Storm take eighth at Mutual of Omaha Invite

OMAHA, Neb. - The Simpson women's swimming team swam well in a loaded field, taking eighth of 10 teams at the 2011 Mutual of Omaha Invitational on Dec. 2-3.

The Storm placed four individual events in the top 20, scoring 72 points in all. Host Nebraska-Omaha won the meet with 1,722 points, followed by Northern Iowa (1,426), Colorado (446), Nebraska-Kearney (357), Iowa Central CC (322), the Nebraska Swim Club (92), and the Kansas Swim Club (87). Simpson beat College of St. Mary (67) and Iowa Lakes CC (58).

"I am so proud of the way the team performed over the weekend," head coach Aaron Strain said. "There were several DI and DII schools at the meet, so the competition was fierce. We held our own and everyone had great swims." 

Hannah Yarborough (Winthrop Harbor, Ill.) produced Simpson's top finish, taking ninth in the 1,000 freestyle (11:57.10). She added a 12th-place effort in the 1,650 freestyle (20:29.88).

Yarborough's time in the 1,000 free is the fastest by a Simpson swimmer since 2007.

Stefani Smith (Red Oak, Iowa) took 15th in the 200 butterfly (2:36.99) and Catherine Mayes (Muscatine, Iowa) placed 17th in the 200 backstroke (2:36.60).

Simpson's 400 medley relay team qualified for finals and placed fifth (4:47.51).

The Storm return to Omaha on Friday, Dec. 9 when they face College of St. Mary and Iowa Central CC in a double-dual beginning at 6 p.m.