2024 Minnesota Invite
- December 4-7, 2024
- Prelims: 10 am CST/ Finals: 6 pm CST
- SCY (25 Yards)
- University of Minnesota
- Participating Teams: Minnesota (host), University of California- Berkley, University of Nevada- Las Vegas, Harvard, Rutgers, University of Denver
- 2025 NCAA Championship Standards
- Live Stream
- Live Results
- Psych Sheets
- Prelims Live Recaps: Day 2
- Finals Live Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2
WOMEN’S 100 FLY – PRELIMS
- NCAA Record: 47.42, Gretchen Walsh (UVA) – 2024
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 50.52
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 51.88
Top 8 Qualifiers:
- Isabelle Stadden (CAL), 52.11
- Lilou Ressencourt (CAL), 52.20
- Lizzy Cook (CAL), 52.69
- Claire Reinke (MINN), 52.82
- Morgan Brophy (CAL), 52.86
- Mia Kragh (CAL), 52.89
- Morgan Thomas (MINN), 53.32
- Mckenna Stone (CAL), 53.46
Fifth-year Isabelle Stadden crushed her lifetime best in the 100 butterfly, swimming a 52.11 to lead the way in prelims. Her previous best was a 53.81 from the 2021 edition of this meet. She helped the Golden Bears pick up right where they left off after day two finals, opening the morning by sweeping the top three spots in the 100 butterfly.
Second-place qualifier Lilou Ressencourt also hit a new personal best, dropping .13 seconds from her previous standard with a 52.20. Lizzy Cook rounded out the top three for the Golden Bears (52.69), though Cal also put Morgan Brophy, Mia Kragh, and Mckenna Stone into the championship final.
Minnesota opened its morning by putting two women into the ‘A’ final, with Claire Reinke‘s 52.82 for fourth overall leading the way for the Golden Gophers. This swim was Reinke’s first sub-53 outing, as until now her lifetime best stood at 53.11 from the 2023 Minnesota Invite.
MEN’S 100 FLY – PRELIMS
- NCAA Record: 42.80, Caeleb Dressel (FLOR) – 2018
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 44.51
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 45.37
Top 8 Qualifiers:
- Jacob Johnson (MINN), 45.21
- Samuel Quarles (CAL), 46.58
- David Schmitt (HARV), 46.62
- August Vetsch (CAL), 46.79
- Aayush Deshpande (HARV), 47.27
- Kaiser Neverman (MINN), 47.28
- Frank Applebaum (CAL), 47.40
- Sonny Wang (HARV), 47.43
Freshman Jacob Johnson has already taken down the Minnesota men’s 200 butterfly record multiple times this season. He nearly took over the 100 butterfly school record in prelims at the Minnesota Invite. He swam a lifetime best 45.21, coming five-hundredths from the school record Davide Harabagiu swam last season.
He’s the top qualifier for the 100 butterfly ‘A’ final by a wide margin as Cal’s Samuel Quarles sits closest to him with a 46.58. Cal and Harvard put three men into the ‘A’ final, with freshman August Vetsch and graduate transfer Frank Applebaum joining Quarles. Meanwhile, David Schmitt swam 46.62 to qualify third for the Crimson, with Aayush Depande moving through fifth (47.27) and Sonny Wang grabbing eighth (47.43).
WOMEN’S 400 IM – PRELIMS
- NCAA Record: 3:54.60, Ella Eastin (STAN) – 2018
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 4:03.62
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 4:10.74
Top 8 Qualifiers:
- Kathryn Hazle (CAL), 4:11.98
- Molly Urkiel (RUT), 4:13.79
- Alexandra Bastone (HARV), 4:14.61
- Katie McCarthy (MINN), 4:15.19
- Grace Drabot (MINN), 4:15.46
- Stephanie Iannaccone (HARV), 4:17.03
- Mina Ada Solaker (DU), 4:18.45
- Shannon Meadway (RUT), 4:19.66
Kathryn Hazle has a comfortable lead on the rest of the women’s 400 IM field. She cruised to a 4:11.98 to win her heat in the fastest time of the morning. Rutgers’ Molly Urkiel continued her sensational meet, dropping 2.94 seconds from her lifetime best with a 4:13.79. She took down the Rutgers’ program record in the event by six-hundredths, breaking Morgan Pfaff‘s record from ten years ago.
