2024 Wolfpack Elite Invite: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2024 Wolfpack Elite Invite

• November 21-23, 2024
• Greensboro Aquatic Center – Greensboro, NC
• 9:30 am ET prelims/5:30 pm ET finals
• Participating teams: Arizona, Arizona State, Army West Point, Duke, NC State (host), Northwestern, Virginia Tech
• Live Results: “2024 Wolfpack Elite GAC Invitational” on Meet Mobile
• Live Results
• Live Stream
• Day 1 Prelims Recap | Day 1 Finals Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Recap

Day 2 finals of the Wolfpack Elite Invite start at 5:30 pm Eastern time with the 200 medley relays.

This morning’s prelims session for the women was spotlighted by NC State Freshman Leah Shackley earning the top qualifying position in two events, the 100 fly and the 100 back. Shackley has made a splash already in her freshman season, and came into the week as one of the top-5 swimmers this season in both the 100 fly and the 100 back.

On the men’s side of things ASU’s Ilya Kharun earned the top qualifying spot in the men’s 100 fly, followed closely by Virginia Tech’s Youssef Ramadan. Ramadan also qualified for the A final in the 100 backstroke, winning the prelims event by over half a second.

The meet will be opened and closed by two relays, the 200 medley, and the 800 free. The NC State women, and the ASU men won both sets of relays last night, and they are poised to do the same this evening, with ASU qualifying 4 men into the 200 freestyle final, and the NC state women qualifying two.

WOMEN’S 200 MEDLEY RELAY- TIMED FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:31.73, Virginia- 2023
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:36.24
• 2025 NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 1:36.76

Top 5 Teams:

1. ASU ‘A’- 1:35.78 A
2. NC State ‘A’- 1:36.22 A
3. Virginia Tech ‘A’- 1:38.30
4. NC State ‘B’- 1:39.15
5. ASU ‘B’- 1:39.59

The women’s relay champion came down to the wire. NC State and Duke were locked in a battle for most of the race with ASU just a few tenths back, but at the end ASU’s Caroline Bentz blasted past the other two swimmers to go 21.27 on the freestyle leg and win the event.

The other ASU swimmers had strong swims throughout to put themselves in contention. Miriam Sheehan was 24.42 on the backstroke. Iza Adame swam the breaststroke leg in 27.08, and Julia Ullmann swam butterfly at 23.01. They also set a new team record in the event with their final time of 1:35.78

NC State’s swimmer Erika Pelaez led off at 24.10 on the backstroke. Aubree Brouwer went 27.24 on the breaststroke, just slower than Adame’s 27.08, and Leah Shackley went the exact same time as the ASU butterflyer at 23.01. Their freestyler was unable to hold Bentz off however, at 21.87.

The Duke women were originally 3rd in the event, right on the heels of NC state, but were disqualified for an early takeoff by anchor swimmer Tatum Wall, giving 3rd place to Virginia Tech.

MEN’S 200 MEDLEY RELAY- TIMED FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:20.15, Florida- 2024
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:23.62
• 2025 NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 1:23.90

Top 5 Teams:

1. ASU ‘A’- 1:21.63 A
2. NC State ‘A’- 1:23.12 A
3. Virginia Tech ‘A’- 1:24.49
4. ASU ‘B’- 1:24.85
5. Army West Point ‘A’- 1:25.28

The ASU men won the two relays last night, and started tonight in the same format, winning the men’s 200 medley relay by a second and a half. Lucien Vergnes led off the Sun Devils with 21.01 on the backstroke leg. Andy Dobrzanski swam the breaststroke leg at 23.55, and Jonny Kulow was 18.18 on freestyle, just about 3 tenths off his time on this relay NCAAs last year.

The story of the relay comes from the fly leg, though. Ilya Kharun swam the fly leg in 18.89. This is the fastest 50-yard fly split in history, surpassing Jordan Crooks’ 18.90 from the 2023 SECs. On this relay last year, when the Sun Devils placed second, Kharun was over half a second slower at 19.47.

The NC State men placed second, earning the NCAA A cut in the process. Hudson Williams led off the backstroke in 21.15. Sam Hoover went second with 23.47 on the breaststroke. Luke MIller was 19.89 on the fly, and Jerry Fox went 18.91 on the freestyle.

