2023 Minnesota Invitational – Day 2 Prelims Live Recap

2023 MINNESOTA INVITATIONAL 

• November 29-December 2, 2023
• Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Short Course Yards (25 yards)
• Start Times
  • Prelims: 10 AM (CT)
  • Finals: 6 PM (CT)
• Live Results
• Livestream
• Day 1 Finals Recap

Teams

• Arizona
• Ball State
• Cal
• Harvard
• Minnesota
• Pitt

The first full day of the 2023 Minnesota Invite is here. It’s a relatively small invite this year, featuring just six teams. That being said, it’s a very nice mix of teams in attendance, including Arizona and Cal from the Pac-12, Pitt from the ACC, Harvard from the Ivy League, Ball State from the MAC, and, of course, Minnesota from the Big Ten.

This morning’s prelims session should last around an hour and a half. We’ll see heats of the 500 free, 200 IM, and 50 free this morning.

You can watch tonight’s action on YouTube:

WOMEN’S 500 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 4:24.06, Katie Ledecky (Stanford) – 2017
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Standard: 4:37.89
• 2024 NCAA ‘B’ Standard: 4:47.20

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Mia Motekaitis (Cal) – 4:42.72
2. Megan Van Berkom (Minnesota) – 4:45.19
3. Rachel Klinker (Cal) – 4:45.35
4. Katie McCarthy (Minnesota) – 4:45.95
5. Kathryn Hazle (Cal) – 4:46.37
6. Alexandra Bastone (Harvard) – 4:48.69
7. Eliot Kennedy (Minnesota) – 4:48.90
8. Ava Chavez (Cal) – 4:50.09

It only took a 4:50 to make it into the ‘A’ final in the women’s 500 free this morning, as Cal freshman Ava Chavez claimed the 8th seed for tonight with a 4:50.09. This was a great event for the Golden Bears, who put 4 athletes into the ‘A’ final for tonight. It was Mia Motekaitis who posted the top time this morning with a 4:42.72, earning the top seed for tonight by well over 2 seconds.

Rachel Klinker came in 3rd with a 4:45.35, while Kathryn Hazle, another Cal freshman, took 5th in 4:46.37.

Outside of Cal, Minnesota also did quite well, seeing 3 swimmers finish in the top 8. Megan Van Berkom, one of the current stars of the Big Ten, swam a 4:45.19, coming in 2nd behind Motekaitis. The swim marks a new career best for Van Berkom, who will have a chance to lower her mark again tonight.

Minnesota freshman Katie McCarthy also posted a new personal best, swimming a 4:45.95 to take 4th this morning. Her previous best was a 4:47.45, which she swam in March of this year. Eliot Kennedy rounded out Minnesota’s ‘A’ finalists, earning a 7th-place finish this morning in 4:48.90.

Another freshman (or first year, in this case), Harvard’s Alexandra Bastone made it through to the ‘A’ final as well. She swam a 4:48.69.

MEN’S 500 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 4:06.32, Kieran Smith (Florida) – 2020
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Standard: 4:10.74
• 2024 NCAA ‘B’ Standard: 4:21.99

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Bar Soloveychik (Minnesota) – 4:20.25
2. Gabriel Jett (Cal) – 4:20.72
3. Keaton Jones (Cal) – 4:21.38
4. Tyler Kopp (Cal) – 4:21.38
5. William Christenson (Minnesota) – 4:22.30
6. Cole Kuster (Harvard) – 4:23.19
7. Aaron Shackell (Cal) – 4:23.20
8. Beck Parnham (Arizona) – 4:23.99

Minnesota’s Bar Soloveychik clocked the top time in the men’s 500 free this morning, putting up a 4:20.25. While the top 8 in the men’s 500 was more tightly packed than the top 8 in the women’s event earlier, many of these men in the top 8 were well off their personal bests this morning, which we can expect to change tonight.

Let’s start with Soloveychik. 4:20.25 is an okay morning swim for him in the context of this meet, but he’s been as fast as 4:12.76 in his career. Meanwhile, Cal’s Gabriel Jett was 2nd this morning in 4:20.72 but has the fastest personal best in this field, having been as fast as 4:09.66 before. We can anticipate Soloveychik and Jett to be out in front in the final tonight, although it’s totally possible some of these younger guys go with them as well.

Speaking of the younger guys, Cal had two freshman advance to the ‘A’ final tonight in Keaton Jones and Aaron Shackell. Jones went a 4:21.38, while Shackell was 4:23.20. Both freshmen went 4:15s last season as seniors in high school, so we’ll see what they’ve got in store for tonight.

Cal’s Tyler Kopp was 4:21.38 this morning and holds a personal best of 4:18.69.

WOMEN’S 200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 1:48.37, Kate Douglass (Virginia) – 2023
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Standard: 1:53.66
• 2024 NCAA ‘B’ Standard: 1:59.56

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Isabelle Stadden (Cal) – 1:57.94
2. Ava Chavez (Cal) – 1:58.43
3. Sydney Gring (Pitt) – 1:59.33
4. Kathryn Hazle (Cal) – 1:59.37
5. Lizzy Cook (Cal) – 2:00.46
6. Grace Drabot (Minnesota) – 2:01.19
7. Stephanie Iannaccone (Harvard) – 2:01.57
8. Kelsey Wasikowski (Arizona) – 2:02.00

Cal was once again on top of things in the women’s 200 IM, seeing Isabelle Stadden clock a 1:57.94 to earn the top seed for tonight. She was out fast this morning, splitting 53.32 on the opening 100 off a 25.32 fly split and 28.00 back split. Stadden then split 35.68 on breast and came home in 28.94 on free.

