The No. 12-rated Gophers women's swimming team extended its lead to 151 points Friday night at the Big Ten Championships at the University of Minnesta Aquatic Center. The defending team champions won titles in the 400 medley relay, 100 butterfly, 100 breaststroke and 3-meter diving to increase their gold medal count to eight.

The Gophers' 400 medley relay of Tess Behrens, Haley Spencer, Rebecca Weiland and Erin Caflisch finished in 3 minutes, 45 seconds to break a school record.

The individual champions for Minnesota were sophomore Rebecca Weiland in the butterfly in a Big Ten record time of :51.61, senior Spencer Haley in the 100 breaststroke in :59.15 and junior Maggie Keefer in diving with a score of 392.25.

"This is step one, we need to go on to NCAA's after this meet and show the country really what we've been doing to prepare for that meet," Gophers coach Kelly Kremer said. "I am very, very happy with how they are doing because I think they deserve it, they really deserve it. It's nice to see it show. The staff deserves it, we've all worked so hard to prepare for the championship season and I'm just really happy for all of them."

Gophers softball sweepsSenior designated player Alex Davis hit a home run and triple as the Gophers (5-6) beat Albany 4-2 in their first game of the Florida Gulf Coast/LaQuinta Inn softball tournament at Fort Myers, Fla. Minnesota used three pitchers. Junior right-hander Sara Moulton went the first four innings, allowing just one hit with seven strikeouts to improve to 4-4. Freshman left-hander Nikki Anderson pitched the seventh inning for her first career save.

Late in the day, Moulton threw a one-hitter as the Gophers beat Florida Gulf Coast 3-0. The only hit she gave up was an infield single in the last inning, the bottom of the seventh.

Etc.•Dan Olinger had a triple and a sacrifice bunt for four RBI to lead the Gophers (2-2) to a 7-1 victory over Western Michigan in their home opener at the Metrodome.

Andy Henkemeyer, Michael Handel and Troy Larson all had multiple-hit games for the U.