2023 NCSA Spring Championships – Day 1 Finals Live Recap

2023 NCSA SPRING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• March 14-18, 2023
• SCY
• Rosen Aquatic and Fitness Center, Orlando, FL
• Meet Mobile: “2023 NCSA Spring Swimming Championships”
• Psych Sheets
• Live Stream

The first of five sessions at the 2023 NCSA Spring Championships is set to take place in Orlando, Florida. The racing begins at 5:30 pm EST with the men’s 1000 freestyle, followed by the women’s 1650 freestyle. Those events will run as timed finals during the session while the next six events, the women’s and men’s 200 back, 100 free, and 50 butterfly, are finals following Tuesday morning’s prelims. At the end of the session, the first relay events of the meet will take place in the form of the 200 medley relay.

Women’s 1650 Freestyle – Timed Final

• Meet Record: 15:40.38 – Katie Ledecky (2019)
• 2022 Champion: Madison Smith – 16:21.60

Podium:

1. Cavan Gormsen (LIAC) – 16:09.36
2. Amanda Barnard (NOVA) – 16:16.73
3. Katie McCarthy (GPAC) – 16:19.19

Cavan Gormsen got off to an early lead in the final heat of the 1650 freestyle, ultimately getting to the wall with a 16:09.36 for the gold medal. That time for Gormsen is a bit slower than her lifetime and season best in this event from December 2022 of 15:57.20.

Amanda Barnard from NOVA pulled off a huge best time here, getting from the 16:41.35 she swam at the VSI Senior Championships earlier this month to a 16:16.73 for silver here.

Katie McCarthy didn’t get a spot in this timed final based on her entry time and swam during the distance session earlier today. She posted a 16:19.19 in that swim to claim the bronze medal here, beating out the third-fastest girl in the timed final Kylie McMurray (16:26.40).

There was a solid battle for 4th place overall, and 3rd place in the final heat, between Kylie McMurray and Madison Smith. McMurray touched with a 16:26.40 for 4th place in the event and Smith came in a second later with a 16:27.57.

Men’s 1000 Freestyle – Timed Final

• Meet Record: 8:45.11 – Matthew Hirschberger (2015)
• 2022 Champion: Levi Sandidge – 8:58.77

Podium:

1. Nathan Szobota (NOVA) – 8:50.44
2. Sean Green (LIAC) – 8:55.64
3. Matthew Marsteiner (WAVE) – 8:57.43

Nathan Szobota pulled off NOVA’s first event win of the meet in the men’s 1000 freestyle, delivering an 8:50.44 in the event. That time got him under 9 minutes for the first time in this event, beating his recent best time of 9:00.53 from the VSI Senior Championships.

Szobota beat silver medalist Sean Green by just over five seconds. Green posted an 8:55.64, which also got him into the 8-minute range for the first time. Heading into this meet, Green held a best time of 9:03.18. Matthew Marsteiner dipped under 9 minutes to round out the top three, hitting an 8:57.43.

Women’s 100 Freestyle – Final

• Meet Record: 47.09 – Simone Manuel (2014)
• 2022 Champion: Carly Noveline – 48.46

Podium

1. Camille Spink (NCAP) – 48.21
2. Caroline Larsen (FOXJ) – 48.54
3. Aspen Gersper (SAS) – 48.94

In the 100 freestyle A final, Camille Spink flipped first at the halfway point with a 22.85. Spink managed to hold the lead over the field on the back half of this event, ending with a 48.21. That time for Spink was around 0.40 seconds faster than her top-seeded prelims time of 48.66 and slightly trailed her lifetime best in the event of 48.13.

Two other swimmers got under 49 seconds in the championship final as Caroline Larsen claimed the silver medal with her time of 48.54. Also improving upon her morning swim of 49.31, Larsen’s swim marks her first time under 49.00 in the event. Coming into this meet she held a PB of 49.03 from February 2023.

It was the 8th seed in this event out of prelims Aspen Gersper who pulled off a bronze medal swim in the final. Gersper dipped under 49 with a time of 48.94, out-touching 4th place’s Hailey Tierney who hit a 49.02.

