2023 Texas Invitational: Day 3 Prelims Live Recap

2023 TEXAS HALL OF FAME INVITATIONAL

• November 15-18, 2023 (10 am/6 pm CT)
• Austin, Texas
• Lee & Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center
• SCY (25 Yards)
• Prelims: 10 am (CT) / 6 pm (CT)
• Results

There will be a number of marquee matchups on Day 3 of the Texas Invitational, including the women’s 100 breaststroke where Kaitlyn Dobler and Anna Elendt will go head-to-head after respective 3rd and 4th-place finishes at the 2023 NCAA Championships.

WOMEN’S 100 FLY – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 48.46 – Kate Douglass, Virginia (2023)
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Standard: 50.69
• 2023 NCAA Invited Time: 52.20

Top 8:

1. Emma Sticklen (TEX), 50.72
2. Olivia Bray (TEX), 50.96
3. Kelly Pash (TEX), 51.35
4. Ava Longi (TEX), 52.15
5. Campbell Stoll (TEX), 52.26
6. Lillie Nordmann (STAN), 52.31
7. Gigi Johnson (STAN), 52.33
8. Anicka Delgado (USC), 52.36

It was a dominant opening event for the Texas women in the 100 fly, as the Longhorns grabbed the top five seeds for the final with two swimmers going sub-51.

Reigning 200 fly national champ Emma Sticklen led the way in a time of 50.72, just shy of her season-best 50.48 set in a tri-meet earlier this month.

Her teammate Olivia Bray became the third swimmer to go 50-point this season (based on times entering the day) in 50.96, with her best time sitting at 50.07 from the 2023 Big 12s.

Kelly Pash followed in 51.35, not far off her lifetime best of 51.01 set at the Minnesota Invite last December.

Freshman Campbell Stoll was 5th in 52.26, the fastest swim of her college career, while Ava Longi was 4th in 52.15, having been 52.02 earlier this season.

MEN’S 100 FLY – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 42.80 – Caeleb Dressel, Florida (2018)
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Standard: 44.64
• 2023 NCAA Invited Time: 45.57

1. Rafael Gu (STAN), 45.13
2. Sam Artmann (TEX), 46.23
3. Alec Filipovic (TEX), 46.41
4. Aaron Sequeira (STAN), 46.43
5. Ethan Hu (STAN), 46.60
6. Holden Smith (TEX), 46.72
7. Michal Chmielewski (USC), 47.00
8. Avery Voss (STAN), 47.06

Stanford’s Rafael Gu dominated the men’s 100 fly as he claimed the top seed by more than a second in 45.13, just three one-hundredths shy of his lifetime best set at the 2023 Pac-12s.

Gu was coming into the day riding some momentum after swimming the two fastest 50 frees of his career on Thursday.

Stanford put four up into the ‘A’ final, while Texas had three, with Sam Artmann and Alec Filipovic sitting in the 2nd and 3rd spots.

Artmann set a new season-best of 46.23, not too far off his PB of 45.97, while Filipovic set a new personal best of 46.41, getting under his 46.63 from the Big 12 Championships in February.

WOMEN’S 400 IM – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 3:54.60 – Ella Eastin, Stanford (2018)
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Standard: 4:03.62
• 2023 NCAA Invited Time: 4:11.36

Top 8:

1. Justina Kozan (USC), 4:06.85
2. Lucy Bell (STAN), 4:08.09
3. Caroline Bricker (STAN), 4:08.18
4. Kelly Pash (TEX), 4:08.72
5. Samantha Tadder (STAN), 4:11.66
6. Macky Hodges (USC), 4:12.62
7. Claire Tuggle (USC), 4:12.67
8. Charlotte Hook (STAN), 4:14.21

USC sophomore Justina Kozan followed up her PB in the 500 free from last night with her fastest 400 IM in two years this morning, clocking 4:06.85 to lead the field into the final.

Kozan, who went 4:07.60 earlier this season at the SMU Classic, owns a best of 4:05.67 from 2019, but had her fastest swim during her freshman year come in a 4:09.33 from Pac-12s.

She’s been on an upward trajectory dating back to the summer, highlighted by her sweep of the IM events at the LEN U23 European Championships.

Stanford put four swimmers into the ‘A’ final, led by sophomore Lucy Bell in 4:08.09.

Bell, coming off a silver medal performance in the 400 IM at the Pan Am Games, set a PB of 4:05.56 last season at NCAAs where she finished 7th as a freshman.

Current Cardinal freshman Caroline Bricker advanced 3rd in 4:08.18, having set a PB of 4:05.51 earlier this season, while Texas’ Kelly Pash finished off an impressive double in 4:08.72 for 4th.

