2025 Minnesota Invite: Day 2 Prelims Live Recap

2025 MINNESOTA INVITE

• December 4-6, 2025
• Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center
• SCY (25 yards)
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Stream
• Live Recaps
  • Prelims: Day 1
  • Finals: Day 1

WOMEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 47.42, Gretchen Walsh (UVA) – 2024
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 52.52
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 51.87

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Kiley Wilhelm (HARV) – 51.87
2. Annie Jia (CAL) – 52.63
3. Morgan Thomas (MINN) – 52.73
4. Lilou Ressencourt (CAL) – 53.00
5. Maria Fernanda Mendez Guerra (UNLV) – 53.40
6. Ava Yablonski (MINN) – 53.42
7. Mia West (CAL) – 53.45
8. Sydney Lu (HARV) – 53.47

Harvard sophomore Kiley Wilhelm, swimming 51.87 to lead prelims by 0.76. Her best time is the 51.07 she swam at the Cary Sectionals in March of 2022. She’s coming off a fourth-place finish in last night’s 200 IM, and she’s set to double up this morning as she’s the fifth seed in the 100 back.

Annie Jia, a freshman for the Golden Bears, stopped the clock at 52.63 to for the second-fastest time of the morning ahead of Minnesota

Jia has been on the cusp of breaking 50-seconds in her career, having produced a personal best of 50.35 at last December’s Winter Junior Championships.

As for the Minnesota junior, she came with a half-second of her personal-best 52.21 from a dual meet versus Wisconsin last month.

The fourth through eighth qualifiers were fairly bunched up as less than half a second separated them. Cal sophomore Mia West, who qualified seventh at 53.45, could be one to move up tonight after posting a lifetime best of 51.93 within the past two months.

MEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 42.80, Caeleb Dressel (FLOR) – 2018
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 46.11
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 45.12

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Lucca Battaglini (CAL) – 45.39
2. Jacob Johnson (MINN) – 45.69
3. Samuel Quarles (CAL) – 46.19
4. Casper Puggaard (CAL) – 46.21
5. Maro Miknic (HARV) – 46.22
6. Sonny Wang (HARV) – 46.29
7. Ian Belflower (UNLV) – 46.89
8. Hamish McLellan (DU) – 46.92

Cal sophomore Lucca Battaglini touched in 45.39 to clear the men’s 100 fly prelims by exactly three tenths. After crushing his first-ever sub-19 swim in the 50 free yesterday, he undercut his 100 fly PB of 46.04 by nearly seven tenths, with a chance to lower it even further in a few hours’ time.

Jacob Johnson, a sophomore at Minnesota, logged 45.69 to represent as the only other swimmer to crack 46 seconds. His best time remains the 45.21 he clocked at prelims of this same meet last year; he’s the defending champion as he went on to hit 45.44 to win the final.

Third through sixth are within a tenth of each other, creating an exciting battle tonight, while seventh through 11th were separated by six hundredths of a second with three sub-47 swimmers relegated to the ‘B’ final.

WOMEN’S 400 IM – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 3:54.60, Ella Eastin (STAN) – 2018
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 4:13.20
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 4:09.53

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Kathryn Hazle (CAL) – 4:12.24
2. Teagan O’Dell (CAL) – 4:14.19
3. Alexa McDevitt (CAL) – 4:14.40
4. Grace Drabot (MINN) – 4:14.87
5. Katie McCarthy (MINN) – 4:15.17
6. Alexandra Bastone (HARV) – 4:17.46
7. Sabrina Rachjaibun (DU) – 4:18.67
8. Grace Wharton (UNLV) – 4:18.88

Kathryn Hazle has a comfortable lead on the rest of the women’s 400 IM field. She cruised to a season-best 4:12.24 to win her heat in the fastest time of the morning. She will be flanked by a pair of Bear teammates in the final as freshmen Teagan O’Dell (4:14.19) and Alexa McDevitt (4:14.40) are about two seconds back.

O’Dell won the 200 IM last night in 1:54.49, within a second of her PB, and given that she’s been 4:07.94 so far this season in the 400 IM, she’ll start as the favorite.

The women in the 400 IM ‘A’ final are tightly bunched through the top five, with Minnesota’s Grace Drabot (4:14.87) and Katie McCarthy rounding out the group in fourth and fifth. There’s a significant drop-off after that, as sixth qualifier, Harvard’s Alexandra Bastone, was over two and a half seconds back at 4:17.46.

Sabrina Rachtjaibun is Denver’s first ‘A’ finalist of the day; she swam 4:18.67 to qualify in seventh.

