2019 Ohio State Invite: Akron Breaks 3 MAC Records, Meg Bailey Appears

2019 Ohio State Invitational

• February 16th-17th, 2019
• Columbus, OH
• Full Results

At the Ohio State Invitational, the Buckeyes hosted a number of D1 schools over the weekend, with some aiming for NCAA B cuts.

The Akron women made a strong showing at the invite, breaking 3 MAC records. Freshman Sarah Watson broke the 100 fly record by 0.11 with a 52.21. Watson was also part of the 400 free relay, along with Ragen Engel, Sadie Fazekas, and Sofia Henell, to eclipse the record with a 3:16.44. Their third record was the 200 free relay of  Fazekas, Henell, Engel, and Ellie Nebraska (1:29.35). Fazekas’ 22.49 50 free lead-off joined 23 other NCAA B cuts that were achieved at the meet.

Making an appearance at the meet was Ohio State post-grad Meg Bailey. Bailey swam dominant times in the 400 IM (4:06.04) and 200 fly (1:56.09). The Australian native was an All-American and Big Ten champ in the 400 IM, while also earning medals at the Commonwealth Games.

The Pacific Tigers also had a big meet as they prepare for the MPSF Conference Champioships next weekend. The men’s 200 free relay of Angel Alcala, Yahav Shahf, Mason Miller, and Dylan Toy combined for a school record in the 200 medley of 1:24.67.

That was one of a number of program records at the meet. Angel Alcala won the 100 back in 47.27, which is also a new school record. Yahav Shahf won the men’s 100 breaststroke in 52.78, which just-missed his school record of 52.62 from 2017. We project that 52.62 will be invited to NCAAs this year, though the upper bound on that projection is as high as 52.87.

Ohio State Release:

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State swimming & diving team finished out the Winter Invite strong on Sunday, held at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion. The men’s team won seven events, adding to the eight won by the Buckeyes on Saturday. Fifteen personal records were shattered in the pool, as well as six season-best times. Freshman Joe Pohlmann earned an NCAA “B” Cut in the 50 Free, clocking in at 19.87, a new personal best.

EVENT WINS

• Men’s 400 Medley Relay – Evan Stapp, Hudson McDaniel, Joe Pohlmann, Michael Lynch (3:16.34)
• Men’s 1650 Free – Austin Mortimer (15:28.86)
• Men’s 200 Free – Lain Weaver (1:38.38)
• Men’s 200 Back – John Sampson (1:45.55)
• Men’s 200 Breast – Alex Jahan (1:59.25)
• Men’s 200 IM – Trey Gribble (1:50.09)
• Men’s 400 Free Relay – Joe Pohlmann, Lain Weaver, Michael Lynch, Evan Stapp (3:00.37)

FINAL SESSION – WOMEN

• Kendyl Ferrara clocked a new personal best in the 1650 Free, touching the wall at 16:49.80 to take second.
• In the 200 Free, Lauren Kurzydlo snagged a third-place finish by posting a time of 1:51.41. She also took sixth in the 50 Free with a time of 23.78.
• Quinn Fike took third in the 200 Back, registering a time of 2:00.18.
• After winning the 100 Breast on the first day of competition, Laura Banks claimed third in the 200 Breast with a time of 2:16.80.
• Emma Fish set a personal best in the 50 Free, finishing eighth with a time of 23.93.
• Alissa Cook posted an eighth-place finish in the 200 Fly, clocking in at 2:07.48.

FINAL SESSION – MEN

• The quartet of Evan Stapp, Hudson McDaniel, Joe Pohlmann and Michael Lynch started things off in the final session, claiming first in the 400 Medley Relay with a time of 3:16.34. It was an all-Buckeye final, with Colin Roy, Alex Jahan, Trey Gribble and Dom Harry placing second with a time of 3:20.01.
• Austin Mortimer picked up a win in the 1650 Free, finishing with a time of 15:28.86.
• Lain Weaver claimed first in the 200 Free with a career-best time of 1:38.38.
• In the 200 Back, John Sampson took the win with a time of 1:45.55, followed by Stapp in second with a time of 1:48.64.
• Jahan improved on his season-best set in the preliminary session, winning the 200 Breast final with a time of 1:59.25. Reed McGraw finished third with a time of 2:03.37, and McDaniel placed fifth at 2:05.59.
• After setting a personal record and earning an NCAA “B” Cut in the prelim, Pohlmann took second in the 50 Free with a time of 19.88, another “B” Cut time. Lynch followed in fourth with a career-best time of 20.60.
• Trey Gribble was victorious in the 200 IM, finishing with a time of 1:50.09.
• The 400 Free Relay team of Pohlmann, Weaver, Lynch and Stapp took the win with a time of 3:00.37.

