In swimming, sometimes you can be your best competitor.

This has certainly been the case through the first two days for the Texas women’s swimming and diving team at the Big 12 Championships.

Texas, the defending Big 12 champion, got off to a strong start at the championship meet on Wednesday. The Longhorns defeated the second-place team by more than 10 seconds, setting an early tone of dominance for the meet.  

The Longhorns carried the momentum into Thursday, flexing their muscles with an impressive victory in the 400 medley and setting a new Big 12 record. 

Among the stars of Thursday night was senior Rebecca Millard. The California native captured her third consecutive 50-yard freestyle victory at the Big 12 Championships.

“The Big 12 Championships are really fun,” Millard said. “It means sharpening up our races and working on the details, and the details are finally starting to get together.”

Of Texas’ four victories on Thursday night, perhaps none garnered a more resounding response from the crowd than Evie Pfeifer’s victory in the 500-yard freestyle. The freshman earned her first-career Big 12 title in the event, defeating teammate Quinn Carrozza.

“I really wanted to race Quinn. We train together everyday so I was excited for that,” Pfeifer said. “The 500 is where you swim until it hurts.”

Sophomore Alison Gibson led the diving team as the defending NCAA champion and set another conference record with a diving score of 356.25 points.

Meet finals will continue on Friday at 5 p.m. at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center. The meet concludes on Saturday, with the Texas women looking to hoist yet another Big 12 Championship banner.