WOMEN’S 400 IM – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 3:54.60, Ella Eastin (STAN) – 2018
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 4:03.62
• 2025 NCAA “B’ Cut: 4:16.78
• 2024 NCAA Cutline: 4:10.74

1. Lisa Nystrand (NCS)- 4:09.03 B
2. Charli Brown (ASU)- 4:11.52 B
3. Sonia Vaishnani (ASU)- 4:13.87 B
4. Kyra Sommerstad (DUKE)- 4:14.26 B
5. Martina Peroni (DUKE)- 4;14.45 B
6. Ella Guilfoil (ASU)- 4:16.79
7. Audrey Portello (DUKE)- 4:17.24
8. Caroline Sheble (NCS)- 4:19.07

Lisa Nystrand took the women’s 400 IM for NC State in an NCAA B cut time of 4:09.03. Nystrand was second last night in the 200 IM, but won the 400 in decisive fashion, beating second place Charli Brown by 2 and a half seconds. Nystrand was out first after the fly with her opening split of 56.39. Nystrand’s splits were faster than almost everyone else in everything except backstroke, where she fell somewhere in the middle. She picked up the most ground on her breaststroke where she spit a 1:09.55 compared to the next fastest split of 1:12.63 from 3rd place Sonia Vaishnani from ASU.

• Nystrand’s splits: 56.39/1:03.68/1:09.55/59.41

Second place went to ASU’S Charli Brown at 4:11.52. Brown had the fastest freestyle leg at 57.98 to help her stay in 2nd over Vaishnani’s 1:00.28. The two women were separated by 5 one hundredths of a second at the 300 mark.

• Brown’s splits: 56.88/1:03.87/1:12.79/57.98

MEN’S 400 IM – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 3:28.82, Leon Marchand (ASU) – 2023
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 3:38.37
• 2025 NCAA “B’ Cut: 3:49.53
• 2024 NCAA Cutline: 3:42.93

1. Kyle Ponsler (NCS)- 3:41.61 B
2. Michael Hochwalt (ASU)- 3:42.12 B
3. Daniel Diehl (NCS)- 3:44.64 B
4. Diego Nosack (NU)- 3:45.11 B
5. Charllie Bufton (NCS)- 3:45.37 B
6. Owen LLoyd (NCS)- 3:45.59 B
7. Daniel Matheson (ASU)- 3:45.91 B
8. Simon Bermudez (NCS)- 3:49.43 B

NC State won both IM events, as the men’s event went to Kyle Ponsler. Ponsler went 3:41.61 to win the event by just over half a second. Ponsler was out in second in the butterfly behind ASU’s Michael Hochwalt by two tenths of a second. Ponsler made up quite a bit of time on the backstroke, turning slightly more than 5 tenths ahead of Hochwalt.

Hochwalt picked up a smidge on the breaststroke, finishing that leg only 3 tenths behind. Ponsler’s first 50 freestyle was just enough to stay ahead of Hochwalt with Ponsler going 26.57 to Hochwalt at 26.87. Hockwalt’s last 50 was about a tenth faster than Ponslers, but it wasn’t enough to catch him.

• Ponsler’s splits- 50.42/55.86/1:03.42/51.91
• Hochwalt’s splits- 50.22/56.58/1:03.20/52.12

WOMEN’S 100 FLY – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 47.35, Gretchen Walsh (UVA)- 2024
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 50.52
• 2025 NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 53.34
• 2024 NCAA Cutline: 51.88

1. Leah Shackley (NCS)- 51.43 B
2. Julia Ullmann (ASU)- 51.65 B
3. Erika Pelaez (NCS)- 51.81 B
4. Nikki Venema (NU)- 53.07 B
5. Lily Christianson (NCS)- 53.10 B
6. Athena Menees Kovacs (VT)- 53.12 B
7. Emily Claesson (VT)- 54.05
8. Molly Donlan (Duke)- 54.14

The women’s 100 fly was a podium of freshman. Standout swimmer from NC State, Leah Shackley, won her first individual event of the week at 51.43 in the 100 backstroke. Shackley touched just two tenths ahead of fellow freshman, ASU swimmer Julia Ullmann. This is off the best time Shackley set in March of 2024, where she went 50.29. She has been as fast as 51.08 this season.

Ullmann earned a new best time in her second place finish of 51.65. This bested the 52.05 she set earlier this year at a tri meet with Cal and Stanford. Ullmann was out just a hair faster than Shackley at 24.06 to Shackley’s 24.10, but Shackley was almost 3 tenths faster on the second 50, going 27.33 to Ullmann’s 27.59. Ullman’s time was also a new ASU record in the event.

