2022 TENNESSEE INVITATIONAL
- November 17-19, 2022
- Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center, Knoxville, TN
- SCY (25 yards)
- Live Results
- Live Stream
TEAMS
- Tennessee
- Carson-Newman
- Duke (diving only)
- FGCU (diving only)
- Georgia Southern
- Michigan
- North Carolina
- South Carolina (diving only)
- Virginia
The 2022 Tennessee Invite is underway this morning at the Allan Jones Aquatic Center in Knoxville. This year’s meet features a number of Power Five teams, including host Tennessee, as well as Virginia, Michigan, and North Carolina. South Carolina and Duke have sent their diving squads as well. Georgia Southern and Carson-Newman are in Knoxville racing as well, and FGCU sent their divers.
This morning will feature prelims of the 500 free, 200 IM, and 50 free. The top 16 swimmers will make it back to finals, with the additional possibility of ‘C’ finals for post grads at the meet. This meet is operating under dual meet scoring, which means each team is only permitted to advance a maximum of three swimmers to the ‘A’ final of an event. Swimmers are limited to four scoring events as well.
WOMEN’S 500 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS
- NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 4:35.76
Top 8 Qualifiers:
- Katie Crom (MICH) – 4:42.06
- Alex Walsh (UVA) – 4:42.35
- Ella Nelson (UVA) – 4:43.26
- Lauren Wetherell (TENN) – 4:44.63
- Aly Breslin (TENN) – 4:44.67
- Kate McCarville (TENN) – 4:45.63
- Riley Francis (MICH) – 4:46.44
- Alexis Yager (TNAQ) – 4:46.49
Michigan freshman Katie Crom ripped a new personal best en route to leading prelims of the 500 free this morning. Crom tore to a 4:42.06, clearing her previous best of 4:44.39 by over two seconds. Her previous best was set almost exactly a year ago, in November of 2021. Crom came home incredibly fast this morning, splitting 58.03 on the fourth 100 of the race, then speeding home with a 54.71 on the final 100.
Another Michigan freshman, Riley Francis, made it into the ‘A’ final as well, swimming a 4:46.44 for seventh. That swim also marks a lifetime best for Francis by over three seconds.
UVA superstar Alex Walsh also swam a new personal best this morning, touching second in 4:42.35. Walsh had a personal best of 5:16.39 in the event, which she swam back in 2014 when she was 12 years old.
Tennessee had a good showing this morning as well. The Vols’ Lauren Wetherell swam a 4:44.63 to finish fourth this morning. It was a huge swim for Wetherell, whose personal best was 4:48.54, which she swam at a last chance meet in February of this year. Moreover, the performance marked a season best by a whopping 13 seconds. Teammate Aly Breslin was fifth this morning in 4:44.67. The swim was a bit off Breslin’s lifetime best, but it was a season best by 14 seconds.
Kate McCarville also made it into the ‘A’ final for Tennessee, swimming a 4:45.63. That was a season best for McCarville by over eight seconds.
Tennessee post grad Alexis Yager finished eighth this morning, but as a post grad, she won’t be swimming in the ‘A’ final tonight. Instead, Michigan’s Kathryn Ackerman, who finished ninth this morning in 4:46.70, will be bumped into the ‘A’.
MEN’S 500 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS
- NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 4:11.40
Top 8 Qualifiers:
- Joey Tepper (TENN) – 4:18.35
- Eduardo Moraes (MICH) – 4:19.42
- Joaquin Vargas (TENN) – 4:19.98
- Rafael Ponce de Leon (TENN) – 4:21.43
- Patrick Hussey (UNC) – 4:22.00
- Louis Dramm (UNC) – 4:22.35
- Jake Narvid (TENN) – 4:22.45
- Jack Little (TENN) – 4:22.51
After strong performances in the women’s 500, Tennessee had a great showing in the men’s 500 as well. Joey Tepper blew away his previous best of 4:21.17, swimming a 4:18.35 to break 4:20 for the first time in his career.
The Vols also saw Joaquin Vargas clock a 4:19.98 for third, marking a season best by nearly three seconds. Vargas has been 4:17.54 in the event before. Rafael Ponce de Leon came in fourth this morning, swimming a 4:21.43.
Tennessee also saw Jake Narvid and Jack Little make it into the top eight this morning. The meet info states that each team can only advance a maximum of three swimmers to the ‘A’ final, so Narvid and Little should be relegated to the ‘B’ final tonight. That would mean Virginia’s Jack Wright (4:24.88) and Michigan’s Connor Hunt (4:25.39) would be bumped into the ‘A’ final.
Michigan’s Eduardo Moraes swam his second-fastest time of his career, posting a 4:19.42 for second. His personal best sits at 4:19.34, a time which he swam last season while competing for Purdue.
WOMEN’S 200 IM – PRELIMS
- NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:53.66
Top 8 Qualifiers:
- Josephine Fuller (TENN) – 1:55.54
- Tess Cieplucha (TNAQ) – 1:56.95
- Abby Harter (UVA) – 1:57.09
- Sara Stotler (TENN) – 1:57.44
- Ellie Vannote (UNC) – 1:57.77
- Devon Kitchel (MICH) – 1:58.36
- Ella Bathurst (UVA) – 1:58.57
- Brooklyn Douthwright (TENN) – 1:58.68
Tennessee continues swimming very well this morning, seeing Josephine Fuller blast a new personal best of 1:55.54 to lead the field this morning. Fuller’s swim came in well under her previous best of 1:57.89, which she swam at the SEC Championships last season.
