2023 Minnesota Invitational: Day 4 Finals 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
• Day 1 Finals Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Recap 
• Day 2 Finals Live Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Live Recap
• Day 3 Finals Recap
• Day 4 Prelims Recap

The final session of the 2023 Minnesota Invite is here. The action will be kicking off shortly, featuring finals of the 1650 free, 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly, and 400 free relay. Of course, the 1650 is a timed finals event, the slower heats of which were swum this afternoon. The fastest heat of the women’s and men’s miles will take place tonight in the finals session.

Here is the livestream of the session:

There’s lots of action heading our way in this session. Jack Alexy was excellent in prelims of the men’s 100 free this morning, clocking a 41.6. The NCAA ‘A’ cut stands at 41.50 this season, which means Alexy could get his NCAA qualification out of the way here tonight. Teammate Bjorn Seeliger, who boasts a personal best of 40.75, will also be in the mix tonight.

We’ll also be keeping a close eye on Cal’s Isabelle Stadden in the women’s 200 back. Stadden is the 14th-fastest yards 200 backstroker of all-time and she was awesome in the 100 back last night, taking half-a-second off her personal best. With her backstroke looking as good as ever this weekend, she could potentially have a big 200 back in store for us tonight.

Similarly, Cal’s Destin Lasco was under 1:40 in the men’s 200 back this morning. Lasco is the #3 200 backstroker all-time, having been as fast as 1:35.87 in his career. Arizona State’s Hubert Kos holds the top time in the NCAA this season with a 1:36.54, so we’ll see how close to that mark Lasco can get tonight.

WOMEN’S 1650 FREESTYLE – TIMED FINALS

• NCAA Record: 15:03.31, Katie Ledecky (Stanford) – 2017
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 15:52.41
• 2023 NCAA Invited Time: 16:13.73

RESULTS:

1. Katie McCarthy (Minnesota) – 16:11.89
2. Alexandra Bastone (Harvard) – 16:20.99
3. Eliot Kennedy (Minnesota) – 16:27.36
4. Tessa Mock (Pitt) – 16:37.24
5. Ava Sutphin (Arizona) – 16:39.52
6. Kathryn Hazle (Cal) – 16:41.06
7. Abby Licht (Pitt) – 16:41.68
8. Piper Wood Prince (Harvard) – 16:49.93

The women’s 1650 was a really exciting race through the first half. Minnesota freshman Katie McCarthy, Harvard first year Alexandra Bastone, and Minnesota Junior Eliot Kennedy were locked in a very tight race. Right around the halfway point, Kennedy started to fade and not long after, McCarthy really began to break away from the pack. McCarthy tore to a new personal best of 16:11.89, taking over 7 seconds off her previous best. Additionally, her timed was almost two seconds under the time it took to earn an invite to NCAAs last season, which means the freshman may have locked up her NCAA qualification here tonight as well.

Bastone, also in her first semester of collegiate swimming, ripped a huge career best tonight. her time of 16:20.99 was over 27 seconds under her previous best of 16:48.47, which she had just swum in March of this year.

For Kennedy, her final time of 16:27.36 was off her personal best of 16:18.98 but she was more than 4 seconds faster than the 16:31.74 she swam at this meet last year.

MEN’S 1650 FREESTYLE – TIMED FINALS

• NCAA Record: 14:12.08, Bobby Finke (Florida) – 2020
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 14:37.31
• 2023 NCAA Invited Time: 14:53.54

RESULTS: 

1. Bar Soloveychik (Minnesota) – 15:00.56
2. Shane Washart (Harvard) – 15:10.81
3. Jack Meehan (Cal) – 15:11.92
4. Chris Nagy (Minnesota) – 15:12.53
5. Tyler Kopp (Cal) – 15:13.90
6. William Christenson (Minnesota) – 15:15.57
7. Noah Brune (Harvard) – 15:26.06
8. Cole Kuster (Harvard) – 15:28.38

Minnesota’s Bar Soloveychik roared to victory in the men’s mile tonight, swimming a 15:00.86. It was a very solid mid-season 1650 for Soloveychik, who has a personal best of 14:50.93 in the event. He was incredibly consistent tonight, splitting 24.45 and 26.98 on the first pair of 50s, then going 27s the rest of the way, until the final 50, when he came home in 25.25.