3rd went to NC State’s Erika Pelaez, who rounded out the all-freshman podium. Pelaez’s 51.81 was a new best time for her, beating the 50.02 she went last December.

MEN’S 100 FLY – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 42.80, Caeleb Dressel (FLOR) – 2018
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 44.51
• 2025 NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 46.80
• 2024 NCAA Cutline: 45.37

1. Ilyha Kharun (ASU)- 43.85 A
2. Luke Miller (NCS)- 44.86 B
3. Haakon Naughton (UA)- 45.27 B
4. Filip Sen-Samardzic (ASU)- 45.35 B
5. Youssef Ramadan (ASU)- 45.62 B
6. Tommy Palmer (ASU)- 45.71 B
7. William Hayon (VT)- 46.19 B
8. Mario Molla Yannes (VT)- 46.29 B

Kharun set a new best time in the 100 fly, which was good enough to win, and earn him the #8 spot in the all-time rankings. Kharun was out fast with a 20.38 on his opening 50, and then turned around and went a 23.47 on his second 50. Both 50s were at least 5 tenths faster than second place swimmer Luke Miller from NC state. Kharun’s 43.85 was also a new school record swim for ASU.

Luke Miller from NC State placed second in the event a 44.86 to earn him a ‘B’ cut in the event. He is also well under last year’s invite time of 45.37. Miller went 43.90 at last year’s NCAA championships in pursuit of bronze. For reference, Kharun was 5th at 44.26.

Haakon Naughton from the University of Arizona was 3rd at 45.27. This was an 8 tenth best time for Naughton who’s previous best was 46.01 from last year’s Pac-12s.

WOMEN’S 200 FREE – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:39.10, Missy Franklin (CAL) – 2015
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:42.60
• 2025 NCAA “B’ Cut: 1:46.85
• 2024 NCAA Cutline: 1:44.80

1. Emma Atkinson (VT)- 1:45.57 B
2. Annabel Crush (NCS)- 1:46.12 B
3. Alexa Reyna (ASU)- 1:47.09
4. Tatum Wall (DUKE)- 1:47.27
5. Sydney Smith (NU)- 1:47.29
6. Yi Xuan Chang (DUKE)- 1:47.56
7. Grace Monahan (NCS)- 1:47.66
8. Emily Claesson (VT)- 1:49.42

Emma Atkinson won the women’s 200 freestyle for Virginia tech with an NCAA B cut of 1:45.57. The whole heat was out fast, but all fell off pretty hard. Atkinson had a last 50 of 27.24, which like many of the other swimmers in the final, was her slowest 50. Her other 50s were 25.00/26.58/26.75.

Annabel Crush of NC State earned the second spot with the only other B cut in the event at 1:46.12. Crush had a faster first 50 than Atkinson, but dropped into the 27 range sooner to have splits of 24.47/26.58/26.75/27.40

ASU swimmer Alexa Reyna was the final podium finisher with her 1:47.09. Her last 50 was not her slowest, but her second slowest after her 3rd 50. She was also out the slowest of the 3 girls, just barely. Her opening 50 was 25.03, and she finished it out with 27.07/27.60/27.39.

MEN’S 200 FREE – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:28.81, Luke Hobson (TEX) – 2024
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:31.21
• 2025 NCAA “B’ Cut: 1:35.35
• 2024 NCAA Cutline: 1:32.93

1. Kaii Winkler (NCS)- 1:32.79 B
2. Tiago Behar (ASU)- 1:33.07 B
3. Jonny Kulow (ASU)- 1:33.81 B
4. Patrick Sammon (ASU)- 1:33.86 B
5. Lars Kuljus (1:34.57)- 1:34.57 B
6. Quin Seider (ASU)- 1:34.59 B
7. Chase Mueller (NCS)- 1:35.02 B
8. Jerry Fox (NCS)- 1:35.90

Kaii Winkler won the men’s 200 freestyle in 1:32.79, just under last year’s cutline in the event. Winkler was 2nd at the first 50, but quickly moved into first and stayed there for the rest of the race. The freshman was just off his bet time of 1:32.68 from his high school state meet last Novemeber. 

