Feb. 20, 2010

Results

PITTSBURGH—Freshmen Kelsey Herbst and Joanna Budzis earn All-Big East honors and shatter records, as Pitt’s women’s swimming and diving team finished fourth with 426.5 points in the 2010 Big East Championships, held on campus at Trees Pool.

Herbst kicked off the evening with a second-place finish in the 1650 free. Her NCAA provisional time of 16:36.98 earned her All-Big East honors and set a new freshman standard. Herbst broke the previous record of 16:44.80 by Nicole Ebert in 2003.

Likewise, Budzis set the mark for freshman in the 200 back, claiming a 1:57.79 finish. Her time eclipsed teammate Megan Bender’s 1:58.52 last season. A NCAA provisional time, she garnered a third-place finish in the event.

Also posting a NCAA B cut time, Pitt’s 400 free relay team of junior Kristen McMullan, sophomore Elena Spak, senior Lisa McDonnell and Budzis teamed together for a fifth-place finish of 3:23.87.

Individually, McMullan finished eighth in the finals of the 100 free, recording a time of 50.91. In the consolation heat of the 100 free, McDonnell swam a 51.48 for 16th overall.

Improving upon her a.m. swim, junior Laura Barnes knocked a few hundredths of a second off her prelim time for an eighth place finish of 2:18.05 in the 200 breast.

Next, junior Cookie McIntyre knocked four seconds off her prelim time to win the consolation heat of the 200 fly (2:01.86). Senior Sophie Cross finished eighth in the finals of the 200 fly, with a time of 2:02.78.

Also scoring points this evening, freshman Tori Alland recorded a ninth-place finish in the 1650 free (17:00.09), while senior Ryann Kishbaugh improved to 15th in the consolation heat of the 200 back (2:03.45).

Women’s Team Rankings
1. Notre Dame 773.5
2. Louisville 718
3. West Virginia 525
4. Pittsburgh 426.5
5. Rutgers 303
6. Villanova 292
7. Cincinnati 256
8. Connecticut 205
9. Georgetown 96
10. Seton Hall 68
11. Providence 62