UNLV’s Grace Wharton rounded out the top eight at 4:18.88.

MEN’S 400 IM – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 3:28.82, Leon Marchand (ASU) – 2023
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 3:46.19
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 3:41.6

Top 8 Qualifiers: 

1. Ryan Erisman (CAL) – 3:42.87
2. Freddy Klein (CAL) – 3:45.36
3. Ian Platts-Mills (CAL) – 3:49.30
4. Humberto Najera (CAL) – 3:52.21
5. Eric Lee (HARV) – 3:53.22
6. Norvin Clontz (CAL) – 3:53.33
7. Richard Poplawski (HARV) – 3:53.68
8. Joe Polyak (MINN) – 3:53.98

Just like in the women’s 400 IM, the Cal Bears dominated, but the men led all four top spots heading into the final. Freshman Ryan Erisman posted the fastest time of the morning at 3:42.87, while Freddy Klein (3:45.36) and Ian Platts-Mills (3:49.30) were the only other two to join him under the 3:50 barrier.

Huberto Najera was the fourth fastest qualifier at 3:52.21, and the Bears made it five in the final with Norvin Clontz‘s 3:53.33 to advance sixth.

Harvard will be represented by both Eric Lee (3:53.22) and Richard Poplawski (3:53.68), while Minnesota’s Joe Polyak slid under 3:54 in eighth at 3:53.98.

Erisman won the 500 free last night, dropping over two seconds from his PB, and continued that momentum here with a 2.01-second drop. He set his previous best at the Triton Invitational in early October, so the 18-year-old hasn’t skipped a beat after nearly making the U.S. Worlds team this past June.

WOMEN’S 200 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 1:39.10, Missy Franklin (CAL) – 2015
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 1:45.53
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 1:44.74

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Claire Weinstein (CAL) – 1:45.45
2. Ava Chavez (CAL) – 1:45.85
3. Ella Cosgrove (CAL) – 1:46.27
4. Erika Carlson (UNLV) – 1:46.46
5. Mia West (CAL) – 1:46.80
6. Anja Kaljevic (MINN) – 1:47.39
7. Alexandra Bastone (HARV) – 1:47.46
8. Carolina Daher (HARV) – 1:48.04

Last night’s 500 free winner, Claire Weinstein, won the final heat of the women’s 200 freestyle in 1:45.45, which edged out her teammate Ava Chavez for lane four in tonight’s ‘A’ final. Chavez had a promising swim in the 200 IM yesterday, coming within a tenth of her personal best time. She wasn’t as close to her personal best in the 200 free this morning, but her 1:45.85 puts her in a position to chase her 1:44.24 best in the final.

Weinstein was about three seconds off her season-best 1:42.52, and over four off her lifetime marker of 1:41.10, but given she produced a season best to win Thursday’s 500, a time between those two numbers could be on the cards.

Golden Bear Ella Cosgrove and UNLV’s Erika Carlson will both swim in the ‘A’ final. Cosgrove qualified third with a 1:46.27, just about two-tenths ahead of Carlson (1:46.46). Meanwhile, Mia West was in the water for the second time this morning; she logged 1:46.80 to safely move through ranked fifth.

Anja Kaljevic (1:47.39) of Minnesota, along with the Harvard duo of Alexandra Bastone (1:47.46) and Caroline Daher (1:48.04), will also feature in tonight’s championship heat.

MEN’S 200 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 1:28.33, Luke Hobson (TEX) – 2025
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 1:33.93
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 1:32.27

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Keaton Jones (CAL) – 1:34.26
2. Nans Mazellier (CAL) – 1:34.85
3. Thackston McMullan (CAL) – 1:35.88
4. David Greeley (HARV) – 1:36.29
5. Daniel Eichel (MINN) – 1:36.78
6. Marre Gattnar (HARV) – 1:36.86
7. Nathan Wiffen (CAL) – 1:37.21
8. Colby Raffel (UNLV) – 1:37.31

Cal was all over this event as well, putting another four swimmers in the ‘A’ final. Junior Keaton Jones was the fastest this morning, putting up a season-best 1:34.26, while Nans Mazellier was right behind him with a 1:34.85. Thackston McMullan rounded out a Bears 1-2-3 prelim sweep, clocking the only other time under 1:36 at 1:35.88.

Irish-native Nathan Wiffen was the fourth Cal rep to make the ‘A’ final, swimming a 2.12-second PB of 1:37.21 to advance.