Tiago Behar of ASU swam an incredibly consistent 200 freestyle for second. His 2nd, 3rd, and 4th 50s were all within 5 one-hundredths of a second of each other. He was out 21.49, and then went 23.88/23.87/23.88. Behar was just off his best of 1:32.86 from NCAAs last year. Behar’s splits were not quite so consistent at that meet, but were still all within 3 tenths of one another.

Jonny Kulow from ASU took 3rd at 1:33.81. Kulow took it out fast, and had a difficult final 50, going over a second slower from his 3rd to 4th 50s. He came in at 24.01 on his 3rd 50, and was a 25.27 to finish the race out in 3rd, and beat teammate Patrick Sammon by 0.05.

WOMEN’S 100 BREAST – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 55.73, Lilly King (IU) – 2019
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 58.01
• 2025 NCAA “B’ Cut: 1:01.22
• 2024 NCAA Cutline: 59.75

1. Kaelyn Gridley (DUKE)- 58.59 B
2. Iza Adame (ASU)- 1:00.37 B
3. Aubree Brouwer (NCS)- 1:00.43 B
4. Eleni Gewalt (UA)- 1:00.46 B
5. Emma Gehlert (ASU)- 1:00.55 B
6. Lily Christianson (NCS)- 1:01.25
7. Zoe Summar (ASU)- 1:01.62
8. Nichelly Brano Lysy (VT)- 1:01.84

Duke’s Kaelyn Gridley won the women’s 100 breaststroke with a final time of 58.59. This was a new personal best for her by nine one-hundredths, beating the 58.68 she set at a dual meet in October vs South Carolina.

ASU’s Iza Adame went 1:00.37, which is just off her best time of 1:00.20 from a tri-meet with Cal and Stanford earlier this month.

NC State swimmer Aubree Brouwer rounded out the top 3 at 1:00.43. Brouwer has been under the 1:00 mark before, and her best time stands at 59.37 from December of 2021. Today’s swim was the fastest she has been since February of 2023.

MEN’S 100 BREAST – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 49.53, Liam Bell (CAL) – 2024
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 51.02
• 2025 NCAA “B’ Cut: 53.43
• 2024 NCAA Cutline: 51.89

1. Carles Coll Marti (VT)- 51.10 B
2. Andy Dobrzanski (ASU)- 52.39 B
3. Sam Hoover (NCS)- 52.40 B
4. Arsen Kozhakmetov (NCS)- 52.54 B
5. Tavner Wisdom (UA)- 52.79 B
6. Tyler Lu (NU)- 52.99 B
7. Daniel Young (UA)- 53.38 B
8. Kohen Rankin (ARMY)- 53.40 B

Carles Coll Marti won the men’s 100 breaststroke for Virginia tech, just 8 one-hundredths away from the NCAA A cut in the event. His final time of 51.10 was just off his best time of 50.95 from the ACC Championships in February of this year. He won the event by over a second, and set a season best time in the process.

ASU’s Andy Dobrzanski placed 2nd at 52.39. He has been 51.92 this season at the tri-meet with Cal and Stanford a few weeks ago.

Sam Hoover from NC State placed 3rd at 52.40.

WOMEN’S 100 BACK – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 48.10, Gretchen Walsh (UVA) – 2024
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 50.66
• 2025 NCAA “B’ Cut: 53.53
• 2024 NCAA Cutline: 52.28

1. Leah Shackley (NCS)- 50.95 B
2. Ali Pfaff (DUKE)- 51.50 B
3. Carmen Weiler Sastre (VT)- 51.94 B
4. Caroline Bentz (ASU)- 52.39 B
5. Molly Donlan (DUKE)/ Clare Logan (DUKE)– 54.06
6.  —
7. Athena Meneses Kovacs (VT)- 54.21
8. Janika Perezous (VT)- 55.59

Leah Shackley won her second event of the night in the women’s 100 backstroke. Her 50.95 was just 3 tenths away from the NCAA A cut in the event. Shackley’s best time in the event if 50.22 comes from earlier in the season at a dual meet with UGA

Ali Pfaff got second at 51.51. This was a new best time for her, beating the 52.65 mark she set at last year’s NCAA Championships

Carmen Weiler Sastre from Virginia eEch took third in the event. her 51.94 beats the 52.17 she set at the my SMU Classic earlier this season.