Harvard had another strong performance in the mile, seeing Shane Washart clock a 15:10.81 for 2nd. Washart holds a personal best of 14:47.51 in the event.

Jack Meehan out of Cal picked up a 3rd place finish with a 15:11.92. Meehan was the closest to his personal best out of the top 3 finishers. He holds a career best of 15:03.27.

WOMEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:47.24, Beata Nelson (Wisconsin) – 2019
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:50.50
• 2023 NCAA Invited Time: 1:53.94

RESULTS:

1. Isabelle Stadden (Cal) – 1:49.21
2. Mia Motekaitis (Cal) – 1:53.98
3. Claire Jansen (Pitt) – 1:55.24
4. Paula Rodriguez (Minnesota) – 1:56.90
5. Molly Hamlin (Harvard) – 1:56.91
6. Indy Jongman (Minnesota) – 1:57.10
7. Kate Hazlett (Harvard) – 1:57.64
8. Elisabeth Jacobs (Minnesota) – 1:58.71

Cal’s Isabelle Stadenn was on fire in the 200 back tonight, dominating the race and tearing to victory in 1:49.21. She was less than half a second off her career best of 1:48.75, which she swam at the Pac-12 Championships in late February of this year. However, Stadden’s swim tonight marks the fastest time in the NCAA this season, as well as the only time under 1:50 so far. Wisconsin’s Phoebe Bacon was the leading performer, having put up am 1:50.36 at the Texas Invite two weeks ago.

Cal teammate Mia Motekaitis swam a 1:53.98 for 2nd, coming in less than a second off her personal best of 1:53.18. Motekaitis was actually a tick faster this morning, having swum a 1:53.97 in prelims.

Pitt earned a top 3 finish with Claire Jansen clocking a 1:55.24 for 3rd. Jansen was just off her season best of 1:54.82, which she swam in October at a double dual meet with Notre Dame and Penn State. That swim also stands as her personal best in the event.

MEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:35.73, Ryan Murphy (Cal) – 2016
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:39.13
• 2023 NCAA Invited Time: 1:40.62

RESULTS:

1. Destin Lasco (Cal) – 1:38.34
2. Keaton Jones (Cal) – 1:40.23
3. Gunner Grant (Harvard) – 1:40.68
4. Ziyad Saleem (Cal) – 1:41.69
5. Colby Mefford (Cal) – 1:41.96
6. Will Meyers (Arizona) – 1:42.64
7. Kai Crews (Cal) – 1:43.09
8. Marcin Goraj (Pitt) – 1:44.06

Cal star Destin Lasco, the defending NCAA Champion in the event, won the men’s 200 back tonight in a season best of 1:38.34. He picked up the NCAA ‘A’ cut with the swim. The ‘A’ cut stands at 1:39.13. Lasco was out pretty fast, splitting 48.31, then came home in 50.03. He now ranks as the #2 performer in the NCAA this season, behind Arizona State’s Hubert Kos, who went 1:36.54 at the NC State Invite two weeks ago.

Cal freshman Keaton Jones swam a 1:40.23, establishing a new career best. He clipped his previous best of 1:40.32, which he set just shy of a year ago at the Speedo Winter Junior Championships West. Jones also came in under the time it took to earn an invite to the NCAA Championships last season (1:40.62).

Harvard rounded out the top 3, seeing Gunnar Grant clock a 1:40.68. That marks a personal best for Grant and his first time under 1:41 in the event.

Cal freshman Humberto Najera swam a personal best of 1:42.28 en route to winning the ‘B’ final.

WOMEN’S 100 FREESTYLE – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 45.56, Simone Manuel (Stanford) – 2017
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 47.18
• 2023 NCAA Invited Time: 48.37

RESULTS:

1. Hannah Cornish (Minnesota) – 48.73
2. Eloise Riley (Cal) – 48.94
3. McKenna Stone (Cal) – 49.09
4. Ella Mazurek (Cal) – 49.12
5. Morgan Thomas (Minnesota) – 49.16
6. Morgan Brophy (Cal) – 49.33
7. Emily Gantriis (Cal) – 49.48
8. Payton Kelly (Ball State) – 49.61

Minnesota picked up their 3rd win of the night, seeing Hannah Cornish take the women’s 100 free in 48.73. She was a little faster than this morning, where she swam a 48.89, but was still off her career mark of 48.21. Cornish was great on the back half of the race, splitting 25.02 on the 2nd 50 after getting out to a 23.71 on the opening 50.

