2020 UNC Invite Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2020 Janis Hape Dowd Invitational

• Thursday, December 3-Saturday, December 5
• Teams: University of North Carolina, NC State, Virginia Tech, Duke, Wolfpack Elite
• Koury Natatorium, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
• Format: Short Course Yards (SCY)
• Prelims/Finals
• Prelims @9AM Central, Finals @5PM Central
• 2021 NCAA Qualifying Times
• Results on Meet Mobile: “UNC ‘Janis Hape Dowd’ Invitational”

The 2020 Janis Dowd Invite, hosted by UNC, continues tonight in Chapel Hill, with the 200 medley relays, 400 IM, 200 free, 100 back, 100 breast, and 800 free relays.

Based on this morning’s results, the 100 back should be the marquee individual events for both the women and the men. NC State sophomore Katharine Berkoff busted out a 50.9 this morning after going 50.47 on the 400 medley relay. Meanwhile, former NC State star Coleman Stewart celebrated his return from the ISL by throwing a down a 44.30. If he was holding anything back in prelims, his lifetime best of 43.98 could be in danger.

Women’s 200 Medley Relay

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 1:36.40
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 1:37.05

Top 3:

1. NC State ‘A’ – 1:34.86
2. UNC ‘A’ – 1:37.69
3. Virginia Tech ‘A’ – 1:38.99

The Wolfpack women kicked off the night by popping off the 2nd-fastest swim in the nation so far this season. Katharine Berkoff led off in 23.60, which appears to move her into the #10 all-time in the 50 back, although the rankings are a bit sketchy for the 50 stroke event. Andrea Podmaníková  (27.22), Sirena Rowe (22.79) and Kylee Alons (21.25) combined to win by nearly three seconds.

UNC’s ‘A’ team touched 2nd in 1:37.69, with Allie Reiter‘s 27.54 breaststroke split and Heidi Lowe‘s 21.97 anchor standing out. Virginia Tech held off NC State’s B team to take 3rd in 1:38.99. Duke’s A team was DQ’d.

Men’s 200 Medley Relay

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 1:24.30
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 1:24.97

Top 3:

1. UNC ‘A’ – 1:24.46
2. NC State ‘A’ – 1:25.51
3. Virginia Tech ‘A’ – 1:25.61

In something that hasn’t happened too often over the last few years, the Tar Heel men beat the Wolfpack by nearly a second in this relay. Tyler Hill led off in a 21.30, Valdas Abalikšta spilt 23.60 on breast, Boyd Poelke went 20.75 on fly, and Jack Messenger anchored in a strong 18.81. Their time of 1:24.46 appears to be a new UNC record, breaking the previous record of 1:24.70 from 2016. Pending results from other meets this weekend, UNC now sits at #4 in the nation so far this season.

NC State, which is missing a lot of international star power, took 2nd in 1:25.51, Luke Sobolewski‘s 20.34 fly split standing out. Virginia Tech got similar splits to NC State across the board, including a 20.38 fly split by Youssef Ramadan, en route to a 1:25.61 finish.

Women’s 400 IM

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 4:03.62
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 4:17.30
• 2020 Invite Time: 4:10.39

Top 3:

1. Reka Gyorgy (Virginia Tech) – 4:09.34
2. Emma Muzzy (NC State) – 4:09.41
3. Yara Hierath (NC State) – 4:12.14

Virginia Tech’s Réka Gyorgy held off a late charge from NC State’s Emma Muzzy to take the win, 4:09.34 to 4:09.41. Gyorgy has been 4:04 in this event, while Muzzy has been 4:05, so both swimmers should have more to show come ACCs. Both women were under last year’s NCAA invite time. Muzzy’s teammate Yara Hierath took 3rd in 4:12.14, which appears to be a new personal best for her by nearly six seconds.

Men’s 400 IM

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 3:39.46
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 3:51.46
• 2020 Invite Time: 3:44.36

Top 3:

1. Mikey Moore (NC State) – 3:45.12
2. Conall Monahan (NC State) – 3:49.66
3. Filippo Del Maso (Virginia Tech) – 3:50.41

NC State freshman Mikey Moore (also known as Michael) knocked nearly four seconds off of his lifetime to best to take the win here in 3:45.12. That puts him within a second of what it took to get a NCAA invite in this event last season. Freshman teammate Conall Monahan was just a hair off of his lifetime best to take 2nd in 3:49.66. Virginia Tech’s Filippo Dal Maso was 3rd in 3:50.41. Del Maso was 5th at last year’s ACCs with a time of 3:45.75.

Women’s 200 Free

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 1:42.98
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 1:47.12
• 2020 Invite Time: 1:45.23

Top 3:

1. Quinn Scannell (Duke) – 1:47.45
2. Amy Dragelin (UNC) – 1:47.48
3. Sarah Shackelford (Virginia Tech) – 1:47.52

We got a barnburner here, as the top three women all finished within a scant 0.07s of each other. Duke’s Quinn Scannell went out in under 52, and held off the rest of the field to win in 1:47.45, setting a new lifetime best by 0.09s.