The women in the 400 IM ‘A’ final are fairly spread out heading into the championship final, though of course that could change tonight. Harvard’s Alexandra Bastone cruised to the third seed overall in 4:14.61, ahead of a pair of Minnesota swimmers, Katie McCarthy (4:15.19) and Grace Drabot (4:15.46).
Mina Ada Solaker is Denver’s first ‘A’ finalist of the day; she swam 4:18.45 to qualify in seventh.
MEN’S 400 IM – PRELIMS
- NCAA Record: 3:28.82, Leon Marchand (ASU) – 2023
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 3:38.37
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 3:42.93
Top 8 Qualifiers:
- Humberto Najera (CAL), 3:46.84
- Joey Tepper (MINN), 3:47.61
- Carter Lancaster (CAL), 3:49.49
- Tyler Kopp (CAL), 3:50.13
- Michael Breitbart (UNLV), 3:50.40
- Colby Raffel (UNLV), 3:50.45
- Alberto Hernandez Garcia (MINN), 3:51.43
- Nico Morton (DU), 3:53.41
Cal sophomore Humberto Najera held off a charge on the freestyle leg from graduate transfer Joey Tepper in heat three to post the fastest swim of the morning in the men’s 400 IM. Najera built his lead over Tepper on the breaststroke leg, passing the Minnesota swimmer with a 1:05.23 split, then anchoring in 53.87 to clock 3:46.84.
Tepper split 53.13 on his freestyle leg, including a 25.87 final 50, and touched the wall at 3:47.16, qualifying second for the ‘A’ final.
Cal freshman Carter Lancaster won the heat two battle between himself, Tyler Kopp, and Michael Breitbart. He collected the heat win in 3:49.49, passing Breitbart with a 53.94 final 100 split. He swam an overall time of 3:49.49, qualifying third overall. Kopp and Breitbart also made the ‘A’ final, swimming 3:50.12 and 3:50.40, respectively.
WOMEN’S 200 FREE – PRELIMS
- NCAA Record: 1:39.10, Missy Franklin (CAL) – 2015
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:42.60
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 1:44.80
Top 8 Qualifiers:
- Lea Polonsky (CAL), 1:46.08
- Ava Chavez (CAL), 1:46.35
- Mina Kaljevic (MINN), 1:47.12
- Erika Carlson (UNLV), 1:47.15
- Anja Kaljevic (MINN), 1:47.53
- Ines Marin Alexandre (DU), 1:47.93
- Alexandra Bastone (HARV), 1:47.99
- Livi Wanner (MINN), 1:48.17
Last night’s 200 IM winner Lea Polonsky won the final heat of the women’s 200 freestyle in 1:46.08, which edged out her teammate Ava Chavez for lane four in tonight’s ‘A’ final. Chavez had a big swim in the 500 freestyle yesterday, popping a lifetime best in prelims. She didn’t have the same kind of stunning drop in the 200 freestyle, but her 1:46.35 puts her in a position to chase her 1;45.18 personal best in the final.
Mina Kaljevic and Anja Kaljevic will both swim in the 200 freestyle ‘A’ final. M. Kaljevic qualified third with a 1:47.12, just three-hundredths ahead of UNLV’s Erika Carlson (1:47.15). Meanwhile, A. Kaljevic qualified fifth, clocking a 1:47.53.
Bastone has set herself up with a challenging double. Earlier, she qualified for the 400 IM ‘A’ final and she added to her finals schedule by swimming a 1:47.99 to make it back for the 200 freestyle ‘A’ final in seventh place.
Minnesota freshman Livi Wanner squeaked into the ‘A’ final, joining her teammates the Kaljevics, with a lifetime best of 1:48.17. Wanner has taken big strides in the 50 freestyle during her freshman campaign with Minnesota and is now extending that speed up to the 200 free.
