2024 Texas Hall of Fame Invite
- November 20-22, 2024
- Where: Lee and Joe Jamail Swimming Center — Austin, TX
- When: 10 am CT prelims/6 pm CT finals
- Participating Teams: Pitt, Stanford, Texas (host), USC, Wisconsin, BYU, Cal Poly
- Meet Info
- Live Results
- Results on Meet Mobile: “Texas Hall of Fame Swimming Invite”
- Day 1 Prelims Recap | Day 1 Finals Recap
- Day 2 Prelims Recap | Day 2 Finals Recap
After a blistering Day 2 of the Texas Hall of Fame Invite on Thursday, the competition will wrap up tonight with this morning’s prelims giving us an appetizer for what’s to come later in the day.
However, we did see some eye-popping performances in yesterday’s heats, so we could be in store for more quick times this morning.
Texas sophomores Will Modglin and Nate Germonprez have been absolutely on fire through two days of racing, so they’ll be the ones to watch in the men’s 200 back, where Modglin is the #2 seed behind teammate Hubert Kos, and the men’s 200 breast, where Germonprez comes in ranked 2nd to fellow Longhorn Will Scholtz.
The men’s 100 free is headlined by two-time 200 free NCAA champion Luke Hobson, while Texas sophomore Logan Walker is the top seed in the 200 fly after a breakout swim earlier this season against Indiana.
Rex Maurer is another name who has been performing well—he’s entered in the 200 back this morning, but may hold off and wait for the timed final of the 1650 free later in the day.
On the women’s side, two-time NCAA champion Phoebe Bacon highlights the 200 back along with Wisconsin teammate Maggie Wanezek, while Stanford’s Torri Huske takes on Texas’ Erin Gemmell and USC’s Minna Abraham in the 100 free.
The 200 breast has Stanford’s Lucy Bell as the top seed by three seconds, and in the 200 fly, all eyes will be on Texas fifth-year Emma Sticklen, who has been lighting it up all season and set a best time and Texas Record of 1:49.77 in early October against LSU. That time is only six-tenths shy of the NCAA Record set by Alex Walsh last season (1:49.16).
WOMEN’S 200 BACK – PRELIMS
- NCAA Record: 1:47.24, Beata Nelson (Wisconsin) – 2019
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:50.50
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 1:54.01
- Maggie Wanezek (WISC), 1:51.33
- Phoebe Bacon (WISC), 1:51.69
- Natalie Mannion (STAN) / Campbell Stoll (TEX), 1:54.27
- –
- Emma Kern (TEX), 1:54.49
- Claire Jansen (PITT), 1:54.80
- Levenia Sim (STAN), 1:55.40
- Lillie Nesty (TEX), 1:55.50
The Wisconsin duo of Maggie Wanezek and Phoebe Bacon dominated the heats of the women’s 200 back, posting the top two times of the morning by a wide margin in Austin.
The freshman Wanezek inched under her season-best to lead the field in 1:51.33, having been 1:51.75 three weeks ago during a dual with Minnesota. After swims from Claire Curzan and Gretchen Walsh this morning in Tennessee, Wanezek slots into 6th in the NCAA this season.
Bacon, the two-time NCAA champion in the event, dropped nearly a second and a half off her season-best in 1:51.69, becoming the ninth woman to break 1:52 so far this season. Bacon had previously been 1:53.05 in the Wisconsin v. Minnesota dual.
Stanford’s Natalie Mannion and Texas’ Campbell Stoll tied for the 3rd seed in 1:54.27, with Mannion’s swim marking a new season-best after she went 1:55.91 two weeks ago. Stoll is coming off setting a PB of 1:53.52 against Indiana.
MEN’S 200 BACK – PRELIMS
- NCAA Record: 1:35.37, Destin Lasco (Cal) – 2024
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:38.80
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 1:40.62
- Rex Maurer (TEX), 1:38.27
- Will Modglin (TEX), 1:39.65
- Drew Huston (POLY), 1:41.26
- Kyle Peck (TEX), 1:41.68
- Griffin O’Leary (USC), 1:42.27
- Ben Sampson (TEX), 1:42.63
- Marcin Goraj (PITT), 1:42.78
- Nathan Quarterman (TEX), 1:44.14
Texas sophomore Rex Maurer continued his hot streak in the men’s 200 back, dropping a second and a half off his lifetime best and hitting the NCAA ‘A’ cut in a time of 1:38.27.
