2019 NC State Invite Day 3 Finals Live Recap

2019 NC STATE/GAC INVITE

• Thursday, November 21 – Saturday, November 23, 2019
• Greensboro Aquatic Center – Greensboro, NC
• Prelims 9:30 AM / Finals 5:30 PM (U.S. Eastern Time)
• Short course yards (SCY) format
• Live results
• Results also on Meet Mobile as “NC State GAC Invitational”
• Full Day 2 Results

It’s been a fun few days of racing at the NC State Invite, and while there haven’t been many jaw-dropping times, there’s been a number of a close races, especially between NC State and Arizona State. Tonight’s lineup will consist of the traditional slate of final-day events: the 1650 free, 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly, platform diving, and the 400 free relays.

Women’s 1650 Free – Timed Finals

• 2020 NCAA “A” Cut – 15:52.41
• 2020 NCAA “B” Cut – 16:30.29
• 2019 NCAA Invited Time – 16:14.21

1. Emma Nordin, Arizona State, 15:58.90
2. Kate Moore, NC State, 16:01.64
3. Cierra Runge, Arizona State, 16:05.75

Emma Nordin outdueled a strong field that included Kate Moore and Cierra Runge to win in 15:58.90, her 2nd-fastest time ever. While results are still rolling in from other meets today, no one had been under 16:00 heading into this weekend, making Nordin among the fastest nation-wide so far this season.

Moore kept it close, ending up less than three seconds behind Nordin with a 16:01.64. That shatters her previous personal best time of 17:08.29, which she set in the spring of 2017 while still in high school. Moore has focused on the 200 back the first two years of her college career, but this could portend an event shift.

Runge took 3rd in 16:05.75, missing out on the distance sweep after winning the 500 free on day 1 and the 200 free yesterday.

Men’s 1650 Free – Timed Finals

• 2020 NCAA “A” Cut – 14:37.31
• 2020 NCAA “B” Cut – 15:26.19
• 2019 NCAA Invited Time – 14:54.05

1. Ross Dant, NC State, 14:53.72
2. Eric Knowles, NC State, 15:05.39
3. Benjamin Olszewski, Arizona State, 15:10.27

NC State went 1-2, led by freshman Ross Dant‘s 14:53.72, his 4th-fastest time ever. Eric Knowles, who scored in this event at last year’s NCAAs, took 2nd in 15:05.30.

Arizona State senior Benjamin Olszewski was about two seconds faster than he was at this point last year, earning 3rd place with his 15:10.27.

Curtis Wiltsey of NC State grabbed 4th with time of 15:12.39, setting a new lifetime best by a few tenths of a second. He went 15:28.78 at the IU Invite at this point last year.

Women’s 200 Back – Finals

• 2020 NCAA “A” Cut – 1:50.50
• 2020 NCAA “B” Cut – 1:57.11
• 2019 NCAA Invited Time – 1:54.01

1. Beata Nelson, Wisconsin, 1:49.51
2. Emma Muzzy, NC State, 1:52.22
3. Katharine Berkoff, NC State, 1:52.29

Beata Nelson knocked 1.37s off her time from this morning, further cementing her position as the fastest in the nation in this event so far this season.

While Nelson was individually dominant, NC State racked up the team points in this event, taking the next five spots. Emma Muzzy just touched out teammate Katharine Berkoff for 2nd, 1:52.22 to 1:52.29, and Kylee Alons (1:53.20), Kate Moore (1:53.35), and Mackenzie Glover (1:53.88) were all under last year’s NCAA invite time.

Men’s 200 Back – Finals

• 2020 NCAA “A” Cut – 1:39.16
• 2020 NCAA “B” Cut – 1:45.04
• 2019 NCAA Invited Time – 1:41.31

1. Coleman Stewart, NC State, 1:39.98
2. Zachary Poti, Arizona State, 1:41.34
3. Cameron Tysoe, Wisconsin, 1:41.92

NC State’s Coleman Stewart took the victory with a 1:39.98, right in line with where he was at this point last year, and a time that looks like the fastest in the nation so far this season.

Zachary Poti (1:41.34) and Cameron Tysoe (1:41.92) were the only other two swimmers under 1:44, with Poti’s time being just a hair off what it took to earn an NCAA invite in this event last year.