MEN’S 200 FREE – PRELIMS
- NCAA Record: 1:28.81, Luke Hobson (TEX) – 2024
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:31.21
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 1:32.93
Top 8 Qualifiers:
- Nans Mazellier (CAL), 1:33.82
- Thackston McMullan (CAL), 1:35.13
- Trent Frandson (CAL), 1:35.57
- Nikolas Antoniou (CAL)/Gabriel Jett (CAL), 1:35.89
- (tie)
- Keaton Jones (CAL), 1:36.07
- David Greeley (HARV), 1:36.22
- Bar Soloveychik (MINN), 1:36.81
Nans Mazellier, Thackston McMullan, and Nikolas Antoniou all had big days yesterday, swimming lifetime bests twice in their respective events (50 freestyle for Mazellier and Antoniou, 500 freestyle for McMullan). They continued their strong performances at this meet on day three, all swimming lifetime bests in the 200 freestyle.
Mazellier’s new lifetime best of 1:33.82 secured him lane four for tonight’s final. Mazellier and McMullan went out together in heat four, with Mazellier flipping in 21.88 and McMullan in 21.89. McMullan held the lead through the middle 100, splitting 23.69 and 24.15. He maintained a slim lead over Mazellier heading into the final 50 yards, but Mazellier pressed the final 50 yards hard, splitting 23.95 to pull away from his teammate and get the win. McMullan’s 1:35.13 was a lifetime best by .13 seconds and safely qualified for the ‘A’ final in second.
Antoniou’s lifetime best of 1:35.89 tied him for fourth with Gabriel Jett. It was a big swim for the Cypriot swimmer as he cut 2.16 seconds from his former lifetime best, swum at October’s UCSD Triton Invite.
The Golden Bears claimed the top six seeds, with Trent Frandson (3rd, 1:35.57) and Keaton Jones (6th, 1:36.07) joining their teammates in the ‘A’ final.
Harvard’s David Greeley (1:36.22) and Minnesota’s Bar Soloveychik (1:36.81) will have the only non-Cal caps in the final.
WOMEN’S 100 BREAST – PRELIMS
- NCAA Record: 55.73, Lilly King (IU) – 2019
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 58.01
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 59.75
Top 8 Qualifiers:
- Margaux McDonald (CAL), 59.95
- Alicia Henry (CAL), 1:00.15
- Lea Polonsky (CAL), 1:00.20
- Abigail Herscu (CAL), 1:00.40
- Molly Urkiel (RUT), 1:01.28
- Heather Gardner (UNLV), 1:01.63
- Aleksandra Denisenko (HARV), 1:01.68
- Arielle Brotman (CAL), 1:01.72
Graduate transfer Margaux McDonald broke a minute in the 100 breaststroke for the first time in her career this morning. She swam 59.95 to crack that barrier and qualify first overall for the championship final. The middle of the pool will be flooded with Golden Bears, as Alicia Henry (1:00.15), Polonsky (1:00.20), and Abigail Herscu (1:00.40) qualified second through fourth. This was the back half of a 200 freestyle/100 breaststroke double for Polonsky today.
Urkiel also qualified for her second ‘A’ final of the day, swimming a lifetime best 1:01.28 after breaking the Rutgers program record in the 400 IM to kickstart her morning.
MEN’S 100 BREAST – PRELIMS
- NCAA Record: 49.53, Liam Bell (CAL) – 2024
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 51.02
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 51.89
Top 8 Qualifiers:
- Yamato Okadome (CAL), 51.99
- Hank Rivers (CAL), 52.05
- Daniel Nicusan (UNLV), 52.23
- Luca Gissendaner (CAL), 52.40
- Jacob Soderlund (CAL), 52.54
- Danny Beji (UNLV), 52.62
- Joe Rudd (MINN), 53.08
- Zachary Tan (CAL), 53.36
Yamato Okadome sliced three-hundredths off his lifetime best to break the 52-second barrier in the men’s 100 breaststroke. The freshman’s 51.99 was the fastest time in the 100 breast prelims this morning, as he touched just six-hundredths ahead of teammate Hank Rivers. Okadome used a strong back half to set his new lifetime best; he was out in 24.62 and then came home in 27.37–including a 13.16 final 25 yards.