Brooklyn Douthwright, another Vol, swam a new personal best as well. Finishing eighth, Douthwright clocked a 1:58.68. The time comes in well under her previous best of 2:02.52.
Tennessee also saw Sara Stotler advance to the ‘A’ final, swimming a 1:57.44.
Tess Cieplucha, a Tennessee post grad, finished second this morning in 1:56.95. Per the meet info, post grad’s will be relegated to the ‘C’ final, which means Michigan’s Letitia Sim (1:59.70) will be bumped into the ‘A’ final.
MEN’S 200 IM – PRELIMS
- NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:41.22
Top 8 Qualifiers:
- Kamal Muhammad (UVA) – 1:44.49
- Noah Nichols (UVA) – 1:44.81
- Noah Rutberg (UNC) – 1:45.74
- Jared Daigle (MICH) – 1:45.78
- Gal Groumi (MICH) – 1:45.94
- Ansel Froass (MICH) – 1:46.43
- Eitan Ben-Shitrit (MICH) – 1:46.47
- Nick Simons (TENN) – 1:47.24
UVA’s Kamal Muhammad, a freshman, led the field this morning with a 1:44.49. He swam a well-balanced race, splitting 22.27 on fly, 26.72 on back, 29.68 on breast, and 25.82 on free. It was a good showing for UVA, with Noah Nichols taking second in 1:44.81.
Michigan had a group of swimmers finish in the top eight this morning. Jared Daigle led the charge for the Wolverines, swimming a 1:45.78. Gal Groumi swam a 1:45.94, while Ansel Froass was 1:46.43 and Eitan Ben-Shitrit clocked a 1:46.47.
Michigan had four swimmers finish in the top eight, which means Eitan Ben-Shitrit will be moved into the ‘B’ final tonight, which bumps UVA’s Max Iida (1:47.42) into the ‘A’ final.
WOMEN’S 50 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS
- NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 21.66
Top 8 Qualifiers:
- Kate Douglass (UVA) – 21.17
- Gretchen Walsh (UVA) – 21.21
- Grace Countie (UNC) – 21.64
- Maddie Banic (TENN) – 21.93
- Olivia Nel (UNC) – 22.01
- Maxine Parker (22.12)
- Mona McSharry (TENN) – 22.20
- Greer Pattison (UNC) – 22.25
In a show of force, UVA superstar sprinters Kate Douglass and Gretchen Walsh sped to times of 21.17 and 21.21 respectively this morning. The duo appears to be meeting the call of LSU’s Maggie MacNeil, who clocked a 21.03 in the 50 free last night at the Art Adamson Invite after splitting 20.59 off a relay start on the 200 free relay. Douglass and Walsh have set themselves up to potentially be under 21 seconds tonight, so we’ll be on the lookout for that.
UNC’s Grace Countie had a great swim this morning, taking third in 21.64. The swim comes in just 0.20 seconds off her personal best in the event.
MEN’S 50 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS
- NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 18.88
Top 8 Qualifiers:
- Jordan Crooks (TENN) – 18.68
- Gui Caribe (TENN) – 19.05
- Matt King (UVA) – 19.25
- Bence Szabados (MICH) – 19.41
- Matt Brownstead (UVA) – 19.46
- Jack Aikins (UVA) – 19.64
- Aleksey Tarasenko (TENN) – 19.65
- Micah Chambers (TENN) – 19.66
Tennessee’s Jordan Crooks was exceptional this morning, roaring to an NCAA-leading 18.68. Not only does the swim make Crooks the top swimmer in the country this season, it comes in under the NCAA ‘A’ cut of 18.88, automatically qualifying him for the NCAA Championships in March. The swim was also just off Crooks’ personal best of 18.53.
The Vols’ sprint squad is looking great, as freshman Gui Caribe swam a personal best of 19.05 for second this morning. He’s knocking on the door of breaking 19 seconds tonight, which would give Tennessee the great advantage of having two sub-19 50 freestylers on the roster.
Zoe Skirboll?
anyone else notice how michigan swimmers seem to get worse the longer they are at michigan?
The little Michigan troll popping up early this time
Rooting for Gretchen Walsh. She still has work to do on her start. But she should feel confident. She is in blistering form.
I was worried about kate douglass after the Texas meet but it seems I was definitely wrong. Rooting for her tonight!
Happy birthday KDoug!!
Maddie Banic swimming? Is she scoring for TN?
She’s a postgrad but not sure why she’s listed as Tennessee where Cieplucha and Deloof are TNAQ. Made an IG post alluding to this being her last meet or last season. Couldn’t tell.
Dang. What a session by Tennessee. Fuller has taken a big leap this season. Breslin returning to form. Breakout swim for Wetherell. Crooks and Caribe are so fun. Simons and Epitropov look primed for huge meets in their specialty strokes. And men’s 500 was a statement! GBO baby!
18.6 is a solid morning performance I guess. Crooks is a beast