Auburn freshman Lleyton Smith knocked a little over half a second off his lifetime best to touch 4th with a 1:44.03.

Women’s 100 Free – Finals

• 2020 NCAA “A” Cut – 47.18
• 2020 NCAA “B” Cut – 49.51
• 2019 NCAA Invited Time – 48.56

1. Julie Meynen, Auburn, 47.73
2. Claire Fisch, Auburn, 48.20
3. Alyssa Marsh, Duke, 48.23

Julie Meynen continued a strong meet with a win in the 100 free tonight. That’s her 2nd-fastest time ever, behind only a 400 free relay leadoff from last fall’s Georgia Tech Invite.

Auburn teammate Claire Fisch just touched out Duke’s Alyssa Marsh, 48.20 to 48.23, with both swimmers comfortably under last year’s NCAA invite time. Those three were the only women under 49, as another Duke swimmer, Melissa Pish, took 4th in 49.18.

Men’s 100 Free – Finals

• 2020 NCAA “A” Cut – 41.71
• 2020 NCAA “B” Cut – 43.80
• 2019 NCAA Invited Time – 42.53

1. Nyls Korstanje, NC State, 42.67
2. Carter Swift, Arizona State, 42.81
3. Miles Williams, Duke, 43.05

Nyls Korstanje earned his second win of the meet with a 42.67 in the 100 free. Results are still rolling in from various meets, but right now, that looks like the #2 time in the nation this season, behind only the 42.44 Indian’s Bruno Blasovic just put up at the Tennessee Invite.

Carter Swift was the only other man under 43, and his mark of 42.81 is faster than the top official time in the nation heading into this round of invites (42.90 by Mizzou’s Danny Kovac).

The next three finishers were fairly bunched up, with Duke’s Miles Williams (43.05) touching just ahead of ASU’s Evan Carlson (43.13) and Cody Bybee (43.14).

Women’s 200 Breast – Finals

• 2020 NCAA “A” Cut – 2:06.84
• 2020 NCAA “B” Cut – 2:13.97
• 2019 NCAA Invited Time – 2:09.77

1. Sophie Hansson, NC State, 2:08.31
2. Julia Poole, NC State, 2:09.75
3. Silja Kansakoski, Arizona State, 2:10.30

Sophie Hansson completed the breaststroke double tonight, winning the 200 in 2:08.31 to pair with her victory in the 100 yesterday. Hansson was the only woman under last year’s invite time, although teammate Julia Poole was right on the bible with a 2:09.75, a lifetime best by four-tenths of a second.

Yesterday’s runner-up in the 100 breast, Silja Kansakoski, took 3rd in 2:10.30.

Men’s 200 Breast – Finals

• 2020 NCAA “A” Cut – 1:52.61
• 2020 NCAA “B” Cut – 1:58.43
• 2019 NCAA Invited Time – 1:54.04

1. MJ Mao, Wisconsin, 1:55.55
2. Rafal Kusto, NC State, 1:56.84
3. Spencer Rowe, Auburn, 1:57.38

The sweeps keep coming, as MJ Mao earned his 2nd win of the meet with a 1:55.55 victory in the 200 breast, to go along with his win in the 100 yesterday. NC State’s Rafal Kusto and Auburn’s Spencer Rowe swapped spots from yesterday’s breaststroke event, as Kusto took 2nd today in 1:56.84 and Rowe took 3rd in 1:57.38.

Women’s 200 Fly – Finals

• 2020 NCAA “A” Cut – 1:53.20
• 2020 NCAA “B” Cut – 1:59.23
• 2019 NCAA Invited Time – 1:56.18

1. Lindsay Looney, Arizona State, 1:56.49
2. Jade Foelske, Arizona State, 1:57.18
3. Eason Lee, Duke, 1:57.49

This was a big event for ASU freshmen, as Lindsay Looney and Jade Foelske went 1-2 for the Sun Devils. Looney’s winning time of 1:56.49 is her 2nd-fastest swim ever, and classmate Jade Foelske grabbed 2nd in 1:57.18, ahead of Duke sophomore Eason Lee (1:57.49).