UNLV’s Daniel Nicusan was right on the lifetime best 52.22 he set during a dual meet in October, clocking 52.23 to move through to the final in third. He’s joined by teammate Danny Beji in the ‘A’ final as UNLV put two swimmers in the ‘A’ final along with Cal’s five and Minnesota’s one.
Cal’s missing piece on their medley relays is a breaststroker to replace NCAA record holder Liam Bell, and they’ll get a look at a wide range of options tonight, as Luca Gissendaner, Jacob Soderlund, and Zachary Tan join Okadome and Rivers in the ‘A’ final.
WOMEN’S 100 BACK – PRELIMS
- NCAA Record: 48.10, Gretchen Walsh (UVA) – 2024
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 50.66
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 52.28
Top 8 Qualifiers:
- Mary-Ambre Moluh (CAL), 50.34
- Isabelle Stadden (CAL), 52.40
- Ava Yablonski (MINN), 52.68
- Dominka Trentkiewicz (UNLV), 53.32
- Adriana Smith (CAL), 53.41
- Paula Rodriguez (MINN), 53.58
- Anya Mostek (HARV), 53.73
- Faith Johnson (MINN), 53.96
Many of Cal’s first years have been impressive this meet, particularly the international contingent. Swimmers like Mazellier, Okadome, and now Mary-Ambre Moluh continuing that trend this morning. Moluh made her way onto Cal’s all-time top 10 last night in the 50 free, breaking 22 seconds for the first time. Today, she climbed up to #7 in the program’s 100 backstroke rankings, popping a 50.34 to put herself .08 seconds ahead of Izzy Ivey.
Moluh’s 50.34 is an NCAA ‘A’ cut and makes her the fifth-fastest woman in the NCAA this season.
She’s the top qualifier at the Minnesota Invite by 2.06 seconds ahead of Isabelle Stadden. Stadden popped a 100 fly lifetime best to open the session, and was back up in the 100 back, one of her specialty events. She’s sitting second, with Minnesota’s Ava Yablonski clocking a 52.68 for third, joining the Cal teammates sub-53 seconds this morning. The swim is a lifetime best for Yablonksi and her first sub-53 outing, surpassing the 53.38 she swam at the Minnesota vs. Wisconsin dual meet last month.
She’s joined in the ‘A’ final by two teammates, Paula Rodriguez (53.58) and Faith Johnson (53.96).
MEN’S 100 BACK – PRELIMS
- NCAA Record: 43.35, Luca Urlando (UGA) – 2022
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 44.48
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 45.56
Top 8 Qualifiers:
- Destin Lasco (CAL), 45.99
- Kai Crews (CAL), 46.03
- Evan Petty (CAL), 46.05
- Anthony Rincon (HARV), 46.58
- Tommy Roder (CAL), 46.70
- Lucca Battaglini (CAL), 46.80
- Ziyad Saleem (CAL), 47.10
- Bjorn Seeliger (CAL), 47.24
Destin Lasco powered to the top time of the morning out of heat one in the men’s 100 backstroke. This is his first meet of the 2024-25 NCAA season, so he’s entered as “NT” in all his events, meaning he’s been in the early heats for all his events at the invite. He cruised through the heat, splitting 22.80/23.19 en route to the morning’s fastest swim.
“Backstroke University” showed off this morning, as the Golden Bears put seven men into the ‘A’ final, nearly matching their sweep of the top eight seeds in the 50 freestyle. Kai Crews and Evan Petty qualified in second and third, with Petty swimming a lifetime best of 46.05. He took a half-second off his previous lifetime best from the 2022 Minnesota Invite.
Tommy Roder (46.70), Lucca Battaglini (46.80), Ziyad Saleem (47.10), and Bjorn Seeliger (47.24) are the other Golden Bears back for the ‘A’ final.
Anthony Rincón is the only non-Cal swimmers to make it back for the championship final. He blasted a 46.58 in prelims, coming within a tenth of his lifetime best, to qualify fourth overall.
Amber Moluh is promising unlike that Shackell dude who goes back home.
Lasco and Jett taking it real easy during prelims
How come Minnesota isn’t able to get fast breaststrokers anymore? Especially on the women’s side
Ambre-Moluh is legit
Moolah
💯 fact
And a total sweetheart!