2021 Minnesota Invite: Day 4 Prelims Live Recap

2021 MINNESOTA INVITE

• Wednesday, December 1 – Saturday, December 4, 2021
• Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center, Minneapolis, Minn.
• Prelims – 10 AM / Finals – 6 PM (CST)
• SCY (25y)
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Results also on Meet Mobile as “Minnesota Invite 2021”
• Live Stream (fee)

The final prelims session of the Minnesota Invite is here, and this morning we’ll see heats of the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, and 200 fly. The 1650 free will be swum in a timed finals format later today and tonight. Tonight’s finals will also feature the 400 free relays.

After posting a new Texas program record of 57.90 in the women’s 100 breast last night, Anna Elendt will be back in action in the 200 breast today. Elendt is the #2 seed in the event this morning, sitting just a hair behind Michigan’s Letitia Sim.

We have a loaded field in the men’s 200 breast today. In the final circle-seeded heat this morning, we’ll see Cal’s Reece Whitley and Texas’ Caspar Corbeau go head-to-head. Texas will be out in full force in the women’s 200 fly as well, with Olivia Bray, Kelly Pash, and Emma Sticklen all set to compete in the event this morning. Minnesota’s Megan Van Berkom, who has been having a great meet so far, is also highly seeded in the 200 fly.

Cameron Auchinachie has been having a great first showing with the Longhorns, and he’ll look to keep the momentum rolling in the men’s 100 free today after winning the 50 free and 100 back earlier in the meet. The 5th year will be pushed by teammates Daniel Krueger and Drew Kibler, however. That’s not to mention some of the other heavy-hitters in the men’s 100 free today, like Cal’s Bjorn Seeliger, and Harvard’s Dean Farris.

WOMEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – PRELIMS

Top 8:

1. Phoebe Bacon (WISC) – 1:52.72
2. Isabelle Stadden (CAL) – 1:53.14
3. Ayla Spitz (CAL) – 1:54.75
4. Julia Cook (TEX) – 1:54.92
5. Annika McEnroe (CAL) – 1:55.18
6. Mariella Venter (MICH) – 1:55.20
7. Kaylyn Schoof (WISC) – 1:55.82
8. Aria Bernal (ARIZ) – 1:56.39

Phoebe Bacon got the job done this morning, touching as the only swimmer under 1:53. Isabelle Stadden was right behind, touching in 1:53.14. We can expect faster performances from the pair tonight, since both women are sub-1:50 200 backstrokers.

Cal’s Ayla Spitz was close to her personal best, turning in the 3rd-fastest time of the morning with a 1:54.75. Spitz’s best is a 1:53.21, which she swam at the 2021 Pac-12 Championships. Texas’ Julia Cook could also be in the mix tonight, as she has a lifetime best of 1:51.62.

Cal also got a big swim from freshman Annika McEnroe, who swam a 1:55.18 for 5th. The performance was a massive personal best for McEnroe, tearing down her previous best of 1:58.35.

MEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – PRELIMS

Top 8:

1. Wyatt Davis (MICH) – 1:41.59
2. Destin Lasco (CAL) – 1:41.73
3. Daniel Carr (CAL) – 1:41.93
4. Jason Park (TEX) – 1:42.78
5. Wes Jekel (WISC) – 1:42.89
6. Gunner Grant (HARV) – 1:43.10
7. Chris O’Connor (TEX) – 1:43.58
8. Jared Daigle (MICH) – 1:43.81

Wyatt Davis led the field this morning, clocking a 1:41.59 to narrowly beat out Cal’s Destin Lasco and Daniel Carr. Davis was within a second of his personal best, which stands at 1:40.68. Lasco still has to be considered the heavy-favorite in the event, as he holds a best time of 1:35.99 from last year’s NCAAs. Carr has also been well under 1:40 before, boasting a personal best of 1:37.87.

Dean Farris opted not to race the 200 back today, and will instead be competing in the 100 free. That decision isn’t terribly surprising, although it’s still notable, since Farris is a 1:38 200 backstoker.

WOMEN’S 100 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

Top 8:

1. Izzy Ivey (CAL) – 48.11
2. Maggie MacNeil (MICH) – 48.50
3. Elise Garcia (CAL) – 48.86
4. Claire Newman (MICH) – 48.92
5. Emma Davidson (CAL) – 48.96
6. Hannah Cornish (MINN) – 49.00
7. Lindsay Flynn (MICH) – 49.03
8. Emily Gantriis (CAL) – 49.07

Izzy Ivey chipped 1.02 seconds off her season best to take the top seed for tonight’s final over Maggie MacNeil. Tonight’s A final features a fast field of sprinters, however, Ivey and MacNeil are kind of in a league of their own at this meet. MacNeil has a personal best of 46.02, while Ivey is a 46.95. MacNeil is the 3rd-fastest performer all-time in the event, while Ivey is 17th, and one of the just 19 swimmers who have broken 47 seconds in the event.

Although it’s overwhelmingly likely the race for 1st tonight will be between MacNeil and Ivey, the battle for 3rd should be an exciting one. This morning, 3rd and 8th were separated by just 0.21 seconds. Michigan’s Claire Newman clocked a personal best of 48.86 to take 4th this morning, breaking 49 seconds for the first time in her career. Fellow Wolverine Lindsay Flynn will be one to watch for tonight as well, since we’ve seen her split 47 on relays multiple times already this season.