Men’s 200 Fly – Finals

• 2020 NCAA “A” Cut – 1:40.76
• 2020 NCAA “B” Cut – 1:46.69
• 2019 NCAA Invited Time – 1:42.35

1. Zach Brown, NC State, 1:43.99
2. Noah Henderson, NC State, 1:44.85
3. Alexander Colson, Arizona State, 1:44.98

NC State’s Zach Brown was the only man to get under 1:44 tonight, and doing so by the smallest margin possible, as he won in 1:43.99. Freshmen Noah Henderson of NC State and Alexander Colson of Arizona State took 2nd and 3rd with times of 1:44.85 and 1:44.98, each swim roughly a half second lifetime best for each.

The Wolfpack brought in a freshman class that was deep and talented, especially in butterfly, and while we haven’t seen any huge drops from them yet, they’ll definitely be a group to keep an eye on come spring.

Men’s Platform Diving – Finals

1. Nathaniel Hernandez, Duke, 372.80
2. Kivanc Gur, Louisville, 344.15
3. Tasman Abramowicz, 330.55

Women’s Platform Diving – Finals

1. Tereza Vithoulkas, Wisconsin, 262.45
2. Jaina Gaudette, Duke, 246.70
3. Brianna Price, Louisville, 229.50

Women’s 400 Free Relay – Timed Finals

• 2020 NCAA Invite Time – 3:14.61
• 2020 NCAA Provisional Time – 3:16.35

1. Auburn, 3:12.52
2. NC State, 3:13.31
3. Duke, 3:15.20

Auburn and NC State each easily cleared the NCAA invite time. Julie Meynen almost exactly replicated her individual 100 free time from earlier this evening with a 47.75 leadoff, Claire Fisch smoked a 47.10 split on the 2nd leg, and Jessica Merritt (49.06) and Abbey Webb (48.91) maintained the Tiger lead for a 3:12.52 finish.

NC State also put its two strongest legs first, as Ky-lee Perry led off in 48.03 and Kylee Alons followed up with 47.72. Katharine Berkoff (49.03) and Julia Poole (48.53) made up the Wolfpack back half, touching 2nd in 3:13.31/

The fastest overall split belonged to Duke’s Alyssa Marsh, whose 47.08 split on the second leg buoyed the Blue Devils to a 3:15.20, good for a NCAA provisional cut.

Men’s 400 Free Relay – Timed Finals

• 2020 NCAA Invite Time – 2:51.11
• 2020 NCAA Provisional Time – 2:52.46

1. Arizona State, 2:49.94
2. NC State, 2:50.50
3. Arizona State ‘B,’ 2:55.16

The Arizona State men have been on-point when it comes to relays this week, and tonight the Sun Devil quartet combined for a 2:49.94 that, as of the moment, appears to be the fastest time in the nation so far this season. Carter Swift led off in 42.69, then Evan Carlson and Cody Bybee each dropped 42.1 splits before Jack Dolan anchored in 42.95. Last season, ASU was 2:52.60 at midseason before going 2:49.67/2:50.47 at NCAAs to take 8th in this event.

As we mentioned yesterday, NC State has a lot of rebuilding to do after losing quite a few legs due to graduation, but if tonight’s results are any indication, that rebuild is definitely on the right track. Nyls Korstanje (42.45) and Coleman Stewart (42.61) are pretty much the two givens on this relay, but coming into this season, it wasn’t clear who the other two legs would be.

Still, they brought in freshmen class rich in the sprint freestyles, and freshman Hunter Tapp split 42.61 tonight, right in line with his lifetime best of 43.16 from high school. Additionally, we’ve seen NC State employ a “next man up” approach over the past few years, and veteran Noah Hensley is another example of that, splitting 42.84 despite having not gotten much experience on NC State’s ‘A’ relays over the past few years.

Arizona State’s ‘B’ relay edged Wisconsin for 3rd, 2:55.16 to 2:55.18, led by Ethan Luc‘s 43.15 split.

Final Scores

Women 

1. NC State – 1875.5
2. Auburn – 1703
3. Duke – 1497.5
4. Arizona State – 1378
5. Wisconsin – 1190
6. Louisville (diving) – 296

Men

1. NC State – 2075
2. Arizona State – 1827
3. Wisconsin – 1302
4. Auburn – 1257
5. Duke – 1197
6. Louisville (diving) – 290
7. George Washington – 41