Hagerman Wins 50 Freestyle In Big Ten Season Finale

Jan. 22, 2005

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Junior Rachael Hagerman (Goodland, Kan.) captured the 50 freestyle event title as the Michigan State women's swimming and diving team was defeated by Ohio State and No. 25 Minnesota in a Big Ten tri-meet Saturday, Jan. 21, at OSU's Peppe Aquatic Center. The Spartans fell to the Buckeyes, 196-103, and dropped a 217.5-81.5 decision to the Golden Gophers.

Hagerman nearly shattered the Peppe Aquatic Center pool record en route to finishing first in the 50 free with a time of 23.77 and also placed third in the 100 butterfly (58.80).

"We need to become sharper in the pool than we were today before the Big Ten Championships, said MSU head coach Matt Gianiodis. "Rachel Hagerman had a very good meet today as she almost broke Ohio State's pool record in the 50 free."

Junior Tesla Hughes (Taft, Tenn.) finished fourth in the 500 free (5:08.19) and the 1,650 free (18:04.82), sophomore Amy Schmidt (Grand Ledge, Mich.) finished in a tie for third place with Minnesota senior Abbie Bowden in the one-meter diving event (261.80).

Senior Tammy Jones (Conyers, Ga.) was edged by Ohio State's Griet Buelens by two-tenths of a second for the 100 free title (51.84) and placed fourth in the 200 free (1:55.78).

The MSU `A' team of Jones, sophomore Carly Zenk (Southgate, Mich.), junior Courtney Ellabarger (Carmel, Ind.), and senior Alicia Copestick (East Liverpool, Ohio) combined to finish third in the 400 medley relay (3:55.14). Jones and Copestick later teamed with sophomore Eve Brusie (Grand Haven, Mich.) and junior Katrina Kniff (Grand Rapids, Mich.) to place second in the 400 free relay (3:30.91).

The Spartans will conclude the dual-meet season Saturday, Jan. 29 against Oakland in Rochester, Mich.