Cal’s Eloise Riley was slightly off her 48.72 from prelims, taking 2nd in 48.94. It’s worth noting that her prelims time still stands as the fastest time of the day in the event. She was out much faster than Cornish, flipping in 23.18 at the 50 mark.

Cal also picked up a 3rd place finish, as McKenna Stone swam a 49.09, taking nearly half a second off her 49.52 from prelims.

MEN’S 100 FREESTYLE – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 39.90, Caeleb Dressel (Florida) – 2018
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 41.50
• 2023 NCAA Invited Time: 42.32

RESULTS:

1. Jack Alexy (Cal) – 41.41
2. Bjorn Seeliger (Cal) – 42.31
3. Matthew Jensen (Cal) – 42.80
4. Robin Hanson (Cal) – 42.97
5. Stephan Goncharov (Pitt) – 43.15
6. Dylan Hawk (Cal) – 43.37
7. David Greeley (Harvard) – 43.39
8. Roman Jones (Cal) – 43.53

After narrowly missing the NCAA ‘A’ cut of 41.50 this morning, Cal star Jack Alexy came back and picked it up tonight, roaring to victory in 41.41. It was a very strong mid-season swim for Alexy, who has been as fast as 40.88 in his career. He was out fast, splitting 19.67 on the opening 50, which is impressive since he was only 19.19 in finals of the 50 free a few nights ago.

Bjorn Seeliger improved his morning time by a few tenths, taking 2nd in 42.31. He was also out under 20 seconds, splitting 19.93 on the first 50 tonight.

Cal was exceptional in this event, taking the top 4 spots tonight. Matthew Jensen came in 3rd with a 42.80, chipping 0.04 seconds off his time from this morning. Meanwhile, Robin Hanson was also under 43 seconds, taking 4th with a 42.97.

WOMEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 2:01.29, Kate Douglass (Virginia) – 2023
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 2:05.73
• 2023 NCAA Invited Time: 2:09.68

RESULTS:

1. Alicia Henry (Cal) – 2:08.84
2. Hannah Brunzell (Cal) – 2:10.14
3. Abigail Herscu (Cal) – 2:12.17
4. Kathryn Hazle (Cal) – 2:13.21
5. Ava Gustafson (Minnesota) – 2:13.27
6. Jessie Strong (Pitt) – 2:13.30
7. Grace Drabot (Minnesota) – 2:13.72
8. Angelina Messina (Pitt) – 2:16.13

After posting a huge personal best of 2:10.90 this morning, Cal junior Alicia Henry had way more in the tank, ripping a 2:08.84 to win the women’s 200 breast tonight. The performance comes in well under the 2:12.30 personal best she entered today with. Additionally, Henry’s time is well under the 2:09.68 it took to earn an invite to the NCAA Championships last year and stands a very good chance of being fast enough to earn an invite this season. As it stands currently, she is now 17th in the NCAA this season.

Cal’s Hannah Brunzell came in 2nd with a 2:10.14, bettering her 2:10.90 from this morning. She was still a little over 3 seconds off her personal best in the event, however.

After clocking a massive PB in prelims, Abigail Herscu was a little slower tonight, swimming a 2:12.17. Still, that time stands as her 2nd-fastest performance of her career.

Cal made it a 1-2-3-4 finish, seeing freshman Kathryn Hazle take 4th in 2:13.21.

MEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:46.91, Leon Marchand (Arizona State) – 2023
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:51.09
• 2023 NCAA Invited Time: 1:52.94

RESULTS:

1. Max Matteazzi (Pitt) – 1:55.89
2. Jacob Soderlund (Cal) – 1:55.96
3. Jerry Chen (Pitt) – 1:56.28
4. Liam Bell (Cal) – 1:56.33
5. Mitchell Oliver (Arizona) – 1:56.50
6. Jake Hand (Arizona) – 1:57.33
7. Joe Rudd (Minnesota) – 1:57.45
8. Hank Rivers (Cal) – 1:59.49

Pitt picked up their first win of the night with Max Matteazzi, who clocked a 1:55.89 to win the men’s 200 breast. Soderlund swam a well put together race, splitting 55.11 going out on the first 100, then coming home in 1:00.78 on the back half. The performance marks a new career best for Matteazzi, as well as his first time under 1:56 in the event.

