Fall season concludes

While eight of IU\'s women's swimmers were competing against some of the world's best in the U.S. Open in New York this past weekend, 15 other swimmers were also competing in the Miami (Ohio) Invitational.\nHead coach Dorsey Tierney was hoping the competition at the Invitational would allow some of her younger swimmers to gain valuable experience going into the spring championship season and to give them a chance to assume a leadership role on the team.\nAfter sitting in ninth place after the first two days of competition, the Hoosiers finished strong in the finals Sunday evening, ending up in seventh place overall with a score of 513.50. Michigan State nipped out host Miami (Ohio) to win the 17-team invitational by just 30.50 points.\nThe Hoosier contingent at the Invitational was led by junior Maggie Helmers, sophomores Jillian Lathrop and Megan Medendorp and freshmen Jinji Fraser, Tammy Kostner and Jennifer Lichtblau.\nHelmers placed 13th in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:09.60. She also recorded a time of 4:32.31 in the 400-IM, good enough for fifth overall. Lathrop finished sixth in the 200-butterfly for the Hoosiers with a time of 2:07.72. Medendorp displayed her versatility for the Hoosiers, qualifying for the finals in three different individual events. She swam in the bonus consolation final for the 50-freestyle, 200-freestyle and the 200-IM.\nFor the freshmen, Fraser swam to an 11th place finish in the 200-free and a bonus final in the 100-free. Kostner finished fifth in the 100-backstroke with a time of 59.12. She also placed 13th in the 200-backstroke. Lichtblau finished 11th in the 100-breast stroke and qualified for the consolation final in the 200-breaststroke.\nIn the relays, Fraser, Kostner, Lathrop and sophomore Melissa Pietras swam to a sixth place finish in the 400-free relay with a time of 3:35.61.\nThe ninth place finish in the Miami Invitational and a third place finish in the 18-team U.S. Open concluded a successful fall season for the women's swimming team. The team is ranked No. 19 by the College Swim Coaches Association of America and holds a 2-0-1 dual record an are a 1-0-1 in the conference.\nThe Hoosiers will return to the pool for the start of the spring championship season in a co-ed dual meet as they host Big Ten opponent Ohio State (2-5, 0-2). The meet is scheduled for Jan. 12 at1p.m.attheCounsil-man/Billingsley Aquatics Center at the SRSC.