Jorgenson Adds Podium Finish for Huskers on Final Day of the Big Ten Championships

Columbus, Ohio - The Nebraska women’s swimming and diving team finished the final day of the Big Ten Championships with a fourth-place podium finish, as Gena Jorgenson completed the 1,650 freestyle with the second-fastest time in school history on Saturday at the McCorkle Aquatic Center.  

Jorgenson, a junior from Aberdeen, S.D., raced to a time of 15:56.70, just off her own school-record pace that she set last season on her way to first-team All-America honors at the NCAA Championships. It was Jorgenson's second top-eight finish of the meet, joining her performance in the 500 freestyle.

Caterina Bisiacchi also contributed points to Nebraska's 10th-place team finish (344 points) by smashing her career best by more than seven seconds in the 1,650 free to take 23rd (16:30.55), while Riley Miklos shredded more than 17 seconds off her previous career best to finish 24th in the event as all three Huskers put up NCAA B cuts.  

Nebraska's 200 breaststroke group scored solid points for the Big Red. Senior Maia Hall earned a spot in the B final and battled to a 10th-place finish with a season-best time of 2:10.88, which was .02 faster than her fifth-place time at last year's Big Ten meet.

Fellow senior JoJo Randby added a spot in the C finals with a prelim time of 2:13.33 before touching the wall in 23rd in the final (2:13.73). Katy Zboinski (32nd, 2:14.54), Jenna Gogel (x2:20.34) and Amelia Riggott (45th, 2:22.28) also competed for the Huskers. 

Sydney McCracken, a senior from Kennett Square, Pa., also swam to a personal-best 2:14.95 in the 200 breast on Saturday, while also being honored as Nebraska's Big Ten Women’s Swim and Dive Sportsmanship Award winner.  

Beatrix Tanko and Maisie Gilford both added top-10 times in school history in the 100 free. Tanko reached the C finals and posted a personal-best 49.53 to finish 22nd, while Gilford just missed a spot in the finals by working to a 25th-place finish in 49.68. Giulia Marchi and Anna Vlachou also swam in the 100 free with respective 43rd and 46th finishes. 

Marissa Laurin earned a personal best in the 200 backstroke (27th, 1:58.60), while Virginia Consiglio placed 35th in a time of 2:01.28. Madison Lloyd swam an exhibition with a time of 2:01.18.   

In the 200 butterfly, Jazmyn Lunn (30th, 2:00.80) and Bisiacchi (31st, 2:00.87) notched personal bests, while Jenna Brown added a 33rd-place finish with a time of 2:01.95. 

In the diving well, Kelsey Clairmont finished 20th on the platform with a score of 207.60. Nettie Knapton added a 27th-place finish with a score of 192.55, while Antonina Harned placed 40th (168.25). 

The Big Red 400 free relay team consisting of Gilford, Marchi, Randby, and Tanko secured an 11th-place finish with a time of 3:18.94. 

The hosts from Ohio State won the Big Ten title with 1,313.5 points by holding off runner-up Indiana (1,255.5). Michigan finished third (1,149.5).

Several Huskers will travel to the Mizzou Last Chance Meet in Columbia, Mo., March 1-2 for the chance to improve their times in pursuit of advancement to the 2025 NCAA Championships. 

Husker Finalists 

A-Final
1,650 Freestyle: Gena Jorgenson (4th)
500 Freestyle: Gena Jorgenson (6th)
100 Breaststroke: Maia Hall (7th)

B-Final
200 Breaststroke: Maia Hall (10th)
100 Breaststroke: JoJo Randby (13th)

C-Final
One-Meter: Abby Baxter (17th)
Three-Meter: Abby Baxter (18th)
100 Butterfly: Beatrix Tanko (18th) 
100 Butterfly: Anna Vlachou (19th)
Platform: Kelsey Clairmont (20th)
50 Free: Beatrix Tanko (20th)
100 Freestyle: Beatrix Tanko (22nd)
200 Breaststroke: JoJo Randby (23rd)
1,650 Freestyle: Caterina Bisiacchi (23rd)
1,650 Freestyle: Riley Miklos (24th)