UNC’s Amy Dragelin and Virginia Tech’s Sarah Shackelford both came home hard, but neither one could quite get past Scannell, as Dragelin took 2nd in 1:47.48 and Shackelford 3rd in 1:47.52. That’s a new personal best for Dragelin by three-tenths of a second, while that’s Shackelford’s 2nd-best time ever.

Men’s 200 Free

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 1:32.05
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 1:36.32
• 2020 Invite Time: 1:34.07

Top 3:

1. Michael Chadwick (Unattached) – 1:34.38
2. Blake Manoff (Virginia Tech) 1:34.46
3. Tomas Sungalia (UNC) – 1:34.70

Pro Michael Chadwick, who’s training at North Carolina, took the win with a 1:34.38, tied for his 4th-fastest time ever. Among current college swimmers, Virginia Tech junior Blake Manoff touched first with a 1:34.46, less than a second off of his personal best from February. UNC’s Tomas Sungalia, last season’s 3rd-place finisher at ACCs, also took 3rd here tonight with a 1:34.70.

Women’s 100 Breast

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 58.60
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 1:01.84
• 2020 Invite Time: 59.98

Top 3:

1. Andrea Podmanikova (NC State) – 59.28
2. Olivia Calegan (NC State) – 1:00.02
3. Abby Arens (NC State) – 1:00.12

After being locked out of the podium in the 200 free, the Wolfpack women returned to sweep the top four spots in this event. Andrea Podmanikova led the way in 59.28, setting her first lifetime best since she went 59.69 back in the fall of 2018. She was the only women under a minute, as teammates Olivia Calegan and Abby Arens dueled it out for 2nd, with Calegan touching first, 1:00.02 to 1:00.12.

Men’s 100 Breast

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 51.67
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 54.27
• 2020 Invite Time: 52.46

Top 3:

1. Valdas Abaliksta (UNC) – 52.56
2. Jack Moranetz (NC State) – 53.40
3. Jacob Rauch (UNC) – 53.48

UNC’s Valdas Abaliksta took the win here in 52.56, just over half a second off of his 2nd-place time from last season’s ACC Championships. NC State’s  Jack Moranetz and Abaliksta’s teammate Jacob Rauch battled it down the final stretch, with Morantez getting the touch 53.40 to 53.48.

Women’s 100 Back

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 50.93
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 53.94
• 2020 Invite Time: 52.73

Top 3:

1. Katharine Berkoff (NC State) – 50.40
2. Kylee Alons (NC State) – 51.81
3. Emma Atkinson (Virginia Tech) – 52.22

We’d predicted that this could be the signature event of the night, and sure enough, NC State sophomore Katharine Berkoff shaved another 0.o7s off her lifetime best, touching in 50.40 and setting a NC State record in the event.

Teammate Kylee Alons (51.81) also set a new personal best time, while Virginia Tech’s Emma Atkinson (52.22) was just off her best time of 52.03, done yesterday while leading off the 400 medley relay. UNC’s Sophie Lindor (52.56) was under last year’s NCAA invite time, while Virginia Tech’s Caroline Bentz was within a 0.01s of it at 52.74.

Men’s 100 Back

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 44.95
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 47.77
• 2020 Invite Time: 46.22

Top 3:

1. Coleman Stewart (WOLF) – 43.62
2. Paul Le (WOLF) – 46.85
3. Owen Hanna (NC State) – 47.34

Wolfpack Elite swimmer Coleman Stewart rattled the U.S. Open record, swimming the 3rd-fastest 100 back ever with a 43.62 here tonight. That moves him to #2 on the all-time performers list, as only Ryan Murphy has been faster, with times of 43.49 and 43.52, both from 2016 NCAAS.

Stewart blew the field away, with no one else finishing within three seconds. Stewart Wolfpack Elite teammate Paul Le took 2nd in 46.85, and current NC State swimmer Owen Hanna took 3rd in 47.34.

Women’s 800 Free Relay

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 7:00.86
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 7:05.88

Top 3:

1. NC State – 7:01.55

NC State appears to have been the only team to have entered a team tonight, but the lack of competition didn’t seem to hurt, as the Wolfpack women raced to a 7:01.55, the fastest time so far this season. Kate Moore led off in 1:45.43, just 0.02s off of her lifetime best from last season’s ACCs. Kylee Alons had the only sub-1:45 split, rocking a 1:44.65 on the 2nd leg that’s well under her lifetime best flat start of 1:45.91. Berkoff split 1:45.37 on the 3rd leg; she has a personal best of 1:46.14. Julia Poole anchored in 1:46.10.

Men’s 800 Free Relay

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 6:17.18
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 6:21.85

Top 3:

1. NC State ‘A’ – 6:14.44
2. UNC – 6:28.45
3. NC State ‘B’ – 6:30.49

While a stripped-down NC State doesn’t have its normal sprint free strength, the Wolfpack remains pretty solid in the mid-distance range, as their time of 6:14.44 would’ve been the top time in the nation until Texas put on a 4×200 free clinic the other night. Freshman Luke Miller led off in 1:34.36, distance free specialist Eric Knowles split a speedy 1:32.83 on the 2nd leg, Zach Brown went 1:34.21 on the 3rd leg, and relay stalwart Hunter Tapp anchored in 1:33.04.