MEN’S 400 IM – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 3:28.82 – Leon Marchand, Arizona State (2023)
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Standard: 3:38.90
• 2023 NCAA Invited Time: 3:42.99

Top 8:

1. Rex Maurer (STAN), 3:46.52
2. Dominik Mark Torok (WISC), 3:48.72
3. Rick Mihm (STAN), 3:49.03
4. Zach Ward (WISC), 3:50.14
5. Liam Custer (STAN), 3:50.66
6. Gibson Holmes (STAN), 3:51.00
7. Spencer Aurnou-Rhees (TEX), 3:52.43
8. Mike Breitbart (UNLV), 3:53.35

Rex Maurer cruised through to the top seed in the men’s 400 IM by more than two seconds in 3:46.52, leading a quartet of Stanford swimmers into the ‘A’ final.

The freshman set a season-best of 3:44.70 against Arkansas, with his PB sitting at 3:41.94 fro.m March.

Wisconsin’s Dominik Mark Torok and Stanford’s Rick Mihm were the only two others in the field to go sub-3:50, with Torok setting a season-best of 3:48.72.

Mihm was .01 slower than he went against Arkansas in 3:49.03.

WOMEN’S 200 FREE – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 1:39.10 – Missy Franklin, Cal (2015)
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Standard: 1:42.84
• 2023 NCAA Invited Time: 1:45.31

Top 8:

1. Minna Abraham (USC), 1:43.61
2. Erin Gemmell (TEX), 1:44.23
3. Natalie Mannion (STAN), 1:44.66
4. Kayla Wilson (STAN), 1:44.88
5. Aurora Roghair (STAN), 1:45.05
6. Abby Carlson (WISC), 1:45.32
7. Lillie Nordmann (STAN), 1:45.39
8. Vasilissa Buinaia (USC), 1:45.41

USC’s Minna Abraham continued her impressive string of 200 free swims early in her freshman year, producing her third 1:43 of the campaign to lead the prelims in 1:43.61.

Abraham, who owns a best time of 1:43.35 from the Trojans’ dual with ASU in November, anchored USC’s 800 free relay on Wednesday in a blistering 1:41.52, so watch for her to challenge the 1:43 barrier in the final.

Texas freshman Erin Gemmell led a trio of swimmers in the 1:44 range, with her time of 1:44.23 marking a new season-best coming off a 1:43.22 relay split two days ago.

Stanford’s Natalie Mannion, Kayla Wilson and Aurora Roghair qualified 3-4-5, while Lillie Nordmann was 7th. That quartet went 6:54.94 in the 800 free relay on Wednesday, with Roghair leading off in 1:44.1 and the rest splitting 1:43s. They were essentially on pair with that this morning, ranging from 1:44.66 to 1:45.39.

Wisconsin’s Abby Carlson was just shy of her relay lead-off (1:44.86) to qualify 6th in 1:45.32.

Eighth-place qualifier Vasilissa Buinaia will also be one to watch in the final after splitting 1:43.75 on the relay, as she moved through in 1:45.41.

MEN’S 200 FREE – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 1:29.15 – Dean Farris, Harvard (2019)
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Standard: 1:31.74
• 2023 NCAA Invited Time: 1:32.85

Top 8:

1. Luke Hobson (TEX), 1:33.47
2. Henry McFadden (STAN), 1:34.39
3. Luke Maurer (STAN), 1:34.54
4. Coby Carrozza (TEX), 1:34.73
5. Andres Dupont (STAN), 1:34.97
6. Luukas Vainio (WISC), 1:35.18
7. Jonathan Tan (STAN), 1:35.26
8. Chris Morris (WISC), 1:35.38

Defending NCAA champion Luke Hobson grabbed the top seed in the men’s 200 free in a season-best time of 1:33.47, as he was the only swimmer in the field to keep all of his splits sub-24.

Hobson should have more in the tank tonight given his 1:31.27 anchor leg from the 800 free relay on Wednesday.

Stanford freshman Henry McFadden led four Cardinal swimmers into the ‘A’ final, with his time of 1:34.39 marking a new season-best time.

McFadden split 1:32.69 on Stanford’s 800 free relay, while his teammate Luke Maurer, who qualified 3rd in 1:34.54, was also sub-1:33 on the relay in 1:32.87.

An NCAA ‘A’ finalist last season, Texas’ Coby Carrozza is lurking in 4th at 1:34.73 after splitting 1:32.05 on the relay.

WOMEN’S 100 BREAST – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 55.73 – Lilly King, Indiana (2019)
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Standard: 58.02
• 2023 NCAA Invited Time: 59.73

Top 8:

1. Kaitlyn Dobler (USC), 57.76
2. Anna Elendt (TEX), 58.94
3. Lucy Thomas (STAN), 59.48
4. Channing Hanley (TEX), 59.85
5. Hazal Ozkan (WISC), 59.90
6. Calysta Bartlet (UNLV), 1:00.77
7. Katherine Adams (USC), 1:01.87
8. Viola Teglassy (UNLV), 1:03.04

Kaitlyn Dobler continued her run of impressive early-season swims in the 100 breast, as the USC senior dropped a time of 57.76 to lead the prelims by more than a second in what was her third sub-58 swim of the year.

