2023 NCSA Spring Championships: Day 5 Finals Live Recap

2023 NCSA SPRING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• March 14-18, 2023
• Rosen Aquatic and Fitness Center, Orlando, FL
• SCY (25 yards)
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
• Results on Meet Mobile: “2023 NCSA Spring Swimming Championships”
• Live Stream

The final session of the 2023 NCSA Spring Championships is upon us. The last night will start off with the 50 backstroke, in which Maggie Wanezek and Ryan Hufford hold the top female and male seeds, respectively. After the first sprint events, there will be a distance interlude in the form of the women’s 1000 freestyle and the men’s 1650 freestyle.

The final two individual events of the meet will be the 200 IM and 50 freestyle, and the night will wrap up with the women’s and men’s 400 medley relays. On the girls’ side of the meet, Elmbrook currently holds a lead of more than 3oo points over second place NOVA, meaning that they will likely take home the victory tonight.

The race is slightly closer in the boys’ meet where Rockville holds the top stop at the moment with 775.50 points, followed by Nation’s Captial at 668.50.

Team Standings – Top 5 After Day 4 (Girls)

1. Elmbrook Swim Club – 826.50
2. NOVA – 572
3. Aquajets Swim Team – 548
4. Academy Bullets Swim Club – 545
5. Long Island Swim Club – 531

Team Standings – Top 5 After Day 4 (Boys)

1. Rockville Montgomery Swim Club – 775.50
2. Nation’s Capital – 668.50
3. NOVA – 606.50
4. FMC Aquatic – 435
5. Aquajets Swim Team – 400

Women’s 50 Backstroke

• Meet Record: 23.95 – Levenia Sim (2022)

Podium:

1. Levenia Sim (TNT) – 23.75
2. Maggie Wanezek (EBSC) – 24.04
3. Emma Kern (AQJT) – 24.51

Levenia Sim opened up the last session of the meet with a win in the 50 backstroke, getting to the wall in a 23.75. That time for Sim allowed her to improve upon her own meet record in the event of 23.95, which she set last year. That former meet record was Sim’s best time in this event, meaning she’s shaved nearly a quarter of a second off her best here.

The top seed out of prelims in this event was Maggie Wanezek of Elmbrook who hit a 24.37 in the heats. She didn’t pull off the victory here but was fast enough for second place, posting a 24.04. Wanezek has cracked 24 seconds in this event before, having swum a 23.98 in November 2022.

The bronze medal came down to a race to the wall between Emma Kern and Aspen Gersper. Kern touched first with a 24.51, while Gersper hit a 24.74 for fourth place. 5th overall was Lexi Stephens who hit a 24.80.

Men’s 50 Backstroke

• Meet Record: 21.23 – Scotty Buff (2022)

Podium:

1. Hudson Williams (NAAC) – 21.50
2. Scotty Buff (GTAC) – 21.58
3. Luke Logue (AQJT) – 21.81

Hudson Williams made it two races in a row where the second seed pulled off the victory. From lane 5, Hudson Williams overtook the competition and hit the wall with a 21.50 to shave 0.58 seconds off his morning swim of 22.08. Williamson, an NC State commit, has a PB of 21.40 in this event from April 2022.

Scotty Buff of GTAC won this event last year and set a new meet record of 21.23, which he was a bit slower than tonight. Buff hit a 21.58 to take the silver medal, shaving some time off the 22.17 he hit in prelims. The fastest heats swimmer, Ryan Hufford, missed the podium and touched 4th with a 21.98. He was out-swum by Aquajets’ Luke Logue (21.81).

Hufford added time from his morning swim of 21.90, while all three medalists improved slightly. 5th place went to BGSC swimmer Cole Gorsuch with a 22.26.

Women’s 1000 Freestyle

• Meet Record: 9:31.79 – Becca Mann (2013)

Podium:

1. Cavan Gormsen (LIAC) – 9:35.41
2. Katie McCarthy (EDI) – 9:47.09
3. Amanda Barnard (NOVA) – 9:47.89

Long Island Aquatic Club 18-year-old Cavan Gormsen was dominant in the 100 free tonight, swimming a 9:35.41 to win the event by nearly 12 seconds. The time clipped Gormsen’s seed time by 0.30 seconds, but she was just off her lifetime best of 9:35.18, which she swam in November of 202o.