Maurer’s swim lowers his PB of 1:39.75, set at this meet last year while he was at Stanford, and moves him into 3rd in the NCAA rankings this season, trailing IU’s Owen McDonald (1:38.13) and teammate Hubert Kos (1:38.14).
Fellow Texas sophomore Will Modglin, who set a new school record in the 100 back last night, clocked 1:39.65 to earn the #2 seed for the final, dipping under his season-best of 1:40.12 set against Indiana. His PB stands at 1:38.85 set last season at NCAAs.
Cal Poly’s Drew Huston lowered his School Record by a few one-hundredths in 1:41.26, having been 1:41.32 last season during a time trial at Pac-12s.
Texas freshman Kyle Peck cracked 1:42 for the first time to advance in 4th, touching in 1:41.68 to lower his previous best of 1:42.71 set last December at Winter Juniors – East.
WOMEN’S 100 FREE – PRELIMS
- NCAA Record: 44.83, Gretchen Walsh (Virginia) – 2024
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 47.10
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 48.34
- Torri Huske (STAN), 47.39
- Minna Abraham (USC), 48.05
- Ava Longi (TEX), 48.13
- Erin Gemmell (TEX), 48.17
- Grace Cooper (TEX), 48.22
- Gigi Johnson (STAN), 48.38
- Abby Wanezek (WISC), 48.54
- Vasilissa Buinaia (USC), 48.58
Torri Huske rocketed to a time of 47.39 to lead the women’s 100 free prelims, marking a new season-best time for the Stanford junior.
Huske, who had previously been 47.62 against ASU and Cal, maintains her #2 ranking in the NCAA this season, with Tennessee’s Camille Spink having reset her nation-leading time to 47.04 this morning in Knoxville.
Huske’s best time of 46.46 was set at the 2023 NCAAs.
USC’s Minna Abraham, who had a big win last night in the 200 free, qualified 2nd for the final in 48.05, just shy of the season-best 47.96 she set against Arizona.
The Texas trio of Ava Longi (48.13), Erin Gemmell (48.17) and Grace Cooper (48.22) followed with the next three spots, with Longi notably hitting a new lifetime best, having previously been 48.25 at this meet last year. Gemmell and Cooper both set season-bests as well.
MEN’S 100 FREE – PRELIMS
- NCAA Record: 39.90, Caeleb Dressel (Florida) – 2018
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 41.34
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 42.19
- Camden Taylor (TEX), 42.47
- Luke Maurer (USC), 42.54
- Kobe Ndebele (TEX), 42.88
- Julian Koch (PITT) / Luigi Riva (BYU), 43.00
- –
- Chris Morris (WISC), 43.02
- Oliver Sogaard-Andersen (USC), 43.24
- Luke Hobson (TEX), 43.31
After Jordan Crooks blasted a time of 40.77 this morning at the Tennessee Invite, things were relatively time in the men’s 100 free this morning in Austin with only three swimmers going sub-43.
Leading the charge was Texas sophomore Camden Taylor, who set a lifetime best of 42.47 coming off his win in the 200 free last night.
Taylor inched under his previous best of 42.53 set last season at Big 12s—he notably had the second-slowest last 25 among the eight finalists (11.25), but was quickest to the feet at the 50 by a wide margin in 20.08.
USC grad transfer Luke Maurer was just over three-tenths shy of his PB in 42.54 to qualify 2nd, going well under his season-best of 43.77, and Texas junior Kobe Ndebele broke 43 seconds for the first time in his career, clocking 42.88. He set his previous best of 43.09 against Indiana.
Tying for 4th, Pitt’s Julian Koch and Luigi Riva set personal best times, clocking matching 43.00s.
WOMEN’S 200 BREAST – PRELIMS
- NCAA Record: 2:01.29, Kate Douglass (Virginia) – 2023
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 2:05.73
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 2:09.55
- Lucy Bell (STAN), 2:07.57
- Mackenzie Miller (BYU), 2:09.61
- Hazal Ozkan (WISC), 2:10.16
- Piper Enge (TEX), 2:10.30
- Ashley McMillan (USC), 2:12.17
- Katie McClintock (WISC), 2:13.09
- Samantha Tadder (STAN), 2:13.35
- Jasmine Anderson (BYU), 2:13.42
Stanford junior Lucy Bell cruised to the top time of the morning in the women’s 200 breast, clocking 2:07.57 for the fastest time by two seconds.