Dobler came into the weekend as the top-ranked swimmer in the nation by virtue of her 57.35 from the SMU Classic, but that distinction has since been taken over by Tennessee’s Mona McSharry (56.87), so Dobler will have her eyes on that mark tonight.

Texas senior Anna Elendt, who beat Dobler head-to-head at NCAAs last season (they were 3rd and 4th, with McSharry 2nd), qualified 2nd in 58.94, with her season-best sitting at 58.20.

Stanford freshman Lucy Thomas advanced 3rd in 59.48, just shy of her season-best (59.42) set in late October against Arkansas.

MEN’S 100 BREAST – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 49.69 – Ian Finnerty, Indiana (2018)
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Standard: 51.10
• 2023 NCAA Invited Time: 51.90

Top 8:

1. Chris O’Grady (USC), 52.10
2. Nate Germonprez (TEX), 52.76
3. Ben Dillard (USC), 52.78
4. Will Scholtz (TEX), 52.84
5. Danny Beji (UNLV), 52.87
6. Andrew Benson (WISC), 53.33
7. Ethan Dang (STAN), 53.47
8. Hayden Zheng (STAN), 53.73

USC junior Chris O’Grady executed a strong morning swim to comfortably land Lane 4 in tonight’s final with a time of 52.10, improving on his season-best set against ASU (52.42).

Texas freshman Nate Germonprez narrowly missed his lifetime best to advance 2nd overall in 52.76, having set a best of 52.59 in December 2022 at the Winter Junior Championships – West in this very pool.

Fellow Longhorn freshman Will Scholtz broke through the 53-second barrier for the first time in 52.84, with his previous best having been set back in December 2021 at 53.61.

Ben Dillard made it two Trojan swimmers inside the top three, as he nearly matched his fastest time from all of last season (52.62) in 52.78. He also challenged his lifetime best of 52.44, set back at the 2022 Pac-12s.

Dillard notably split 51.64 last night on the 400 medley relay, while UNLV’s Danny Beji, who advanced 5th in 52.87, also split sub-52 on the relay at 51.91.

WOMEN’S 100 BACK – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 48.26 – Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2023)
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Standard: 50.88
• 2023 NCAA Invited Time: 52.36

Top 8:

1. Berit Berglund (TEX), 51.33
2. Emma Sticklen (TEX), 51.78
3. Caroline Famous (USC), 52.01
4. Phoebe Bacon (WISC), 52.47
5. Emma Kern (TEX), 52.57
6. Mackenzie McConagha (WISC), 52.73
7. Janelle Rudolph (STAN), 53.56
8. Gigi Johnson (STAN), 53.71

Texas first-year Berit Berglund followed up her standout lead-off leg on last night’s 400 medley relay with another impressive swim in the 100 back prelims.

Berglund, who set a PB of 50.77 on the Longhorn relay Thursday, put up a time of 51.33 this morning to qualify 1st by over four-tenths, a time which is .01 off her PB coming into the weekend.

Her teammate Emma Sticklen followed up an impressive 100 fly swim with her first career 100 back performance under 52 seconds, clocking 51.78 for the #2 seed.

USC’s Caroline Famous went 52.01 to advance in 3rd, with the senior having set a PB of 51.48 earlier this month against ASU.

Wisconsin senior Phoebe Bacon cruised through in 4th (52.47), while Texas freshman Emma Kern hit a season-best of 52.57 for 5th.

MEN’S 100 BACK – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 43.35 – Luca Urlando, Georgia (2022)
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Standard: 44.71
• 2023 NCAA Invited Time: 45.70

Top 8:

1. Will Modglin (TEX), 45.04
2. Chris O’Connor (TEX), 46.39
3. Aaron Sequeira (STAN), 46.94
4. Jake Newmark (WISC), 47.20
5. Wikus Potgieter (UNLV), 47.22
6. Hayden Kwan (STAN), 47.31
7. Josh Zuchowski (STAN), 47.37
8. Michal Chmielewski (USC), 47.51

Texas freshman Will Modglin made some noise in the heats of the men’s 100 back, narrowly missing his lifetime best in a time of 45.04 to pace the field by well over a second.

Modglin owns a best time of 45.01 set last December, and is coming off a lifetime best 20.60 50 back lead-off leg on the 200 medley relay on Wednesday. In last night’s 200 IM, he shattered his best time en route to the win in 1:41.84.

His teammate Chris O’Connor, who was 5th in the 100 back at last month’s Pan Am Games, went 46.39 to qualify 2nd, finishing just eight one-hundredths back of his personal best set at the Minnesota Invite 11 and a half months ago.

O’Connor went 46.46 leading off the 400 medley relay last night.

Stanford’s Aaron Sequeira rounded out the top three, cracking 47 for the first time this season in 46.94.