It took a year longer than expected. After a disappointing second-place finish in the 1,650-yard freestyle at Big Ten Championships last season, Regan Stacey would not be denied this time.

So when she took the title in the 1,650 free at Big Tens this weekend, what was the first emotion the junior felt? Joy? Elation?

"Relief," she said. "I went into the race and I wanted to win it. I wasn't going to be runner-up two years in a row. It was just such a relief."

To those watching, Stacey's race was a thrill. Coach Bob Krimmel called it one of the most exciting distance races he had ever seen.

In the first 1,000 yards, Stacey kept pace with defending champion Jocelyn Jay of Ohio State. At the 1,000-yard mark, however, Stacey began to pull ahead and leave Jay in her wake. In the end, the West Chester native finished with a time of 16 minutes, 26.02 seconds, almost 10 seconds ahead of second-place Jay.

Stacey said she knew the race would be in her hands.

"I knew when I went into the race that I wanted (it) badly," she said. "I knew when I went in that I was going to kill myself to win it."

Fortunately, that was not necessary. It also was not necessary for freshman Julie Krail, who took the Big Ten title in the 100 breaststroke.

Prior to the meet, the Lady Lions had never scored a point in either breaststroke events at Big Tens. Their first points were Krail's championship swim in the 1100 breast. She said she knew from the starting blocks that this would be her race.

"I knew I could do it," she said. "Up on the blocks, I'm very intense. I have so much power running through my body I just want to release it. My adrenaline was really running through me."

Her school-record time of 1:02.66 (her goal was to swim a 1:02 by graduation) should also earn Krail a trip to NCAAs.

Krimmel said he was impressed with the freshman's performance.

"For her to come in and win the 100 breast was a shock because that's a tough thing for a freshman to do, especially with the quality of breaststrokers in our conference," he said.

Krail and Stacey were not content merely with their respective crowns. Not by a long shot. A few more new school records added to the duo's tremendous performance.

Stacey's split-time of 9:58.47 for the 1,000 free broke her own school record. Krail set a new mark in the 200 breast (2:19.55) and her 2:04.00 shattered the 200 Individual Medley record by more than two seconds.

And there's still more work to be done. With NCAAs fast approaching, Big Ten champions Stacey and Krail may just add "NCAA champion" to each of their titles.