2024 Tennessee Invite: Day 3 Prelims Live Recap

2024 Tennessee Invite

• November 19-22, 2024
• Where: Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center — Knoxville, Tennessee
• Start Times: 10 am ET prelims/5 pm ET finals
• Psych Sheets
• Results on Meet Mobile: “2024 Tennessee Invitational”
• Live Stream
• Day 1 Finals Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Recap | Day 2 Finals Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Heat Sheet

An action-packed Thursday is upon us at the Tennessee Invite with five events on the schedule, with the 100 fly, 400 IM, 200 free, 100 back and 100 breast on the docket.

The 100 fly will feature superstars Gretchen Walsh and Jordan Crooks, who were on fire yesterday in the 50 free.

After not racing individually on Wednesday (outside of a time trial), Claire Curzan will be pulling double duty this morning in the women’s 100 fly and 100 back, with Tennessee’s Josephine Fuller another name to watch in the 100 back after she won the 200 IM last night.

Crooks will also be doing the double, entering in the 100 back with an entry time of 48.00—he owns a PB of 45.55 from this meet two years ago. The top seed is his teammate Harrison Lierz, who ripped a best time of 44.98 last year at SECs.

Other names to watch for include U.S. Olympian Emma Weber in the women’s 100 breast, Canadian Olympian Ella Jansen in the women’s 400 IM, plus last night’s 200 IM runner-up Leah Hayes. On the men’s side, Virginia’s Noah Nichols headlines the 100 breast and the 200 free is shaping up to be anyone’s race with Crooks’ absence.

TEAM SCORES ENTERING DAY 3

Women

• Tennessee 105, Kentucky 23
• Virginia 68, Tennessee 58
• Virginia 87, Kentucky 37

Men

• Tennessee 98, Kentucky 29
• Tennessee 90, Virginia 33
• Virginia 76, Kentucky 49

Day 3 Prelims Heat Sheet

WOMEN’S 100 FLY – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 47.42, Gretchen Walsh (UVA) – 2024
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 50.52
• 2024 NCAA Cutline: 51.88

1. Gretchen Walsh (UVA), 48.26
2. Claire Curzan (UVA), 50.35
3. Josephine Fuller (TENN), 51.51
4. Sara Stotler (TENN), 52.50
5. Maggie Schalow (UVA), 52.84
6. Carly Novelline (UVA), 52.97
7. Bailey Hartman (UVA), 53.03
8. Emily Brown (TENN), 53.12

Gretchen Walsh wasted no time in getting things rocking and rolling on Day 3 in Knoxville, soaring to one of the fastest swims of all-time in the women’s 100 fly.

Walsh produced a time of 48.26, under her nation-leading 48.43 clocking set against UNC to tie for the 3rd-fastest swim in history, only trailing her NCAA, U.S. Open and American Record of 47.42 set last season at NCAAs and the 48.25 she clocked at the 2024 ACCs. She also went 48.26 in last year’s NCAA prelims.

Walsh’s Splits: 22.18/26.08

All-Time Performances, Women’s 100 Fly (SCY)

1. Gretchen Walsh (UVA), 47.42 – 2024 NCAAs
2. Gretchen Walsh (UVA), 47.42 – 2024 ACCs
3. Gretchen Walsh (UVA) / Gretchen Walsh (UVA), 48.26 – 2024 NCAAs / 2024 Tennessee Invite
4. –
5. Gretchen Walsh (UVA), 48.43 – 2024 UVA vs UNC

Virginia claimed five of the top eight spots, with fellow Cavalier Claire Curzan posting the #2 time of the morning in 50.35, ranking her 3rd in the NCAA this season in her first time swimming the event (in yards—she did it SCM against Florida).

Curzan’s best time stands at 49.24 set back in February 2022 prior to her collegiate career.

Tennesse’s Josephine Fuller dropped nearly three seconds from her best time in 51.51, having raced this event only a handful of times in college. Her teammate Sara Stotler advanced 4th in 52.50, marking a new season-best after having been 52.88 last month against Louisville.