Bell already ranks #1 in the nation this season with the 2:06.32 she dropped during the Cardinal’s tri-meet with ASU and Stanford earlier this month.
BYU’s Mackenzie Miller was the only other swimmer to break 2:10, setting a big new best time of 2:09.61 to advance in 2nd. Miller’s previous best was 2:11.95, set at the 2024 Big 12s, and had been 2:12.18 last season at altitude, which altitude-adjusted to 2:10.98.
Wisconsin’s Hazal Ozkan and Texas’ Piper Enge were the only others under 2:12, with Ozkan clocking 2:10.16, just off her season-best of 2:10.02, and Enge was 2:10.30. She was a season-best of 2:09.27 against Indiana.
MEN’S 200 BREAST – PRELIMS
- NCAA Record: 1:46.35, Leon Marchand (ASU) – 2024
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:50.65
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 1:53.12
- Ben Dillard (USC), 1:52.09
- Will Scholtz (TEX), 1:52.20
- Nate Germonprez (TEX), 1:52.25
- Brayden Taivassalo (TEX), 1:54.12
- Evan Yoo (POLY), 1:54.43
- Junhao Chan (USC), 1:55.10
- Chris O’Grady (USC), 1:55.12
- Max Matteazzi (PITT), 1:55.73
USC fifth-year Ben Dillard dropped the fastest swim of his life in the heats of the men’s 200 breast, holding off Texas’ Will Scholtz in Heat 4 to claim the top seed in 1:52.09.
Dillard, turning in 53.51 at the 100, clocked 1:52.09 to down his previous best of 1:52.44, set back at the 2021 Art Adamson Invite. The swim ranks Dillard 3rd in the NCAA this season.
Scholtz also set a new personal best, touching in 1:52.20 to knock six-tenths off the 1:52.80 mark he set three weeks ago against Indiana.
Texas sophomore Nate Germonprez, fresh off breaking the Program Record in the 100 breast on Thursday, topped the last heat of the men’s 200 breast in a personal best time of 1:52.25, dropping more than a second off his old best of 1:53.60 set against Indiana.
Germonprez notably had the quickest first 100 in the field at 53.13, and was still five one-hundredths faster than Dillard through the 150, setting up an exciting race in the final.
Cal Poly’s Evan Yoo broke 1:55 for the first time to qualify in 5th, clocking 1:54.43 to improve on his 1:55.06 set in December 2023.
WOMEN’S 200 FLY – PRELIMS
- NCAA Record: 1:49.16, Alex Walsh (Virginia) – 2024
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:52.47
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 1:55.88
- Emma Sticklen (TEX), 1:50.90
- Lillie Nordmann (STAN), 1:54.46
- Campbell Stoll (TEX), 1:54.68
- Caroline Bricker (STAN), 1:55.14
- Abby Arens (TEX), 1:55.67
- Angie Coe (TEX), 1:56.01
- Emily Thompson (STAN), 1:56.76
- Sydney Gring (PITT), 1:57.01
Coming off a standout performance in last night’s session with a new best time in the 100 fly and a victory in the 100 back, Texas fifth-year Emma Sticklen continued to show strong form on Friday morning in the women’s 200 fly.
Sticklen had the fastest split in the field on all four 50s, clocking in with a time of 1:50.90 to claim the top seed for the final by three and a half seconds.
- Sticklen’s Splits: 24.97/27.81/28.74/29.38
The 22-year-old has already broken 1:50 twice this season, setting a PB and Texas Record of 1:49.77 against LSU in early October to lead the national rankings.
Stanford senior Lillie Nordmann posted a new season-best time of 1:54.46 to qualify 2nd overall, edging out Campbell Stoll (1:54.68) and Caroline Bricker (1:55.14) in Heat 2.
Stoll raced the event for the first time this season, while Bricker owns a season-best of 1:54.02 set during Stanford’s meet with ASU and Cal.