Harvard’s David Greeley (1:36.29) and Marre Gattnar (1:36.86) swam under 1:37 to advance in fourth and sixth, while Minnesota’s Daniel Eichel (1:36.78) did the same to move through in fifth.

Colby Raffel of UNLV was the final qualifier, securing lane eight with his season-best 1:37.31.

That time was the cutoff to make the top eight, and three additional swimmers who broke 1:38 are on the outside looking in and will line up for the consolation final tonight.

WOMEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 55.73, Lilly King (IU) – 2019
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 1:00.30
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 59.51

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Silje Slyngstadli (CAL) – 59.52
2. Elle Scott (CAL) – 59.96
3. Abigail Herscu (CAL) – 1:01.33
4. Aliana Markakovic (HARV) – 1:01.34
5. Georgia Kahler (MINN) – 1:01.88
6. Arielle Brotman (CAL) – 1:02.16
7. Emma Fellman (MINN) – 1:02.48
8. Ava Goodno (MINN) – 1:02.51

MEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 49.51, Julian Smith (FLOR) – 2025
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 52.58
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 51.58

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Yamato Okadome (CAL) – 51.67
2. Zachary Tan (CAL) – 52.15
3. Luca Gissendaner (CAL) – 52.53
4. Hank Rivers (CAL) – 52.71
5. Kito Campbell (DU) – 52.91
6. Ty Schneider (UNLV) – 53.93
7. Joshua Chen (HARV) – 53.97
8. Lars Antoniak (CAL) – 54.03

Cal’s Yamato Okadome was the sole swimmer to break the 52-second barrier in the men’s 100 breaststroke prelims. The sophomore touched in 51.67, four-tenths ahead of teammate Zachary Tan. Okadome had a strong final 50 this morning; he was out in 24.16 and then came home in 27.51, despite visibly appearing to shut things down with about 10-yards to go.

Okadome’s best time remains the 50.62 he produced at last season’s NCAA Championships, where he finished seventh.

Luca Gissendaner‘s 52.53 rounded out the top three, and his Cal teammate Hank Rivers joined him under 53 at 52.71. Denver’s Kito Campbell (52.91) was the final man to dip under the 53-second barrier.

It took a time of 54.03 to make the top eight and qualify for the ‘A’ final in one of the most deep events we’ve seen so far.

WOMEN’S 100 BACKSTROKE – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 48.10, Gretchen Walsh (UVA) – 2024
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 52.65
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 51.68

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Mary-Ambre Moluh (CAL) – 51.47
2. Kiley Wilhelm (HARV) – 52.67
3. Anya Mostek (HARV) – 52.78
4. Ava Yablonski (MINN) – 53.16
5. Halayna Montrichard (UNLV) – 53.68
6. Kamdyn Periat (MINN) – 53.70
7. Teagan O’Dell (CAL) – 54.00
8. Finley Anderson (CAL) – 54.25

Cal sophomore Mary-Ambre Moluh was dominant in the women’s 100 back prelims, putting up a 51.47 to earn the top seed for tonight’s final by more than a second. She negative split the race this morning, opening in 25.87 before blasting home in 25.60.

The France-native holds a career best of 49.68, which she swam to win the final of this meet last year.

The Harvard duo of Kiley Wilhelm (52.67) and Anya Mostek (52.78) advanced second and third, representing the only other swimmers to break 53.

MEN’S 100 BACKSTROKE – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 43.20, Hubert Kos (TEX) – 2025
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 46.29
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 45.26

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Evan Petty (CAL) – 45.82
2. Casper Puggaard (CAL) – 46.54
3. Kenneth Barnicle (CAL) – 47.08
4. Tommy Roder (CAL) & Davide Harabagiu (MINN) – 47.26
5. Ethan Kosin (MINN) – 47.78
6. Ryan Slonac (MINN) – 47.84
7. Adriano Arioti (HARV) – 47.92

Cal’s Evan Petty posted a 45.82 in the 100 back this morning, leading the field by almost a second. He was the only swimmer in the field to finish under 46 seconds. Petty opened in 22.35 before closing in 23.47.

His first-year teammate, Casper Puggaard, logged 46.54 to represent as the only other to crack 47 seconds. More known as a butterflier, the Denmark-native also qualified fourth in the 100 fly.

The Golden Bears’ Kenneth Barnicle (47.08) was next quickest, while Tommy Roder tied Minnesota’s Davide Harabagiu at 47.26. Harabagiu led a trio of Gophers into the ‘A’ final.

You had to break 48 seconds to make the top eight.