After seven events, the Gophers were in first place in the Big Ten women's swimming and diving meet on Thursday in Columbus, Ohio. Minnesota, the three-time defending meet champion, had 232.5 points. Michigan was in second place with 196.5.
The Gophers overtook the Wolverines with a 1-2 finish in 1-meter diving, the final event scored on Day 2. Yu Zhou, a sophomore from Beijing, took first place (365.00) and senior Katy Etterman second (333.80).
Senior Rebecca Weiland tied for second in the 50-yard freestyle (22.13 seconds) and swam the first leg of the third-place 200 freestyle relay (1:29.32).
Junior Samantha Harding took fourth in the 500 freestyle while senior Tori Simenec and junior Kierra Smith were fourth (1:58.20) and fifth (1:58.62), respectively, in the 200 individual medley.
U women at Bemidji St.
The Gophers women's hockey team ends its regular-season schedule with games Friday and Saturday at Bemidji State. Each game starts at 2 p.m.
No. 2-ranked Minnesota (27-4-2, 20-2-4- WCHA), which clinched the conference title last weekend with a sweep of Minnesota Duluth, is 0-1-1 against the Beavers (18-13-1, 13-12-1-1). The teams tied 2-2 on Oct. 31 at Ridder Arena, with Bemidji State winning the shootout, and the Beavers won the second game 1-0.
The Gophers will host eight-place Minnesota State Mankato Feb. 27-28 and, if necessary, March 1, in a best-of-three conference quarterfinal playoff series.
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• The Gophers baseball team, after getting swept in three games by No. 3 Houston last weekend, will play at Texas in a four-game series opening at 6 p.m. Friday. The Longhorns (3-2) played in the College World Series last season and are ranked No. 10 by Baseball America.
