The Big Red finished in third place at the 2011 Miami Invitational after chalking up 19 more NCAA cuts in eight events on Saturday night. Miami won the team title with 2,637 points. The Redhawks were followed by Emory University who totaled 1,818 points. Denison checked in third with 1,586.5 points and The University of Cincinnati was fourth with 1,159. Fifth through eighth place was occupied by Wright State (659), Southern Illinois (598.5), Illinois State (146) and West Virginia (80).
Denison's 400 freestyle relay team of Brenna Broadus, Molly Willingham, Marit Wangstad, and Alyssa Swanson posted an NCAA automatic qualifying time, placing fourth in 3:25.88.
Earlier in the night, Swanson recorded the team's other 'A' cut with a time of 4:53.33 in the 500 freestyle. Senior Hilary Callen followed in fourth place in the event in 4:54.35 and first-year Janet Watson was sixth with a 'B' cut time of 5:02.08.
Sophomore Natalie Lugg turned in a third place finish in the 200 breaststroke with a provisional qualifying time of 2:18.85. She also swam on the second place 200 medley relay team along with Sarah Yu, Boradus and Morgan Nuess. That foursome posted a time of 1:43.92.
Five different DU swimmers recorded 'B' cuts in the 200 backstroke as Emily Schroeder paced Denison with a fifth place finish in 2:02.22. In the consolation heat Lindsay Zeberlein placed 10th, Willingham was 13th, Yu was 14th and Lucy Roth finished 15th.
In the 100 fly it was Broadus who posted a strong 'B' cut time of 56.01 in preliminaries. She followed with a time of 56.13 in the finals to place third. After two 'A' cuts on Friday, Michelle Howell returned on Saturday with a fourth place finish in the 100 fly in 56.51. Laurel Brabson rounded out the NCAA cuts in the event by placing 11th in 56.76.
Howell wasn't finished making a splash in her first championship format meet. The first-year took seventh in the 200 IM with a 'B' cut time of 2:06.21. Lugg was ninth but turned in a solid preliminary time of 2:06.63. The swimming events were rounded out by the 100 freestyle where Swanson placed seventh, Willingham took 13th and Wangstad touched 15th.
At the Fredonia State Blue Devil Invitational DU diver Katie Collins took part in the 1-meter dive competition. She tallied an 11-dive score of 393.95 and placed third overall. Collins will compete in the 3-meter dive at Fredonia on Sunday.
For the entire Miami Invitational, Denison posted 44 NCAA automatic or provisional qualifying times in 18 events.