Gormsen posted a negative split int he race tonight, clocking a 4:48.23 in the first 500 then coming home in 4:47.18 on the back half.

Edina Swim Club’s Katie McCarthy, 18, swam a 9:47.09 for second. It was a huge race for McCarthy, taking over seven seconds off her lifetime best of 9:54.73, which she had notably just swum in January of this year.

Touching in a close third was NOVA of Virginia’s Amanda Barnard, 16, clocking a 9:47.89. The swim was actually just off her personal best of 9:46.41, which she swam just two weeks ago at the VA Senior Championships.

Men’s 1650 Freestyle

• Meet Record: 14:46.40 – Patrick Ransford (2014)

Podium:

1. Nathan Szobota (NOVA) – 14:53.83
2. Sean Green (LIAC) – 14:57.10
3. Jacob Hamlin (HIGH) – 15:16.88

My goodness. NOVA of Virginia’s Nathan Szobota, just 15 years old, had a massive swim tonight, roaring to victory in 14:53.83. The swim was exceptional, marking Szobota’s first time under 15:00 in the event. On top of that, he now rises to eighth all-time in the 15-16 boys age group, despite only being 15 years old.

He swam a fantastic race, splitting 4:28.69 on the first 500 yards, then 4:34.38 on the second 500, and 4:31.88 on the third 500, before roaring home in 1:18.88 on the final 150 yards.

Long Island Aquatic Club’s Sean Green, also 15, came in second in 14:57.10, also marking a lifetime best. Green just clipped his previous best of 14:57.83, which he swam this past December. With Green’s performance, he now sits at tenth all-time in the 15-16 age group.

Highlander Aquatic Club’s Jacob Hamlin, 18, had a huge swim as well to take third. Touching in 15:16.88, Hamlin took nearly ten full seconds off his lifetime best of 15:26.74, which he established this past December.

Women’s 200 IM

• Meet Record: 1:56.99 – Grace Sheble (2021)

Podium:

1. Campbell Stoll (EBSC) – 1:55.93 (Meet Record)
2. Elle Scott (NOVA) – 1:57.39
3. Campbell Chase (COR) – 1:57.52

Elmbrook Swim Club 17-year-old Campbell Stoll was spectacular in the 200 IM final tonight, roaring to a 1:55.93 to shatter the NCSA Spring Championships meet record by over a second. Not only did Stoll down Grace Sheble’s two-year-old meet record, she also took about half a second off her lifetime best with the performance. Stoll’s previous top mark of 1:56.37 was swum at the WIAA HS state meet this past November.

Stoll was incredible on the front half of the race, splitting 24.65 on fly and 29.08 on back for a sizzling 53.73 on the first 100. She didn’t stop there, however, splitting 33.73 on breast then coming home in 28.47.

NOVA of Virginia saw yet another swimmer place in the top three tonight, with 15-year-old Elle Scott coming in second with a 1:57.39. After swimming a personal best of 1:58.68 in prelims this morning, Scott doubled down tonight, taking more than a second off that time to touch second in 1:57.39. Moreover, Stoll’s best time coming into today was a 1:59.39, which she had just swum almost one month ago to the day.

Another Campbell, Campbell Chase, a City of Richardson Swim Team 17-year-old, clocked a 1:57.52 to take third in the event tonight. Chase clipped her lifetime best of 1:57.62 by 0.10 seconds.

After winning the 50 backstroke to open up the session, Levenia Sim came in fifth here in the 200 IM, swimming a 1:58.45.

Men’s 200 IM

• Meet Record: 1:43.76 – Andrew Seliskar (2014)

Podium:

1. Nate Germonprez (ISWM) – 1:44.16
2. Adriano Arioti (RMSC) – 1:45.51
3. Simon Bermudez (AAC) – 1:46.90

Inspire Swim Team 18-year-old Nate Germonprez won the 200 IM going away tonight, clocking a 1:44.16. The swim was off his lifetime best of 1:42.82, which he swam at Winter Juniors West this past December, but he still won the event tonight by well over a second.

Germonprez was out fast, splitting 22.13 on fly and 26.01 on back for a 48.14 on the first 100. He then tacked on a 30.34 breast split and came home in 25.67 on freestyle.

