Horejsi, Gophers set records

Published 8:27 am Monday, March 20, 2017

The Golden Gophers swimming and diving team equaled their second-best NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships finish by placing 10th with 168 points. Minnesota tallied 14 All-America performances and four program records in Indianapolis. Lexi Tenenbaum was named CSCAA Diver of the Year, Wenbo Chen was named Diving Coach of the Year and Kierra Smith broke the NCAA record and earned silver in the 200-yard breaststroke on Saturday.

Tenenbaum concluded her collegiate career with an eighth-place finish on the platform, scoring 235.95 points. The senior competed in two finals and one consolation final at her last national meet to finish her career with four All-America honors, including a career-best fourth-place finish on the 3-meter board on Friday.

Gopher diving stood out all week, as senior Yu Zhou won the 3-meter title Friday and she and Sarah Bacon were All-Americans on both springboards. Chen earned the CSCAA’s Coach of the Year nod for the third time. He has coached his Minnesota divers to four national titles, including two by Zhou.

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In the 200 breaststroke, Smith clocked in with a time of 2:03.55, the second-fastest in NCAA history. The senior nearly caught Lilly King on the final lap, but King touched in 2:03.18 to take first. Smith closed her college career with seven All-America honors. Freshman Lindsey Horejsi, the 100 breaststroke runner-up, set a personal record of 2:08.21 in the 200 consolation final to place 11th for her third All-America honor.

Junior Danielle Nack broke the Gophers’ program record in the 200 butterfly. She placed 17th in 1:55.67. Nack had previously broken the 200 freestyle record with her leadoff split in the 800 free relay.

Sophomore Zoe Avestruz, Danielle Nack, sophomore Chantal Nack and freshman Tevyn Waddell finished 20th in the 400 freestyle relay with a time of 3:16.04.

2017 Minnesota All-Americans (* denotes honorable mention)

Zoe Avestruz (800 free relay*, 200 medley relay*, 400 medley relay*)

Sarah Bacon (1-meter runner-up, 3-meter).

Lindsey Horejsi (100 breast runner-up, 200 breast*, 200 medley relay*).

Chantal Nack (800 free relay*)

Danielle Nack (800 free relay*, 200 medley relay*, 400 medley relay*).

Kierra Smith (100 breast*, 200 breast runner-up, 400 medley relay*).

Lexi Tenenbaum (1-meter*, 3-meter, platform).

Tevyn Waddell (800 free relay*, 200 medley relay*, 400 medley relay*).

Yu Zhou (1-meter, 3-meter champion).

Horejsi sets a Minnesota record at 2017 NCAAs

100 Breaststroke: Lindsey Horejsi, 58.03.