NCAA “B” Cuts

• 50 Free – Joe Pohlmann (19.87)

FINAL SESSION CAREER BESTS

• 1650 Free – Kendyl Ferrara (16:49.80)
• 200 Free – Lain Weaver (1:38.38)
• 50 Free – Emma Fish (23.93); Michael Lynch (20.60)

FINAL SESSION SEASON BESTS

• 200 Breast – Alex Jahan (1:59.25)

PRELIM SESSION CAREER BESTS

• 200 Free – Lauren Kurzydlo (1:51.40), Kendyl Ferrara (1:51.95)
• 200 Back – John Sampson (1:45.49)
• 200 Breast – Laura Banks (2:15.14); Hudson McDaniel (2:05.20)
• 50 Free – Lauren Kurzydlo (23.73), Quinn Fike (23.98); Joe Pohlmann (19.87), Colin Roy (20.80)
• 200 Fly – Alissa Cook (2:06.12)
• 200 IM – Evan Stapp (1:50.28)

PRELIM SESSION SEASON BESTS

• 200 Back – Quinn Fike (2:00.16); Evan Stapp (1:46.30)
• 200 Breast – Reed McGraw (2:01.34)
• 50 Free – Katie Wright (23.25)
• 200 Fly – Lain Weaver (1:50.28)

UP NEXT

The women’s team gears up for the Big Ten Championships from Wednesday-Saturday, Feb. 20-23 in Bloomington, Ind.

Notre Dame Release:

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The University of Notre Dame swimming and diving program wrapped the Ohio State Winter Invitational Sunday evening with another 16 top-five finishes include two individual wins and a sweep in the women’s 50 free.

For the second consecutive day, the Irish trio of Sofia Revilak, Kelly Jacob and Rachel Wittmer swept a freestyle event, taking first, second and third in today’s 50 free. They opened the morning with a sweep in the preliminary race before returning for the finals to post the same finish. Revilak and Jacob both improved upon their morning session time while Wittmer touched the wall in the same 23.19 seconds as she did in the prelims.

How It Happened

Becca Walton opened the evening finals off with a fourth place finish in the 1650 free when she touched the wall in 17:03.56.

Dan Bannon earned his first top-three finish of the day when he swam a 1:40.50 in the 200 free for third overall. The men also earned third in the following event as JP Becker finished the 200 back in 1:50.14.

After finishing third in the prelims Sunday morning, Luke Barrett dropped over two seconds off his seeded time in the 200 breast to earn silver in the event.

The women posted their first top-three finish of the evening with a sweep as Sofia Revilak, Kelly Jacob and Rachel Wittmer claimed the top spots in the 50 free with times of 22.77, 23.04 and 23.19, respectively.

Dan Fujan and Dan Bannon also placed in the top-five of the 50 free on the men’s side when Fujan touched the wall in 20.52 seconds for third and Bannon claimed fifth in 21.07 seconds.

Katie Rentz and Paige Kaplan earned the Irish two more top-five finishes when they finished third and fourth in the 200 fly, both dropping over a second in their finals swim.

Rachel Wittmer recorded the second Notre Dame gold as she finished first in the 200 IM by a time of 2:00.95.

The final Irish race of the day came in the men’s 200 IM as JP Becker finished second with a time of 1:50.45, followed by Luke Barrett in third with a mark of 1:54.34.

Up Next

The Irish will compete at the Atlantic Coast Conference Championships the next two weeks before they prepare for the NCAA Championships later in March.

Akron Release:

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 23-ranked University of Akron women’s swimming and diving team continued on its record-breaking track in the final day of competition at the Ohio State Winter Invitational on Sunday at McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion.

The 400 freestyle relay team of freshman Sarah Watson (Winnipeg, Ontario), seniors Ragen Engel (Springfield, Ohio) and Sadie Fazekas (Windsor, Ontario) and freshman Sofia Henell (Linkoping, Sweden) finished first in a record-breaking time of 3:16.44. The time rebroke their own Mid-American Conference record and program record of 3:17.02, which was set just three weeks ago at the Shamrock Invitational, Jan. 26. Additionally, the team’s time fell under the NCAA provisional time standard.

Watson’s initial leg (49.26) in the 400 freestyle relay was a personal best time, ranking fourth on Akron’s all-time top ten list.

Freshman Avery Movold (Prince George, British Colombia) placed first in the 200 backstroke with a time of 1:57.70, while freshman Andrea Fischer (St. Paul, Minn.) finished second in the 200 breaststroke in a time of 2:16.01. 

In the 200 butterfly, sophomore Paulina Nogaj (Radom, Poland) touched the wall second in an NCAA “B” cut time of 1:57.57. 

Up next, Akron will continue its preparations to compete in and host the MAC Championships at Ocasek Natatorium, Feb. 27-March 2.