Cal’s Jacob Soderlund swam a 1:55.96 for 2nd, bettering his prelims time of 1:55.96. He was out a little slower than Matteazzi, splitting 55.74 on the opening 100, then tacked on a pair of 30.11 50 splits to come home in 1:00.22 on the 2nd 100. Soderlund holds a personal best of 1:54.45.

Pitt saw Jerry Chen clock a top 3 finish as well, taking 3rd in 1:56.28. Chen has been as fast as 1:54.84 in his career.

Cal’s Liam bell, the fastest swimmer in this field based off of career bests, came in 4th with a 1:56.33. Bell holds a career mark of 1:51.36.

WOMEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:48.54, Kate Dewelley (Stanford) – 2012
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:52.86
• 2023 NCAA Invited Time: 1:55.92

RESULTS:

1. Rachel Klinker (Cal) – 1:53.82
2. Megan Van Berkom (Minnesota) – 1:54.78
3. Julia Heimstead (Arizona) – 1:55.14
4. Lizzy Cook (Cal) – 1:55.41
5. Sydney Gring (Pitt) – 1:57.46
6. Sydney Lu (Harvard) – 1:58.78
7. Ava Chavez (Cal) – 1:59.52
8. Emma Kinsey (Arizona) – 2:01.16

Cal’s Rachel Klinker took the women’s 200 fly in 1:53.82, becoming just the 7th swimmer this season to go under 1:54. In fact, her time tonight currently ranks her 6th in the NCAA this season. Klinker holds a personal best of 1:52.19, which she swam at the 2022 NCAA Championships. She was out well tonight, splitting 54.29 on the first 100, then split 29.11 on the 3rd 50. Hitting the 150 turn at 1:23.40, Klinker was in position to pop a 1:52 if she were able to go another mid-or-low 29 on the final 50. However, as swimmers are very prone to do in the 200 fly, Klinker faded a little on the final 50 of the 200 fly, splitting 30.42 coming home. Still, her time was excellent for this point in the season.

Minnesota’s Megan Van Berkom came in 2nd with a 1:54.78. That was a great swim for Van Berkom as well, coming in less than a second off her career best of 1:53.89.

Arizona’s Julia Heimstead, the 100 fly champion from last night, came in 3rd with a 1:55.14. She was just off her career best of 1:54.90, which she set back at the 2022 Pac-12 Championships. Heimstead was out a little ahead of Van Berkom, splitting 54.91 on the first 100 to Van Berkom’s 55.36, however, she split 30-point on both of the final two 50s, while Van Berkom was under 30 on both of those 50s.

Of note, all 3 women, as well as Cal’s Lizzy Cook, who came in 4th with a 1:55.41, were under the time it took to earn an invite to NCAAs last season – 1:55.92.

MEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:37.35, Jack Conger (Texas) – 2017
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:40.16
• 2023 NCAA Invited Time: 1:42.57

RESULTS:

1. Dare Rose (Cal) – 1:39.76
2. Gabriel Jett (Cal) – 1:41.33
3. Aaron Shackell (Cal) – 1:43.40
4. David Schmitt (Harvard) – 1:43.69
5. Jadan Nabor (Arizona) – 1:44.61
6. Kaiser Neverman (Minnesota) – 1:44.63
7. Adam Mahler (Pitt) – 1:45.63
8. William Christenson (Minnesota) – 1:46.89

Cal’s Dare Rose became just the 3rd swimmer in the NCAA this season to break 1:40 in the 200 fly, swimming a new personal best of 1:39.76 to win the event tonight. The time clipped Rose’s previous best of 1:39.89, which he swam at the NCAA Championships in March of this year.

Cal made it a 1-2 punch, seeing Gabriel Jett clock a 1:41.33 for 2nd. Jett was well under his prelims swim of 1:43.92 but was still well off his personal best of 1:39.27.

Cal freshman Aaron Shackell had the swim he’d been waiting for all weekend, clocking a new personal best of 1:43.40 to take 3rd place. The swim marks his first personal best of the meet, beating his previous best of 1:44.24.