MEN’S 100 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

Top 8:

1. Danny Krueger (TEX) – 41.49
2. Cameron Auchinachie (TEX) – 41.92
3. Dean Farris (HARV) – 42.57
4. Bence Szabados (MICH) – 42.81
5. Bjorn Seeliger (CAL) – 42.93
6. Hunter Ingram (ARIZ) – 43.07
7. Alvin Jiang (TEX) – 43.12
8. Cam Peel (MICH) – 43.14

Danny Krueger led the field this morning by about half a second, nearly swimming a personal best in his top event. The Longhorn senior’s 41.49 was just 0.23 seconds off his personal best of 41.26, which he swam at the 2021 NCAAs. After swimming so close to his best this morning, it definitely seems possible we could see a new personal best from Krueger tonight.

Cameron Auchinachie was also right on his personal best, which stands at 41.81. Auchinachie has been on fire this week, already having won to 50 free and 100 back in huge personal best times.

Dean Farris took 3rd this morning, swimming a season best by almost 1.5 seconds. Farris could make things interesting tonight, since he’s one of the fastest 100 freestylers in NCAA history (40.80), although he hasn’t been in top form so far at this meet.

Texas’ Drew Kibler was bounced out of the A final for tonight, finishing 9th with a 43.25. Kibler is one of the top 100 freestylers in the NCAA currently, and the 3rd-fastest in this field when considering personal bests. He’s been as fast as 41.45 before, so we’ll see where he’s at tonight in the B final.

WOMEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE – PRELIMS

Top 8:

1. Anna Elendt (TEX) – 2:07.96
2. Alicia Wilson (CAL) – 2:12.17
3. Annika McEnroe (CAL) – 2:12.42
4. Elizabeth Moore (WISC) – 2:12.45
5. Ema Rajic (CAL) – 2:12.58
6. Letitia Sim (MICH) – 2:12.96
7. Jenna Silverstri (WISC) – 2:13.46
8. Emma Lezer (MINN) – 2:13.73

Anna Elendt was absolutely dominant this morning, taking the top seed for tonight by over 4 seconds. Elendt has been in excellent form through the first 3 days of this meet, and she continued it this morning, touching less than 2 seconds off her personal best of 2:06.04.

Although this race appears to be Elendt’s to lose tonight, Cal made a strong showing in prelims, advancing 3 swimmers to the A final. Alicia Wilson, who doesn’t typically race breaststroke at bigger meets, turned in a 2:12.17 to take 2nd this morning. The swim was just 0.02 seconds off her personal best. After swimming a huge best time in the 200 back at the beginning of the session, Annika McEnroe took 3rd in the 200 breast this morning, swimming a 2:12.42. Ema Rajic, who has the 2nd-fastest lifetime best in the field, was 5th this morning.

Minnesota picked up their first A finalist of the day, with Emma Lezer taking 8th this morning.

MEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE – PRELIMS

Top 8:

1. Caspar Corbeau (TEX) – 1:52.75
2. Reece Whitley (CAL) – 1:53.71
3. Braden Vines (TEX) – 1:54.84
4. Max McHugh (MINN) – 1:55.09
5. Jake Foster (TEX) – 1:56.15
6. Paul DeGrado (TEX) – 1:56.37
7. Ryan Foote (ARIZ) – 1:56.55
8. Charlie Scheinfeld (TEX) – 1:56.73

Caspar Corbeau swam the fastest in prelims by almost a full second. beating Reece Whitley head-to-head in their first match of the day. Whitley and Corbeau will be next to each other again tonight.

Outside of Corbeau and Whitley, tonight’s A final is loaded, featuring Max McHugh, Braden Vines, Jake Foster, and Charlie Scheinfeld. Arizona’s Ryan Foote also swam a personal best to qualify for the A final, chipping 0.06 seconds off his best. Texas’ Paul Degrado was also close to his personal best of 1:55.79.

WOMEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS

Top 8:

1. Emma Sticklen (TEX) – 1:52.47
2. Olivia Bray (TEX) – 1:52.98
3. Olivia Carter (MICH) – 1:54.44
4. Rachel Klinker (CAL) – 1:55.10
5. Lizzy Cook (CAL) – 1:55.31
6. Kelly Pash (TEX) – 1:55.36
7. Megan Van Berkom (MINN) – 1:55.83
8. Mackenzie McConagha (WISC) – 1:57.37

Emma Sticklen was roaring this morning, swimming a new personal best by over a second. Sticklen’s time puts her at #2 in the NCAA this season, behind UVA’s Alex Walsh (1:51.83), and right ahead of Stanford’s Regan Smith (1:52.48). Olivia Bray was also a 1:52 this morning, swimming just off her personal best of 1:52.03. After Sticklen’s swim, Texas now has 3 women on their team who have personal bests of 1:52, with the 3rd being Kelly Pash (1:52.69), who swam a 1:55.36 for 6th.

Michigan’s Olivia Carter could be right in the thick of it tonight, as she has the fastest personal best in the field, coming in at 1:51.33.

MEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS

Top 8:

1. Gal Cohen Groumi (MICH) – 1:42.52
2. Brooks Fail (ARIZ) – 1:42.84
3. Sam Artmann (TEX) – 1:42.95
4. Jake Johnson (TEX) – 1:43.58
5. Gabriel Jett (CAL) – 1:43.90
6. Brooks Tanner (ARIZ) – 1:43.95
7. Dare Rose (CAL) – 1:44.09
8. Coby Carrozza (TEX) – 1:44.22

Texas’ Sam Artmann clocked a new personal best of 1:42.95 to advance to the A final. The swim blew away Artmann’s previous best of 1:44.51, which he swam in March of this year.