2022 Ohio State Invite: Kentucky’s Kaitlynn Wheeler Posts 4:41.49 500

Ohio State Invite

• November 17-19, 2022
• McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion, Columbus, OH
• SCY (25 yards)
• Meet Central
• Watch
• Live Results or MeetMobile

TEAMS:

• Indiana
• Kentucky
• Kenyon (diving)
• Yale
• Lindenwood
• Notre Dame
• Ohio State
• Ohio
• Navy (women only)
• Cincinnati
• UCLA 
• Pitt (women only)
• Miami (FL) (diving only)
• Virginia Tech

The Ohio State Fall Invitational begins this morning at McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion in Columbus. The meet features a mix of Power Five teams and mid-majors, including hosts Ohio State, fellow Big Ten member Indiana, UCLA, Kentucky, Virginia Tech, and Notre Dame. Highlighting the mid-majors teams are Cincinnati, the Navy women, and Yale.

This morning saw the prelims of the 500 free, 200 IM, and 50 free. The top 40 swimmers advance, with 10 swimmers in each final.

Women’s Recap: 

Kentucky’s Kaitlynn Wheeler kicked things off with the fastest swim of the morning in the 500 free. She swam a 4:41.49, which broke her personal best from SECs last season by just over a second. Indiana’s Ching Hwee Gan was close behind with a 4:41.49, which marked a season best by almost 10 seconds. Behind Gan, Indiana took the next three spots with Ella Ristic (4:44.44), Mariah Denigan (4:45.31), and Elyse Heiser (4:45.37).

Indiana’s Noelle Peplowski had the fastest 200 IM of the morning, clocking in with a 1:56.85. Kentucky’s Lauren Poole was second at 1:56.98. It should be a close race between Poole and Peplowski tonight, with Poole owning a best time of 1:55.42 compared to Peplowski’s best of 1:55.88. Ohio State’s Josie Panitz will be the third seed going into tonight, as she set a new personal best this morning of 1:57.13. 

Indiana freshman Kristina Paegle grabbed the top seed in the 50 free with a big best time of 22.07. Her previous best of 22.38 was set at the Indiana High School State meet this past February. UCLA’s Claire Grover and Ohio State’s Amy Fulmer tied for second at 22.15. Katherine Zenick of Ohio State is one to watch tonight, as she and Fulmer are the only ones in the field with best times of under 22.0. 

Men’s Recap:

Notre Dame’s Jack Hoagland took the top spot of the morning in the 500 with a season best time of 4:15.57, well off his personal best of 4:11. 26. Yale’s Noah Millard was second, just 0.04 off his personal best with a time of 4:16.92. Ohio State’s Charlie Clark is one to keep an eye on tonight, as he was third this morning with a time of 4:19.58, but has the second fastest best time of the field at 4:13.77. 

Virginia Tech’s Carles Coll Marti put up a dominating swim in the 200 IM this morning, earning top seed by nearly two seconds at 1:43.76. Behind him, four swimmers sit within half a second of each other, which should make for an exciting final tonight. Ohio State’s Alex Quach is second with a time of 1:45.39, followed by Indiana’s Jassen Yep (1:45.64), Ohio State’s Thomas Watkins (1:45.72), and Cincinnati’s Hunter Gubeno (1:45.64). Yep’s time marked a personal best by almost three seconds, while Gubeno’s swim was a best by over a second. 

Indiana had a strong showing in the 50 free this morning, taking four of the top five spots, led by Van Mathias at 19.44. Rafael Miroslaw was second (19.46), followed by Virginia Tech’s Youssef Ramadan (19.49), Gavin Wright (19.54), and Finn Brooks (19.55). Mathias, Wright, and Brooks all shaved a few tenths off their personal bests.