WOMEN’S 400 FREESTYLE RELAY – TIMED FINALS

• NCAA Record: 3:05.84, Virginia (2023)
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 3:14.10
• 2024 NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 3:16.25

RESULTS:

1. Cal ‘A’ – 3:13.66
2. Cal ‘B’ – 3:15.57
3. Minnesota ‘A’ – 3:17.13
4. Arizona ‘A’ – 3:17.21
5. Pitt ‘A’ – 3:18.92
6. Harvard ‘A’ – 3:19.57
7. Cal ‘C’ – 3:19.83
8. Arizona ‘B’ – 3:20.77

Showing off their sprint depth, Cal had all 3 of their relays go under 3:20, which included a 1-2 finish by the ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams. The ‘A’ team of Eloise Riley (48.92), McKenna Stone (48.17), Ella Mazurek (48.94), and Isabelle Stadden (47.63) combined for a 3:13.66. Meanwhile, Cal’s ‘B’ squad of Ava Chavez (49.26), Morgan Brophy (48.49), Emily Gantriis (49.28), and Mia Motekaitis (48.54) teamed up for a 3:15.57. Of course, Cal’s ‘A’ team picked up the NCAA ‘A’ standard as well, automatically qualifying the relay for the NCAA Championships in March.

Minnesota picked up a 3rd place finish with their ‘A’ squad of Hannah Cornish (49.02), Morgan Thomas (49.02), Mina Kaljevic (49.51), and Ava Yablonski (49.58). They posted a 3:17.13, narrowly beating out Arizona, who came in 4th with a 3:17.13. Arizona got out to a great start, as Julia Heimstead led the team off in 48.54, which was fast enough to put the Wildcats in the lead and would have been fast enough to win the individual 100 free earlier tonight as well.

MEN’S 400 FREESTYLE RELAY – TIMED FINALS

• NCAA Record: 2:44.07, Florida (2023)
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 2:50.44
• 2024 NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 2:51.86

RESULTS:

1. Cal ‘A’ – 2:48.55
2. Cal ‘B’ – 2:48.88
3. Cal ‘C’ – 2:51.22
4. Arizona ‘A’ – 2:51.37
5. Pitt ‘A’ – 2:53.23
6. Minnesota ‘A’ – 2:53.24
7. Arizona ‘B’ – 2:53.60
8. Harvard ‘A’ – 2:54.50

In a show of force, Cal went 1-2-3 in the men’s 400 free relay to close out the meet. It was a show of the depth of Cal’s sprint group, which is very possibly the best in the NCAA right. They split up their fastest swimmers and, as a result, both their ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams went 2:48. Both teams were nearly 2 seconds under the NCAA ‘A’ standard of 2:50.44.

On the ‘A’ squad, Jack Alexy (41.54), Matthew Jensen (42.32), Gabriel Jett (41.86), and Dylan Hawk (42.83) combined for a 2:48.55. The ‘B’ team of Bjorn Seeliger (43.07), Destin Lasco (41.26), Robin Hanson (42.57), and Liam Bell (41.98) put up a 2:48.88. If we use Cal’s fastest combination of swimmers (Alexy, Lasco, Jett, Bell), the Golden Bears hypothetical fastest relay would have come out to 2:46.64. That’s relevant because Arizona State currently leads the NCAA this season with a 2:46.57, while Florida has been 2:46.60. Florida notably beat Cal in this event at the NCAA Championships in March by just 0.01 seconds, setting the NCAA Record in the process.

Cal was also excellent on their ‘C’ relay, which saw Keaton Jones (42.99), Roman Jones (42.84), Aaron Shackell (43.02), and Dare Rose (42.27) combined for a 2:51.12. Of note, Jones, Jones, and Shackell are all freshmen for the Golden Bears. Keaton Jones‘ leadoff leg will stand as his new personal best in the event, as well as his first time under 43 seconds. Roman Jones’ split was under his personal best of 43.17, while Shackell’s 43.02 is also under his official best time of 43.63. Dare Rose‘s split is also huge for him, as he has an official personal best of 44.26 in the 100 free.

Arizona’s Ralph Daleiden was great on the leadoff of their ‘A’ relay, swimming a 42.01. That marks a new personal best for the Wildcat.