Men’s 100 Freestyle – Final

• Meet Record: 43.32 – Hudson Williams (2022)
• 2022 Champion: Hudson Williams – 43.32

Podium:

1. Hudson Williams (NAAC) – 42.54
2. Scotty Buff (GTAC) – 42.94
3. Nathaniel Germonprez (ISWM) – 43.75

The men’s 100 freestyle final came down to a battle between Hudson Williams of NAAC and Scotty Buff from GTAC. Ultimately, Williams managed to defend his title from the 2022 meet and swam a bit faster than his winning time last year of 43.32. That time also marks a new meet record in the 100 freestyle considering that the Williams’ swim last year was the former fastest-ever time at an NCSA Spring Champs.

Williams wasn’t the only boy in the field to get under the old record as Scotty Buff also cracked 43 seconds here for a silver medal. Buff hit a 42.94 in the event, which is his first 42 ever. He held a best time of 43.07 before this meet and swam a 44.03 during prelims.

Heading into this meet, Williams and Buff were the respective #1 and #2 seeds, while Nathaniel Germonprez held the 3rd seed. That entire top three held their positions in the final as Germonprez came in with a 43.75 for the bronze medal. Next, Josh Howat of NCAP was a 44.05 for 4th, and Devin Dilger from USSC hit a 44.15 for 5th.

Women’s 200 Backstroke – Final

• Meet Record: 1:49.85 – Kylie Stewart (2014)
• 2022 Champion: Maggie Wanezek – 1:52.36

Podium:

1. Maggie Wanezek (EBSC) – 1:50.63
2. Lilla Bignar (TG) – 1:53.33
3. Campbell Stoll (EBSC) – 1:54.85

As she made her way through the back half of this race, it seemed like Maggie Wanezek of EBSC might crack the meet record in the 200 backstroke. That record sits at a 1:49.85, which Kylie Stewart swam back in 2014. Wanezek, however, was just off the record and touched the wall with a 1:50.64 t0 claim the gold medal.

Wanezek’s time was almost two seconds faster than what she swam last year to win this event (1:52.36). That time from last year was also her PB heading into this meet, meaning that Wanezek shaved nearly two seconds off her best time.

Wanezek won this event by almost three seconds as Lilla Bognar from TG came in with a 1:53.33 for the silver medal. Campbell Stoll made it 2/3 on the podium from EBSC when she touched in third place in the A final with a 1:54.85.

Men’s 200 Backstroke – Final

• Meet Record: 1:40.05 – Jack Conger (2013)
• 2022 Champion: Joshua Zuchowski – 1:41.20

Podium:

1. Adriano Arioti (RMSC) – 1:41.66
2. Kyle Peck (RAYS) – 1:43.11
3. Simon Bermudez (AAC) – 1:44.18

Adriano Arioti led the pack in the 200 backstroke from the start, ultimately establishing a full-body-length lead ahead of everyone else. Arioti touched with a 1:41.66, which was more than a second ahead of second place’s Kyle Peck.

Arioti’s best time in this event was a 1:43.03 from earlier this season at the PV Holiday Invitational. Aroti was celebrating in his lane after this race, likely because of the fact that a 1:41.66 gets him under the summer senior national cut in this event.

Kyle Peck was fast enough for the silver medal, clocking a 1:43.11 and Simon Bermudez was roughly one second slower with his time of 1:44.18 for bronze. That 3rd-place finish for Bermudez is a significant jump from his 11th-place entry of 1:46.33.

Women’s 50 Butterfly – Final

• Meet Record: 22.96 – Torri Huske (2019)
• 2022 Champion: Campbell Stoll – 23.26

Podium:

1. Campbell Stoll (EBSC) – 23.54
2. Levenia Sim (TNT) – 23.56
3. Emma Kern (AQJT) – 23.61

Campbell Stoll was the top seed heading into this meet in the 50 butterfly, having won the event with a 23.26 in 2022. Stoll managed to defend her title in the championship final, swimming a 23.54 for the gold medal. While she was a bit off her best time, she was quick enough to out-touch silver medalist Levenia Sim who notched a 23.56.

