Higgs Smashes ASC 200-Yard Breaststroke Record at Colorado Mines Tri-Meet

Chris Day
ASC Sports Information

Freshman Jennell Higgs smashed the previous ASC record in the 200 yard breaststroke by an incredible 16 seconds, and the Grizzly women added two other program records at the Colorado Mines Tri-Meet where the Adams State swim teams were in action for the first time in over a month on Saturday.
Swimming in duals against both Colorado College as well as host and Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) member Colorado Mines, the Grizzlies were unable to record their first dual meet victory in program history, falling by a score of 114-21 to the Orediggers and 78-42 against Colorado College.
The Adams State men were also in action on Saturday in Golden, Colo., where they swam their way to three modern era school records.
Higgs’ time of 2 minutes and 45.22 seconds in 200 breast blasted the previous record of 3:01.56 set by Chandler Osborne on Nov. 14, 2009, out of the water. The time was also good for a second-place finish in the event which equaled the highest Adams State finish of the day. She also recorded a third-place individual finish in the 100 yard backstroke with a time of 1:07.40.
Setting a new ASC record, though by a much closer margin, was freshman Kelly Erickson, who took home second-place in the 100 yard butterfly, coming in 0.47 seconds under the previous school mark in the event with a time of 1:02.81.
The final Grizzly record of the day came in the 200 free relay, where the squad of Erickson, freshman Rachel Beranek, Higgs and freshman Amanda Angelovich placed second in 1:47.94, bettering the program mark that was set this fall at the Adams State Duals on Oct. 2.
In addition to the three school records, Grizzly swimmers also clocked three other personal bests in Golden.
Freshman Jennie Thorson established a new personal best with a time of 3:32.31 for fourth-place in the 200 yard backstroke, Angelovich was seventh in the 100 free with a time of 1:01.73 for a PR, and Erickson clocked a second personal best of the day in the 100 free where she placed fourth with a time of 58.01 seconds.
The Grizzlies will head to Grand Junction, Colo., for the second time this season to compete at the Mesa State Invitational on Dec. 4-5, where they’ll swim against the Mavericks and see Colorado College again.