Rockville Montgomery Swim Club 16-year-old Adriano Arioti came in second with a 1:45.51. That swim marks a personal best for Arioti, as well as his first time under 1:46 in the event.

Another 16-year-old, Arlington Aquatic Club’s Simon Bermudez, clocked a lifetime best of 1:46.90 for third.

Women’s 50 Freestyle

• Meet Record: 21.70 – Simone Manuel (2014)

Podium:

1. Hailey Tierney (LAKE) – 22.20
2. Caroline Larsen (FOXJ) – 22.23
3. Camille Spink (NCAP) – 22.27

Lakeview Country Swim Team 17-year-old Hailey Tierney swam a 22.20 to win the 50 free in a very tight race tonight. Tierney was off her lifetime best of 21.84, but she managed to get her hand on the wall first by just 0.03 seconds.

Team Foxjet 16-year-old Caroline Larsen was right behind Tierney, touching second in 22.23. It was a huge swim for Larsen, taking 0.22 seconds off her previous best.

Nation’s Capital 18-year-old Camille Spink swam a 22.27 for third, touching just 0.07 seconds behind Tierney.

Men’s 50 Freestyle

• Meet Record: 19.56 – Scotty Buff (19.56)

Podium:

1. Scotty Buff (GTAC) – 19.51
2. Jack Madoch (VAST) – 19.59
3. Hudson Williams (NAAC) – 19.84

Greater Toledo Aquatic Club 18-year-old Scotty Buff won the 50 free in 19.51 tonight, narrowly touching out Verona Area Swim Team 18-year-old Jack Madoch (19.59). Buff was just a hair off his personal best of 19.46, which he swam at Winter Juniors East this past December. Meanwhile, Madoch clipped his personal best of 19.61 with his swim.

New Albany Aquatic Club 17-year-old Hudson Williams came in third with a 19.84, touching as the only other swimmer in the field outside of Buff and Williams to finish under 20 seconds. Williams notably has a personal best of 19.55, which he just swam a little month than a month ago.

Women’s 400 Medley Relay

• Meet Record: 3:32.19 – Elmbrook Swim Club (2022)

Podium:

1. Elmbrook Swim Club ‘A’ – 3:32.10 (Meet Record)
2. Aquajets Swim Team ‘A’ – 3:38.54
3. Academy Bullets Swim Club ‘A’ – 3:41.06

Elmbrook Swim Club was dominant again this year, clipping their own meet record of 3:32.19. Maggie Wanezek (52.18), Lucy Thomas (58.70), Campbell Stoll (51.57), and Reese Tiltmann (49.65) teamed up to win the relay in 3:32.10, touching first by over six seconds. Additionally, the performance marks a new National Age Group Record (NAG). The previous NAG was also the meet record held by Elmbrook Swim Club from last year.

The first three legs of last year’s relay was the same as it was tonight. The only difference in the makeup of the relays is that Reese Tiltmann anchored tonight, while Abby Wanezek was the anchor last year. Wanezek is now a freshman at Wisconsin.

Aquajets was firmly in second tonight, swimming a 3:38.64. They were helped greatly by a 52.62 lead-off leg from Emma Kern. Grace Rabb (1:01.94), Annabelle Wentzel (53.88), and Libby Bakker (50.10) rounded out the rest of the team.

Men’s 400 Medley Relay

• Meet Record: 3:12.50 – Nation’s Capital (2015)

1. Aquatjets ‘A’ – 3:12.20 (Meet Record)
2. Rockville Montgomery Swim Club ‘A’ – 3:13.99
3. New Albany Aquatics Club ‘A’ – 3:15.62

Aquajets closed out the 2023 NCSA Spring Championships with a victory and a new meet record in the men’s 400 medley relay. Luke Logue (47.26), Charlie Egeland (52.95), Drew Ploof (47.70), and Henry Webb (44.29) teamed up to break the meet record by 0.30 seconds. The previous meet record of 3:12.50 had stood since 2015.

Rockville Montgomery’s team came in a close second. They were tied up with Aquatjets at the start, as Adriana Arioti also split 47.26 on backstroke, but Egeland’s breast split opened up a big lead for Aquajets.