MEN’S 100 FLY – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 42.80, Caeleb Dressel (FLOR) – 2018
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 44.51
• 2024 NCAA Cutline: 45.37

1. Jordan Crooks (TENN), 44.27
2. Spencer Nicholas (UVA), 45.07
3. Gui Caribe (TENN), 45.47
4. Martin Espernberger (TENN) / Hayden Bellotti (UVA), 45.94
5. –
6. Bjoern Kammann (TENN), 46.12
7. Micah Chambers (TENN), 46.54
8. Aidan Hill (TENN), 47.09

Tennessee senior Jordan Crooks fired off a near-best time of 44.27 in the prelims of the men’s 100 fly, claiming the top spot heading into the final as the only swimmer sub-45 this morning.

Crooks, who split 20.51/23.76, was just over two-tenths shy of his PB of 44.04, set at the 2023 SECs, and moves into 3rd in the NCAA this season. His previous season-best stood at 45.76 set against Louisville.

Virginia freshman Spencer Nicholas set a new lifetime best to advance in 2nd, clocking 45.07 to chip .01 off his previous best of 45.08 set in February while he was still in high school. Nicholas moves into 4th in the NCAA this season.

Tennessee’s Gui Caribe (45.47), Martin Espernberger (45.94) and UVA’s Hayden Bellotti (45.94) all set personal best times to qualify in the top five spots, with Espernberger and Bellotti both breaking 46 seconds for the first time.

Caribe had previously been 45.87 at the 2024 SECs, while Espernberger’s old PB sat at 46.81 from the same meet. Bellotti’s swim comes three weeks after he set a best time of 46.23 during the Cavaliers’ dual with UNC.

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

1. Leah Hayes (UVA), 4:03.48
2. Ella Jansen (TENN), 4:09.30
3. Ella Bathurst (UVA), 4:10.68
4. Emma Redman (UVA), 4:15.80
5. Kate McCarville (TENN), 4:15.95
6. Fernanda De Goeij (UKY), 4:15.99
7. Sienna Karp (UVA), 4:16.19
8. Emily Brown (TENN), 4:16.53

Leah Hayes put on a clinic in the heats of the women’s 400 IM, as the Virginia freshman put up the fastest time in the nation by a wide margin.

Hayes, 18, clocked in with a time of 4:03.48, overtaking Texas’ Campbell Stoll (4:07.22) for the fastest time in the NCAA by nearly four seconds. Hayes also nearly got under her best time, which stands at 4:03.05 from February 2023, and also earned an NCAA ‘A’ cut, getting under the 4:03.62 standard.

• Hayes’ 100 Splits: 56.70/1:02.72/1:07.58/56.48

Tennessee first-year Ella Jansen cruised to the top spot in the first heat, touching in 4:09.30 in what was her first time racing the event in yards. For the moment, the swim ranks her 6th in the NCAA this season.

Virginia senior Ella Bathurst narrowly missed hitting her best time in the third and final heat, clocking 4:10.68 to put her under what it took to earn an NCAA invite last season (4:10.74). Bathurst set her PB of 4:10.46 at the 2023 Tennessee Invite.

The rest of the field was well-distanced behind the top three, with UVA first-year Emma Redman just six-tenths off her PB in 4:15.80 to qualify 4th.

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

1. Tony Laurito (TENN), 3:45.00
2. Levi Sandidge (UKY), 3:45.35
3. Colin Bitz (UVA), 3:45.54
4. Aidan Crisci (TENN), 3:46.40
5. Gus Rothrock (TENN), 3:47.16
6. Dillon Wright (UVA), 3:47.50
7. Matt Styczen (UVA), 3:49.21
8. Matt Heilman (UVA), 3:52.74

One swimmer from each team went toe-to-toe in the second heat of two heats in the men’s 400 IM, and that trio ended up producing the top three times of the morning and the only ones under 3:46.

Leading the way was Tennessee freshman Tony Laurito, who held on to touch first in a time of 3:45.00, knocking three-quarters of a second off his PB (3:45.76).

Kentucky’s Levi Sandidge came home like a freight train, splitting 24.73 on the last 50, but ran out of room to catch Laurito and advances 2nd into the final, clocking in at 3:45.35 to lower his previous best of 3:46.05.

