A Record-Setting Meet For Herkenhoff
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (2/20/16)—Annie Herkenhoff made the most of her only career appearance at the MIAC Championship Meet as she broke two more school records and placed third in the 1650-yard freestyle.
Herkenhoff's record-setting performance in the third day of the conference meet helped Concordia jump to eighth place in the final meet standings. The Cobbers broke six school records at the meet and finished with 143 total team points which is the most since the 2012 season.
Herkenhoff's third-place finish in the wet mile is the highest by a Concordia athlete at the MIAC Championship Meet since 2010 when Amy Glubzinski third in the 1-meter diving competition and went on to be named the MIAC Women's Diver of the Meet. It is the highest finish by a swimmer at the conference meet since Shana Letnes won both the 100 and 200-yard breaststroke in 2001.
Herkenhoff also became the first Concordia athlete to finish the 1650-yard freestyle in under 18 minutes. The previous school record was held by Katie Coleman who posted a time of 18:01.95 in 2010. Herkenhoff smashed that record by over 10 seconds. She touched the wall in a time of 17:47.98 and was only 1.62 seconds behind second place and 4.71 seconds behind the event winner.
In addition to breaking the 1650-yard freestyle during the event, Herkenhoff also set the new school mark in the 1000-yard freestyle. The old mark of 10:55.79 was also held by Coleman and Herkenhoff went out in a time of 10:48.25.
Herkenhoff wasn't the only record setter on the final day of the meet for the Cobbers. Freshman Alaina Dehnke clocked a 2:12.82 in the prelims of the 200-yard backstroke and set a new mark by over two seconds. Dehnke then went on to place 14th in the event with a "B" finals time of 2:13.25.
The two other top 20 finishes for Concordia on Day 3 came from Ann Marie O'Connell and freshman Ciara White. O'Connell placed 17th in the 200-yard butterfly with a prelim time of 2:25.83. That time was only 2.27 seconds away from earning a spot in the "B" final.
White finished off a solid first conference meet by placing 13th in the 200-yard breaststroke. She swam a season-best time of 2:33.23 in the prelims and then dropped that mark by almost three full seconds in the final. White came home in 2:30.85 and 1.80 seconds off the "B" final winner.
The Cobbers' final relay team didn't disappoint as the quartet of Herkenhoff, O'Connell, Lily Johnson and Dehnke raced to a 3:45.79 and placed ninth in the 400-yard freestyle relay. Their finishing time was a drop of 14 seconds from the previous season best and only 1.60 seconds off the school record.
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FINAL TEAM SCORES
1. University of St. Thomas - 873.5
2. Gustavus Adolphus - 693
3. St. Olaf College - 485.5
4. Carleton College - 389
5. College of Saint Benedict - 326
6. Saint Catherine University - 269
7. Macalester College - 182
8. Concordia College - 143
9. Hamline University - 140
10. Saint Mary's University - 130
11. Augsburg College - 121