After finishing 8th in the 500 free less than half an hour earlier, Cal freshman Ava Chavez turned around and swam a 1:58.43 for 2nd in the 200 IM. The swim marks a new personal best for Chavez, as well as her first time under 1:59 in the event.

Similarly, another Cal freshman, Kathryn Hazle, swam the double as well. Hazle also made the ‘A’ final of the 500 free this morning, then swam a 1:59.37 in the 200 IM this morning for a 4th place finish. Hazle was just off her personal best of 1:58.36.

Pitt also had a freshman show out this morning. Sydney Gring posted the 3rd-fastest time of the morning with a 1:59.37, which clipped her previous best of 1:59.47.

MEN’S 200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 1:36.34, Leon Marchand (Arizona State) – 2023
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Standard: 1:41.03
• 2024 NCAA ‘B’ Standard: 1:46.16

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Destin Lasco (Cal) – 1:42.76
2. Ryan Purdy (Arizona) – 1:44.97
3. Gunner Grant (Harvard) – 1:45.50
4. Max Matteazzi (Pitt) – 1:45.60
5. Jadan Nabor (Arizona) – 1:46.03
6. Orion Henderson (Arizona) – 1:46.42
7. Gabriel Jett (Cal) – 1:46.56
8. Kaiser Neverman (Minnesota) – 1:46.63

Cal’s Destin Lasco, one of the all-time top 200 IMers in the NCAA, led the charge in the men’s 200 IM this morning, putting up a very solid morning swim of 1:42.76. Lasco has been as fast as 1:38.10 in his career. This morning, he swam a very well-rounded race, splitting 22.90 on fly, 25.45 on back, 30.13 on breast, and 24.28 on free.

Arizona, in their highest finish of the morning so far, saw Ryan Purdy clock a 1:44.97 for 2nd.

Cal’s Gabriel Jett, fresh off the 500 free, swam a 1:46.56 for 7th this morning.

WOMEN’S 50 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 20.79, Maggie MacNeil (LSU)/Gretchen Walsh (Virginia)
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Standard: 21.63
• 2024 NCAA ‘B’ Standard: 22.67

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Sophie Yendell (Pitt) – 22.14
2. Eloise Riley (Cal) – 22.40
3. Payton Kelly (Ball State) – 22.45 (Tie)
4. McKenna Stone (Cal) – 22.45 (Tie)
5. Emily Gantriis (Cal) – 22.50
6. Isabelle Stadden (Cal) – 22.51
7. Ella Mazurek (Cal) – 22.57 (Tie)
8. Hannah Cornish (Minnesota) – 22.57 (Tie)

In their top performance of the day so far, Pitt earned the top seed for tonight’s final in the women’s 50 free. Sophie Yendell put up a season best 22.14, posting the top time of the morning by a comfortable margin. Yendell has been as fast as 21.89 in her career.

Cal was all over this event, seeing 5 swimmers earn a spot in the ‘A’ final. Eloise Riley clocked a 22.40 for 2nd, while McKenna Stone tied Ball State’s Payton Kelly for 3rd with a 22.45. Of note, Kelly recently broke the Ball State record with a 22.32 at the House of Champions Invite two weeks ago.

Cal also saw Emily Gantriis (22.50), Isabelle Stadden (22.51), and Ella Mazurek (22.57) earn top 8 finishes. Stadden was notably the top swimmer in the 200 IM earlier in the session.

MEN’S 50 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 17.81, Caeleb Dressel (Florida) – 2018
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Standard: 18.82
• 2024 NCAA ‘B’ Standard: 19.79

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Jack Alexy (Cal) – 19.26
2. Bjorn Seeliger (Cal) – 19.44
3. Tommy Palmer (Arizona) – 19.54
4. Liam Bell (Cal) – 19.61
5. Robin Hanson (Cal) – 19.67
6. Kai Crews (Cal) – 19.71
7. Jack Donovan (Arizona) – 19.73
8. Seth Miller (Arizona) – 19.74

As they did in the women’s 50 free, Cal put 5 guys into the ‘A’ final of the men’s 50 as well. Jack Alexy swam a 19.26 to earn the top seed for tonight’s final, leading teammate Bjorn Seeliger, who came in 2nd in 19.44. Alexy and Seeliger represent one of the top men’s sprint duos in the NCAA currently.

The Golden Bears also put Liam Bell (19.61), Robin Hanson (19.67), and Kai Crews (19.71) into the ‘A’ final for tonight.

The ‘A’ final tonight will be made up entirely of Cal and Arizona swimmers. Arizona put 3 into the top 8 this morning, starting with Tommy Palmer, who came in 3rd with a 19.54. Jack Donovan and Seth Miller rounded out the top 8, swimming 19.73 and 19.74 respectively to finish 7th and 8th.