Valparaiso University freshman Flavia Segatto (Pembroke Pines, Fla./Charleow Flanigan H.S.) set a new school record in the 1000 freestyle as the Crusaders opened up competition at the 2012 Horizon League Championships at the Walter Schroeder Aquatic Center in Brown Deer, Wis.

Segatto posted a time of 10:33.87 to place 10^th overall and better Grace Arnold’s 2009 record of 10:37.43 in just the second race of the championships.  Andrea Bretl (Wauwatosa, Wis./West H.S.), swimming just outside her hometown, added the eighth fastest mark in school history with her time of 10:57.62.

Ali Taubert (Bloomington, Ill./University H.S.) added her season’s best time of 11:05.64 while freshmen Alex Caruthers (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard H.S.) and Megan Mariani (Waukegan, Ill./Warren Township H.S.) also posted collegiate bests.  Caruthers finished in 11:16.88 while Mariani turned in a time of 12:04.77.

Valpo opened action with an eighth place effort in the 200 freestyle relay as the team of Lauren Knop (Geneva, Ill./Geneva H.S.), Justine Barnes (Rochester Hills, Mich./Adams H.S.), Caruthers, and Bretl turned in a time of 1:42.23, a season’s best.

The Crusaders wrapped up the day with the eighth fastest 200 medley relay in school history, finishing eighth in the race.  Knop, Jarrett, Segatto, and Taubert turned in a time of 1:52.52.

As a team Valpo sits in seventh place through the first three events of the competition.  The Crusaders scored 51 points on the opening day, three more than Butler.  Milwaukee leads the way with 109 points followed by Cleveland State with 102 points and Green Bay with 90 points.  UIC and Wright State are tied for fourth with 83 points while Youngstown State is sixth, just 10 points ahead of Valpo.

Valparaiso will return to the water on Thursday morning for day two of the four day championships with preliminary heats beginning at 10:30 a.m. with the evening finals commencing at 6:30 p.m.