Wednesday, February 19
Columbus, OH
Northwestern
vs
Big Ten Championships
Photo by: Walt Middleton/Northwestern Athletics
Led by Venema, Women’s Swim & Dive Reach Podium Twice, Finish 9th at B1Gs
2/22/2025 8:30:00 PM | Women's Swimming and Diving
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The 2025 Big Ten Women's Swimming & Diving Championships wrapped up on Saturday night with Northwestern ending a high note, earning two visits to the podium on the final day. The 400 Free Relay team, made up of Nikki Venema, Lindsay Ervin, Audrey Yu and Sydney Smith, and Venema on her own in the 100 Free, both finished seventh. The event ran February 19-22 at Ohio State's McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion in Columbus, Ohio. The host Buckeyes, winners five of the last six years, were crowned champions once again, followed by Indiana and Michigan.
Wildcats Grey Davis and Zoe Nordmann were named to the event's All-Freshman Team. Shauntel Lim was recognized as a Big Ten Women's Swim and Dive Sportsmanship Honoree.
Wednesday Highlights:
The competition commenced with the 200 Medley Relay, where Northwestern secured eighth place (1:37.51). The relay team comprised Justine Murdock, Maggie Papanicholas, Davis, and Ervin.
In the 800 Free Relay, Northwestern set a new school record, finishing in sixth, clocking in at 7:03.96 (B NCAA). The relay featured Venema – whose lead-off time of 1:44.06 was a personal best – Nordmann, Smith and Hana Shimizu-Bowers.
Thursday Highlights:
First-year Nordmann, a native of The Woodlands, Texas, had back-to-back personal bests in the 500 Free, earning her first of the day in prelims and then leveling up in the B-Final, finishing fifth (13th overall) with a B NCAA provisional time of 4:41.43.
Ervin ended up third in the B-Final (11th overall) in the 50 Free, posting a B NCAA provisional time of 22.25.
In the C-Finals, Davis (1:58.65, personal best) finished seventh (23rd overall) in the 200 IM and Venema (22.29) finished second (18th overall) in the 50 Free. Both were fast enough to earn B NCAA qualification.
In 1 meter diving, Caroline Li (254.70) made the C-Final, finishing 22nd.
In the 200 Free Relay, NU's team of Ervin, Venema, Yu and Amy Pan earned a sixth place finish in a B NCAA provisional time of 1:28.52.
Friday Highlights:
Venema won her C-Final in the 100 Fly, finishing 17th overall, in a B NCAA time of 52.79. Davis (53.05) finished fourth in the same race, and 20th overall, also earning B NCAA status.
In the B-Final of the 200 Free, Sydney Smith celebrated her birthday in style by winning her race as well, putting her 9th overall, clocking a personal best time of 1:45.58 (B NCAA).
Maggie Papanicholas made it three swimmers who won their finals heat of Friday, winning the C-Final (17th overall) of the 100 Breast in 1:00.36 (B NCAA).
In the 100 Back, Justine Murdock (53.45, B NCAA) and Davis (53.96, personal best) finished in 22nd and 23rd place, respectively.
Saturday Highlights:
The most notable moments of the championship for the 'Cats came on Saturday night.
Venema (47.97, B NCAA), a graduate student from Virginia Beach, VA, started it off with a seventh place finish in the 100 Free. After putting up a personal best in the prelim (47.90), Venema earned a spot on the podium. Ervin (48.91) finished second in the 100 Free C-Final, good for 18th overall.
The 'Cats made the podium for a second time when the 400 Free Relay 'A' team of Venema, Ervin, Yu and Smith (3:14.95, B NCAA) finished seventh to end the event on a high.
In the 1,650 Free, often referred to as the mile, Nordmann finished in 13th place, clocking a time of 16:13.55, good enough for a B NCAA qualification.
In the 200 Back, Murdock (1:55.24) and Claire Mehok (1:55.59) ended sixth (14th overall) and seventh (15th overall), respectively, in the B-Final. Both are good for B NCAA times.
Papanicholas (2:12.60, B NCAA) finished seventh (15th overall) in the B-Final in the 200 Breast.
Lilly Mehok and Shimizu-Bowers finished 4th (20th overall) and 7th (23rd overall), respectively, in the C-Final of the 200 Fly.