MEN’S 200 FLY – PRELIMS
- NCAA Record: 1:37.35, Jack Conger (Texas) – 2017
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:40.05
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 1:42.10
- Krzysztof Chmielewski (USC) / Ryan Branon (TEX), 1:41.52
- –
- Logan Walker (TEX), 1:41.87
- Michal Chmielewski (USC), 1:41.90
- Cooper Lucas (TEX), 1:43.01
- Coby Carrozza (TEX), 1:43.40
- Holden Smith (TEX), 1:44.32
- Diego Balbi (USC), 1:44.73
Four men dropped 1:41s during the heats of the 200 fly, which kicked off with Texas’ Ryan Branon and USC’s Michal Chmielewski both setting personal bests in Heat 2.
Branon touched 1st in 1:41.52, lowering his previous best of 1:42.79, and Chmielewski went 1:41.90 to chop .07 off is old best time.
In the next heat, it was Krzysztof Chmielewski matching Branon’s time of 1:41.52, a new season-best and tying the Texas junior for the top seed heading to the final.
In the fourth and final heat, Texas breakout sophomore Logan Walker clocked 1:41.87 for the #3 seed, just shy of the 1:41.70 best time he set three weeks ago against Indiana.
In terms of splitting between the top four, K. Chmielewski was the only one under 48 seconds through the 100 (47.71), while Walker and M. Chmielewski had the best closing speed, both coming home in 26.5s on the last 50.
In the NCAA rankings, all four men crack the top 10, with Branon and K. Chmielewski tying for 6th.
Why did Kos dfs? Is he sick or just done with individual events as he preps for Worlds in a couple of weeks?
Looks like Jackson Huckabay is right on a potential invite time with an 8 second drop to 14:54 in the early 1650 heats.
Love how these schools are swimming lights out week after week, and then there’s Cal!
When Ryan Branon signed with Texas, he was the fastest 200 flyer in his class with a time of 1:44.00. In his first two years at Texas, he plateaud. When Bob Bowman was hired as the head coach, I commented on one of the swimswam articles and said that I hope that he can get Branon back to his peak form and unlock his full potential. In just a few short months, Bowman has done just that. Very happy for Branon, the sky is the limit!
And fun fact, Bowman coached for NBAC and Branon swam for NBAC, but during different time periods. Glad they finally got to link up.
What bowman is doing is pretty insane, also look at Logan Walker in that race. he seems to have dropped 4?! seconds in a few months of training w/ Bob
It doesn’t even make sense to drop close to that from fitness alone. Bob must have some magic technique tips he is dropping on these guys
I’ve wondered that. Is he known as a big technique coach?
Logan Walker has some great results from a couple years ago, but had not approached them in quite some time until the last couple weeks.
At any rate, your observation stands. It’s remarkable.
I’d also venture that in some cases just purely a fresh restart with any new coach can be re-motivating? Not to discredit Bob at all – but that change in scenery can wipe away a lot of built up frustration.
In addition, sometimes swimmers mesh with different coaches. Eddie Reese can be a great coach, but some swimmers may develop better with other coaches. Maybe this is part of it too.
I think athletes often question coach decisions, but it is pretty difficult to question Bowman’s approach with the consistent success his athletes have experienced. I’ll wager these improves are because these athletes are 200% on board and will blindly follow him, rather than just 90% on board.
To put Gretchen Walsh’s 100 fly from last night into context, it would be the top seed this morning in the 100 free ahead of the reigning Olympic silver medalist in the event. Sure, it’s only prelims, and arguably Torri is better at long course 100 free, but it’s still insanely fast.
She’s not far off the 100 Free A Cut swimming butterfly.
Gretchen’s 100 free long course PB is 0.8 seconds slower than Huske’s. Her SCY PB is 1.6 seconds faster. The difference between their long course PBs in the 100 fly is 0.34 seconds, in yards it’s 1.6 seconds. There are a lot of factors at play in LCM vs SCY.
that is true but I suspect her LCM 100 free will start catching up to her fly. She’l get into 52-low territory before she’s done.
Where are the overall point scores?
No scoring at this meet
Love this!
Thank goodness
Videos of A finals from 2nd day Texas Hall of Fame finals can be access here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZwk8r7boJGtLifR57yJAo_h6ygie4RLy I did not record, in error, men’s 100 fly final. I also could not upload womens 400 IM and women’s 200 free videos because I have exceeded youtube daily upload limit. The videos were recorded hand-held with Samsung S23 Ultra.
These are great, thank you!!!
Thank you Tomek!!
Wish poolside can cover this 😔