Also setting a best time and breaking 3:46 for the first time was UVA’s Colin Bitz, who touched in 3:45.54 to bring down his old best time of 3:46.79 set at the 2023 ACC Championships.

Tennessee’s Aidan Crisci was racing in the same heat and advanced 4th overall in 3:46.40, while his teammate Gus Rothrock won the first heat in 3:47.16 to qualify 5th.

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

1. Aimee Canny (UVA), 1:44.09
2. Camille Spink (TENN), 1:45.03
3. Cavan Gormsen (UVA), 1:45.55
4. Julia Mrozinski (TENN), 1:45.66
5. Anna Moesch (UVA), 1:46.05
6. Sara Stotler (TENN), 1:46.38
7. Kate Morris (UVA), 1:47.10
8. Emily Armen (TENN), 1:47.23

Virginia’s Aimee Canny and Tennessee’s Camille Spink went head-to-head in the fourth and final heat of the women’s 200 free, and it was Canny pulling away over the back half to touch first in a time of 1:44.09, advancing her into tonight’s final with the top spot by nearly a second.

Canny’s swim inches under her season-best of 1:44.31, set against UNC, and ranks her 6th in the NCAA this season.

Racing the event for the first time this season, Spink touched in 1:45.03 to qualify 2nd. She owns a best of 1:42.37 from last season’s SECs.

UVA’s Cavan Gormsen (1:45.55) and Tennessee’s Julia Mrozinski (1:45.66) won their respective heats to advance 3rd and 4th into the final, with Mrozinski dipping under her season-best of 1:45.81 and Gormsen racing the event for the first time in 2024-25.

It ended up being a tight battle for the last spot in the final, which was claimed by Tennessee’s Emily Armen (1:47.23) over UVA’s Bailey Hartman (1:47.25), Maxine Parker (1:47.47), Sophia Knapp (1:47.62) and Tess Howley (1:47.88).

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

1. Nikoli Blackman (TENN), 1:33.78
2. Sebastien Sergile (UVA), 1:34.50
3. David King (UVA), 1:34.58
4. Joaquin Vargas (TENN), 1:34.99
5. Hayden Bellotti (UVA), 1:35.20
6. Jack Stelter (TENN), 1:36.12
7. Connor Boyle (UVA), 1:36.18
8. Justin Peresse (UKY), 1:36.60

Tennessee’s Nikoli Blackman posted his second sub-1:34 200 free in three days to claim the top seed into tonight’s final in the men’s 200 free, clocking 1:33.78.

Blackman, a sophomore, took down his previous PB of 1:34.62 on Tuesday in the 800 free relay, leading off Tennessee’s ‘B’ team in 1:33.68. He backs that performance up here and sets himself up to challenge for the win in tonight’s final.

Virginia’s Sebastien Sergile, fresh off winning the 200 IM on Wednesday, qualified 2nd in 1:34.50, just 45 one-hundredths shy of his best time. Sergile had impressive splitting, out in 46.65 and back in 47.85. His freshman teammate David King was just over three-tenths shy of his best time to advance in 3rd.

Tennesse’s Joaquin Vargas was half a second off his best time in 1:34.99 for 4th, and UVA’s Hayden Bellotti notched his second best time of the morning, clocking 1:35.20 to knock a full second off his previous PB.

WOMEN’S 100 BREAST – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 55.73, Lilly King (IU) – 2019
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 58.01
• 2024 NCAA Cutline: 59.75

1. McKenzie Siroky (TENN), 58.46
2. Aimee Canny (UVA), 58.47
3. Emma Weber (UVA), 58.75
4. Emelie Fast (TENN), 59.19
5. Zoe Skirboll (UVA), 59.86
6. Bridget Engel (UKY), 1:00.12
7. Hannah Marinovich (TENN), 1:00.90
8. Katie Christopherson (UVA), 1:01.07

Tennessee first-year McKenzie Siroky offered up a response to the pair of 58-second swims produced by Virginia’s Aimee Canny and Emma Weber in the penultimate heat of the women’s 100 breast, as Siroky blasted a time of 58.46 in the last heat to claim the top seed for tonight’s final.