For a second consecutive night, diver Chloe Sharpe (206.80) earned a spot in the C-Final, this time securing a personal best on the platform.
Earlier in the day in prelims, in addition to Venema and Sharpe, the Mehok twins both earned personal bests: Claire in the 200 Back (1:55.68) and Lilly in the 200 Fly (1:59.32). Claire then did it again in her final, besting her own time by .09 seconds.
The team concluded the championships by securing ninth place overall with a total of 409 points.
Wildcats Grey Davis and Zoe Nordmann were named to the event's All-Freshman Team. Shauntel Lim was recognized as a Big Ten Women's Swim and Dive Sportsmanship Honoree.
Wednesday Highlights:
The competition commenced with the 200 Medley Relay, where Northwestern secured eighth place (1:37.51). The relay team comprised Justine Murdock, Maggie Papanicholas, Davis, and Ervin.
In the 800 Free Relay, Northwestern set a new school record, finishing in sixth, clocking in at 7:03.96 (B NCAA). The relay featured Venema – whose lead-off time of 1:44.06 was a personal best – Nordmann, Smith and Hana Shimizu-Bowers.
Thursday Highlights:
First-year Nordmann, a native of The Woodlands, Texas, had back-to-back personal bests in the 500 Free, earning her first of the day in prelims and then leveling up in the B-Final, finishing fifth (13th overall) with a B NCAA provisional time of 4:41.43.
Ervin ended up third in the B-Final (11th overall) in the 50 Free, posting a B NCAA provisional time of 22.25.
In the C-Finals, Davis (1:58.65, personal best) finished seventh (23rd overall) in the 200 IM and Venema (22.29) finished second (18th overall) in the 50 Free. Both were fast enough to earn B NCAA qualification.
In 1 meter diving, Caroline Li (254.70) made the C-Final, finishing 22nd.
In the 200 Free Relay, NU's team of Ervin, Venema, Yu and Amy Pan earned a sixth place finish in a B NCAA provisional time of 1:28.52.
Friday Highlights:
Venema won her C-Final in the 100 Fly, finishing 17th overall, in a B NCAA time of 52.79. Davis (53.05) finished fourth in the same race, and 20th overall, also earning B NCAA status.
In the B-Final of the 200 Free, Sydney Smith celebrated her birthday in style by winning her race as well, putting her 9th overall, clocking a personal best time of 1:45.58 (B NCAA).
Maggie Papanicholas made it three swimmers who won their finals heat of Friday, winning the C-Final (17th overall) of the 100 Breast in 1:00.36 (B NCAA).
In the 100 Back, Justine Murdock (53.45, B NCAA) and Davis (53.96, personal best) finished in 22nd and 23rd place, respectively.
Saturday Highlights:
The most notable moments of the championship for the 'Cats came on Saturday night.
Venema (47.97, B NCAA), a graduate student from Virginia Beach, VA, started it off with a seventh place finish in the 100 Free. After putting up a personal best in the prelim (47.90), Venema earned a spot on the podium. Ervin (48.91) finished second in the 100 Free C-Final, good for 18th overall.
The 'Cats made the podium for a second time when the 400 Free Relay 'A' team of Venema, Ervin, Yu and Smith (3:14.95, B NCAA) finished seventh to end the event on a high.
In the 1,650 Free, often referred to as the mile, Nordmann finished in 13th place, clocking a time of 16:13.55, good enough for a B NCAA qualification.
In the 200 Back, Murdock (1:55.24) and Claire Mehok (1:55.59) ended sixth (14th overall) and seventh (15th overall), respectively, in the B-Final. Both are good for B NCAA times.
Papanicholas (2:12.60, B NCAA) finished seventh (15th overall) in the B-Final in the 200 Breast.
Lilly Mehok and Shimizu-Bowers finished 4th (20th overall) and 7th (23rd overall), respectively, in the C-Final of the 200 Fly.
For a second consecutive night, diver Chloe Sharpe (206.80) earned a spot in the C-Final, this time securing a personal best on the platform.
Earlier in the day in prelims, in addition to Venema and Sharpe, the Mehok twins both earned personal bests: Claire in the 200 Back (1:55.68) and Lilly in the 200 Fly (1:59.32). Claire then did it again in her final, besting her own time by .09 seconds.
The team concluded the championships by securing ninth place overall with a total of 409 points.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
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