The Gophers were in third place Wednesday after two finals in the Big Ten Women's Swimming and Divving Championship in Columbus, Ohio.
Minnesota, the three-time defending champion in the conference meet, had 62 points, trailing Michigan (68) and Wisconsin (66).
The Gophers placed fourth in the first final of the meet, the 200-yard individual medley. Tori Simenec, Kierra Smith, Danielle Nack and Rebecca Weiland had a time of 1 minute, 37.77 seconds.
Simenec also swam a leg on the 800 freestyle relay, which placed third in 7:01.93. Also on that relay were Lauren Votava, Jessica Plant and Kiera Janzen.
Etc.
• The MIAC men's and women's swimming and diving championships will begin Thursday at the Jean Freeman Aquatic Center on the University of Minnesota campus. St. Olaf has won the past two men's titles and five over the past eight years. Gustavus hopes to extend a string of five consecutive women's titles.
• Augustana and Minnesota State Moorhead are No. 1 and 2, respectively, in the first NCAA Division II men's basketball Central Region rankings. In the women's Central Region rankings, the highest NSIC teams are Wayne State at No. 3 and Minnesota State Mankato at No. 7.