MEN’S 100 BACK – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 43.35, Luca Urlando (UGA) – 2022
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 44.48
• 2025 NCAA “B’ Cut: 47.16
• 2024 NCAA Cutline: 45.56

1. Johnny Crush (ARMY)- 45.08 B
2. Youssef Ramadan (VT)- 45.76 B
3. Hudson Williams (NCS)- 46.15 B
4. Lucien Vergnes (ASU)- 46.27 B
5. Stuart Seymour (NU)- 46.43 B
6. Jack Wadsworth (ASU)- 46.66 B
7. Jono Adam (ASU)- 46.92 B
8. Ryan Hardy (UA)- 47.32

Army West Point’s Jonny Crush won the final of the men’s 100 backstroke in 45.08. This mark sets a new record for the Black Knights, which was his own from the 400 medley relay last night. It is also the #4 mid-major 100 backstroke of all-time.

Youssef Ramadan took second for Virginia Tech at 45.76. Ramadan set his best time of 44.79 at ACCs in 2023, and he has been as fast as 45.75 this season at the SMU classic.

Hudson Williams of NC State was the last podium finisher with a final time of 46.15. Williams has a best time of 45.28 from last year’s ACC’s and was just off his season best of 45.98 from a dual meet with Georgia earlier this month.

WOMEN’S 800 FREE RELAY – TIMED FINAL

• NCAA Record: 6:45.91, Stanford – 2018
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 7:00.86
• 2025 NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 7:05.56

Top 5:

1. NC State ‘A’- 7:05.39 B
2. ASU ‘A’- 7:09.91
3. ASU ‘B’- 7:13.96
4. Arizona ‘A’- 7:15.41
5. Northwestern ‘A’- 7:17.97

NC State and ASU were locked in a fierce battle through the first 600 of this race, which might be surprising based on final times. NC State lead off swimmer Kennedy Noble went 1:47.13 to beat ASU leadoff Alexa Reyna at 1:48.25 to the wall.

On the second leg, ASU’s Charli Brown blasted a split of 1:45.83 to take the lead for the Sun Devils over Annabel Crush‘s 1:47.46 by just over 5 tenths.

The third leg went back to an NC State lead with Katherine Helms splitting a 1:46.67 for the Wolfpack. This was enough to take the lead by over ASU’s Sonia Vaishnani who split 1:48.40.

The fourth leg is where the 4 second win happened for NC State. Freshman Erika Pelaez went a 1:44.13 to bring the relay home for NC State and to best ASU’s Elli Straume‘s 1:47.43.

MEN’S 800 FREE RELAY – TIMED FINAL

• NCAA Record: 6:02.26, Cal – 2024
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 6:15.80
• 2025 NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 6:18.42

Top 5 Teams:

1. University of Arizona ‘A’- 6:13.31 A
2. NC State ‘A’- 6:18.40 B
3. ASU ‘B’- 6:30.44
4. Northwestern ‘A’- 6:34.17
5. Duke ‘A’- 6:36.76

The Arizona men took 1st overall in the 800 freestyle relay, beating 2nd place NC State by 5 seconds. Ralph Daleiden Ciuferri went first in 1:32.17. Tomas Lukminas swam 2nd at 1:32.79. The third leg was Lars Kuljus was 1:33.72, and Miles Bottal went 4th in 1:34.63.

NC State took second, just two one hundredths under the NCAA ‘B’ cut in 6:18.40. Their team consisted of Daniel Diehl at first in 1:33.00, Chase Mueller went second in 1:34.04, Kyle Ponsler swam 1:35.29 on the 3rd leg, and Aidan Fuller went 4th in 1:36.07.

The ASU A relay got disqualified for an early takeoff from Quin Seider, who jumped in at the 150 mark of the 200.

TEAM SCORES AFTER DAY 3

Women’s:

• NC State: 1,201
• ASU: 1,182
• Duke: 922
• Virginia Tech: 865
• Northwestern: 696.5
• Arizona: 539.5
• Army West Point: 290
• East Carolina: 121

Men’s 

• ASU: 1,344.5
• NC State 1,225
• Virginia Tech: 887
• Arizona: 659
• Duke: 554
• Northwestern: 529.5
• Army West Point: 399

Combined Team Scores

• ASU: 2,526.5
• NC State: 2,426
• Virginia Tech: 1,752
• Duke: 1,476
• Northwestern: 1,226
• Arizona: 1,198.5
• Army West Point: 689