The swim for Siroky marks a new lifetime best, lowering the 58.81 she produced last December at Winter Juniors – East, and ranks her 1st in the NCAA.

Canny (58.47) and Weber (58.75) rank 2-3 in the nation this season with their swims, with Weber having already been 58.77 this season against UNC.

Tennessee’s Emelie Fast (59.19) and Zoe Skirboll (59.86) also cracked 1:00, with Fast improving her season-best of 59.51 set against Louisville.

MEN’S 100 BREAST – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 49.53, Liam Bell (CAL) – 2024
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 51.02
• 2024 NCAA Cutline: 51.89

1. Noah Nichols (UVA), 51.58
2. Adomas Gatulis (UKY), 52.97
3. Jed Garner (TENN), 53.40
4. Kevin Houseman (TENN), 53.92
5. Jonathan Rom (UKY), 53.93
6. Jay Gerloff (UVA), 54.03
7. Grayson Nye (TENN), 54.81
8. Matt Heilman (UVA), 54.96

Virginia fifth-year Noah Nichols dominated the heats of the men’s 100 breast by throwing down a time of 51.58, ranking him 2nd in the NCAA this season.

The swim was the first 100 breast for Nichols this season in yards, having been 57.84 in SCM last month against Florida. At this meet last year, he clocked 51.67 in the final (prelims were LCM).

Kentucky freshman Adomas Gatulis was the only other swimmer to break 53 seconds, touching in 52.97 for a massive lifetime best, as the Lithuanian had only raced the event once previously, going 56.14 in October. He has some pedigree, with SCM/LCM best times of 1:00.52/1:03.12.

WOMEN’S 100 BACK – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 48.10, Gretchen Walsh (UVA) – 2024
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 50.66
• 2024 NCAA Cutline: 52.28

1. Claire Curzan (UVA), 50.91
2. Josephine Fuller (TENN), 51.08
3. Charlotte Wilson (UVA), 52.16
4. Reilly Tiltmann (UVA), 52.96
5. Lexi Stephens (TENN), 53.12
6. Grace Frericks (UKY), 53.65
7. Carly Novelline (UVA), 53.68
8. Anna Moesch (UVA), 53.88

Both racing for the second time of the morning, Claire Curzan and Josephine Fuller comfortably won their respective heats to cruise into the final with the top two seeds.

Curzan touched in 50.91 to lead the field, just shy of her season-best 50.54 set three weeks ago against UNC.

Fuller was 51.08 one heat earlier, dropping more than a second off her season-best of 52.26 set against Tennessee last month.

UVA freshman Charlotte Wilson set a new personal best time of 52.16 to qualify 3rd, lowering her previous best of 52.22 set at the 2023 Winter Juniors – East. She had narrowly missed it in the Cavaliers’ dual with UNC, clocking 52.35.

MEN’S 100 BACK – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 43.35, Luca Urlando (UGA) – 2022
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 44.48
• 2024 NCAA Cutline: 45.56

1. Jack Aikins (UVA), 45.43
2. Harrison Lierz (TENN), 45.86
3. Spencer Nicholas (UVA), 45.99
4. Will Thompson (UVA), 46.59
5. Nick Simons (TENN), 46.71
6. Lamar Taylor (TENN), 46.73
7. Ryan Williams (TENN), 46.86
8. Bjoern Kammann (TENN), 46.90

Jack Aikins led the way for Virginia in the men’s 100 back as the Cavaliers put three men into the top four heading into tonight’s final.

Aikins clocked 45.43 to notch a new lifetime best, improving on the 45.55 PB he set last night in the 400 medley relay. Prior to that, his best time stood at 45.68, set at the 2023 ACC Championships. He notably took a redshirt season last year.

His teammates Spencer Nicholas (45.99) and Will Thompson (46.59) also moved through to the final in 3rd and 4th, with Nicholas breaking 46 for the first time after his old best sat at 46.58 from February 2024.

Tennessee’s Harrison Lierz advanced 2nd in 45.86 after setting a season-best of 45.77 last night on the medley relay.

Jordan Crooks was notably a no-show in the event.