For the seventh-straight season, the No. 9-ranked IU women’s swimming and diving team has finished in second place. IU finished just short of the Michigan Wolverines for another year, putting their Big Ten Championship drought at seven years.
Despite not winning the title, IU won 10 medals: five gold, one silver and four bronze.
Five Hoosiers were named to the All-Big Ten First-Team, including freshman Grace Haskett; juniors Christine Jensen, Jessica Parratto and Lilly King; and senior Ali Rockett.
Haskett only participated in the C final of the 100 freestyle and finished in 23rd, behind Rockett who was tied for 17th.
The 200 butterfly also featured a Big Ten first-teamer in Jensen, who finished in 17th place with a personal best time of 1:57.98.
One of the stars of the Big Ten Championship has been leading IU all season long, Lilly King. King continued her historic season by winning the 200 breaststroke for the third consecutive year. King’s time of 2:04.68 is the fastest in the country this season and the fourth-best in IU history.
The 2018 Big Ten Championships proved to be monumental for King, with her 200 breaststroke win. King became the first woman in Big Ten history to sweep the 100 and 200 breaststroke for three straight years.
Other than King, the other swimmer to make the podium came from senior Kennedy Goss, who placed third in the 200 backstroke, winning the bronze medal.
One other swimmer made news outside of the pool as senior Rachel Matsumura was the Big Ten Sportsmanship honoree for 2017-18.
Matsumura was also the next Hoosier to finish behind Goss in the 200 backstroke, finishing 11th.
Four of the five Hoosiers on the First-Team were all swimmers The lone diver was Parratto, who has been the Hoosiers' best diver all season long.
Parratto continued her success at Big Tens by winning the platform dive for her third time as a Hoosier. She was the only diver to make the final in all three events, and her score of 378.15 is the fourth best in IU history.
After all the individual success for IU, they were still unable to capture that coveted Big Ten trophy for yet another year.
On a positive note, IU doesn’t have to wait another year to capture a championship trophy; they get that opportunity in a few weeks at NCAA Championships.
The four-day event will take place March 14-17 in Columbus, Ohio, at Ohio State University.
The men’s swimming and diving team has their own challenge in Minneapolis this weekend at their Big Ten Championships. The No. 2-ranked men are currently battling for the title Feb. 21-24.
IU currently sits in prime position for the trophy after winning both of the relays Wednesday night, the 200 medley and 800 free relays.
Action kicks off again Thursday morning at 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