That time for Sim was a hair quicker than her best time of 23.63, which she swam at this meet last year. Rounding out the top three, Emma Kern also dipped under 24 seconds with a 23.61 for bronze.

Hailey Tierney and 100 freestyle silver medalist Aspen Gersper touched in 4th and 5th with their respective times of 23.73 and 24.26.

Men’s 50 Butterfly – Final

• Meet Record: 20.54 – Scotty Buff (2022)
• 2022 Champion: Scotty Buff – 20.54

Podium

1. Scotty Buff (GTAC) – 20.59
2. Chase Swearinger (NAAC) – 20.99
3. Kris Lawson (NCAP) – 21.33

Scotty Buff brought the heat in the 50 butterfly final, posting a 20.59 to claim gold and get within 0.05 seconds of his meet record from last year. Buff defended his title here, hitting the wall 0.40 seconds ahead of NAAC’s Chase Swearinger.

Notably, Scotty Buff was faster in his prelims heat where he swam a 20.73 to claim the top spot in the final by over half a second.

Swearinger was the only other person in the heat to crack 21, hitting a 20.99 for the silver medal. That’s a huge best time for Swearinger in this event considering that he entered the meet with a PB of 21.82 and swam a 21.45 during prelims.

The top 3 from prelims remained the same in the final as Kris Lawson came into the wall with a 21.43 for the bronze medal, while James Misto hit a 21.47 for 4th place.

Women’s 200 Medley Relay – Final

• Meet Record: 1:36.77 – Elmbrook Swim Club (2022)

Podium

1. Elmbrook Swim Club – 1:37.13
2. Nations Capital – 1:40.78
3. Aquajets Swim Team – 1:40.84

While they didn’t swim as fast as they did last year, the Elmbrook girls managed to pull off a repeat win in the 200 medley relay. Fresh off a 200 backstroke victory earlier in the session, Maggie Wanezek led the team off with a 24.38 50 backstroke split. Next, Lucy Thomas hit a 26.66 on the breaststroke leg, followed by Campbell Stoll on butterfly with a 23.39.

Audrey Olen brought it home for Elmbrook with a 22.70 freestyle split, getting her to the wall more than three seconds ahead of the silver place team, Nation’s Captial.

Nation’s Capital touched in second place with a 1:40.78 courtesy of Gwyn Frick (25.55), Kylee Sessions (28.70), Allie Witdoeckt (24.84), and Camille Spink (21.69). Aquajets rounded out the podium with a 1:40.84.

Men’s 200 Medley Relay – Final

• Meet Record: 1:26.47 – Nation’s Capital Swim Club (2015)

Podium:

1. Nation’s Capital – 1:27.89
2. New Albany Aquatics Club – 1:28.64
3. FMC Aquatic – 1:29.26

After the girls’ silver medal finish in the event, Nation’s Capital pulled off a win in the boys’ 200 medley relay, touching the wall in a 1:27.89. That made NCAP repeat champions this year, having won the event last year with a 1:26.47.

JT Schmid hit a 22.92 on the backstroke, Jordan Kelly swam a 24.89 on the breaststroke, and Kris Lawson was a 20.74 on butterfly. Anchoring NCAP’s team, Josh Howat swam a 19.34 50 free split. They swam a 1:27.89 to out-touch the New Albany Swim Club by less than a second.

NAAC swam a 1:28.64 for second place and were followed by FMC Aquatic who delivered a 1:29.26 for the bronze medal.

Top Ten After Day One – Girls

1. EBSC – 225
2. NOVA – 197
3. AQJT – 191
4. LIAC – 181
5. NCAP – 128
6. ACAD – 126
7. LAKE – 108
8. RMSC – 81
9. OLY – 78
10. TG – 74

Top Ten After Day One – Boys

1. NCAP – 245
2. NOVA – 190.5
3. RMSC – 188
4. NAAC – 140
5. FMC Aquatics / AAC – 128
7. SAS – 79
8. RAYS / MACH – 78
10. AQJT – 72