 leg of the relay, as the Huskers posted a CSCAA A qualifying time of 3:22.25.
Hall, a senior captain from Whitby, England, swept the breaststroke races for the Big Red, including a winning time of 1:01.73 in the 100. She added a 2:14.21 in the 200 breaststroke and capped her meet with a victory in the 200 individual medley (2:04.16) to put up 27 big points for the Huskers. All three of Hall’s times were season bests.
Gilford, a junior from England, swam to a season-best 23.18 in the 50 free before adding a season-best 50.57 in the 100 free to complete a sweep of the sprint freestyles for Nebraska. She also swam the opening leg (50.67) of Nebraska’s winning 400 freestyle relay.
Kansas opened the meet with a win in the 200 medley relay, before Nebraska answered with a sweep of the top two spots in the 1,000 freestyle even without Jorgenson in the race. Freshman Riley Miklos captured the 1,000 free title (10:10.01), while Caterina Bisiacchi added a runner-up finish (10:15.49). Both times were season bests by more than 10 seconds for the Huskers.
Jorgenson and Giulia Marchi (1:49.77) then swept the top two spots in the 200 free to put the Huskers in front in team points.
Kansas answered with a sweep of the top two spots in the 100 backstroke, before Hall and JoJo Randby (1:02.21) gave Nebraska the lead for good by sweeping the top spots in the 100 breaststroke.
Jenna Brown (2:02.41) and Bisiacchi (2:03.07) both recorded season-best times to extend Nebraska’s margin with a sweep in the 200 butterfly, before Gilford’s win along with a third-place performance by Beatrix Tanko (23.62) in the 50 free.
Gilford added her second win in the 100 free, while Marchi (51.73) pitched in a third-place finish for the Huskers. Jorgenson then cruised to victory in the 200 backstroke with Marissa Laurin (2:00.84) contributing a third-place showing.
Hall then captured her win in the 200 breaststroke, while Randby (2:17.19) and Sydney McCracken (2:18.12) pitched in third and fourth, respectively to keep Nebraska’s lead over the Jayhawks growing.
Jorgenson led Nebraska’s dominant performance in the 500 free with her victory in a season-best time, followed by a Bisiacchi’s third runner-up finish of the meet (4:57.16), while Miklos added a fourth-place showing (4:59.82).
Tanko kept the wins coming for the Huskers with her title in the 100 butterfly with a season-best 54.23, before Hall added her third win of the meet with a title in the 200 individual medley.
Kansas got a win from Lezli Sisuing, Ryan Johnston, Lydia Lafferty and Caroline Blake in the 200 medley relay (1:41.05).
Sisung won the 100 back in 54.68. Shinyun Lai won 1-meter diving (314.10) and 3-meter (304.13).
