2022 Tennessee Invite: Day 3 Prelims Live Recap

2022 TENNESSEE INVITATIONAL

• November 17-19, 2022
• Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center, Knoxville, Tenn.
• SCY (25 yards)
• Start Times: Prelims – 10 am / Finals – 6 pm (ET)
• What Will It Take To Qualify for 2023 NCAAs?
• Psych Sheets
• Live Stream (ESPN)
• Live Results
• Dual Meet Scoring (9-4-3-2-1)
• Day 1 Finals Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Recap
• Day 2 Finals Recap

The final day of the 2022 Tennessee Invite has arrived, and prelims will feature heats of the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, and 200 fly. Later today we’ll also see timed finals of the 1650 and the 400 free relay.

A reminder that this meet is running in a dual meet format. That means only three swimmers from a team are permitted to qualify for the ‘A’ final of an event. Additionally, any post grads will be relegated to the ‘C’ final.

Women’s 200 Back – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Standard – 1:50.50
• 2022 NCAA Invite Time – 1:53.97

Top 8:

1. Josephine Fuller (Tennessee) – 1:52.68
2. Sophie Lindner (UNC) – 1:53.81
3. Bayley Stewart (Tennessee) / Ella Bathurst (Virginia) – 1:55.48
4. (tie)
5. Emma Karam (UNC) – 1:55.76
6. Brooklyn Douthwright (Tennessee) – 1:57.38
7. Casey Chung (Michigan) – 1:57.49
8. Elle Caldow (Tennessee) – 1:57.55

Tennessee got out to a strong start this morning, taking four of the top eight spots in the opening event of the day. Volunteer Josephine Fuller led the field with a 1:52.68 in prelims. She’ll be swimming tonight for her second individual win of the meet after winning the 200 IM on the first night.

UNC’s Sophie Lindner was the only other woman under 1:55, posting the 2nd-fastest time of the morning with a 1:53.81. Her teammate Aislin Farris touched 9th in 1:58.04, but should join teammates Lindner and Emma Karam in the A-final tonight since Tennessee is limited to three swimmers in the A-final.

Men’s 200 Back – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Standard – 1:39.13
• 2022 NCAA Invite Time – 1:40.92

Top 8:

1. Jared Daigle (Michigan) – 1:42.55
2. Jack Aikins (Virginia) – 1:42.63
3. Landon Driggers (Tennessee) – 1:43.08
4. Harrison Lierz (Tennessee) – 1:44.15
5. Noah Rutberg (UNC) – 1:44.38
6. Eitan Ben-Shitrit (Michigan) – 1:44.79
7. Jacque Wenger (Michigan) – 1:44.83
8. Will Cole (Virginia) – 1:44.87

The Michigan men led this event’s prelims both in terms of fastest performance and A-final qualifiers. Jared Daigle led the Wolverines with a 1:42.55 prelims swim, giving him the fastest time of the morning, just ahead of UVA’s Jack Aikins (1:42.63).

Those were the only two performances under 1:43, although Tennessee’s Landon Driggers came close with a 1:43.08. That appears to be a big personal best for the University of Indianapolis, with his previous best of 1:44.57 coming from this spring.

Women’s 100 Free – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Standard – 47.18
• 2022 NCAA Invite Time – 48.44

Top 8:

1. Gretchen Walsh (Virginia) – 47.41
2. Lindsay Flynn (Michigan) – 48.17
3. Olivia Nel (UNC) – 48.64
4. Maxine Parker (Virginia) – 48.70
5. Christey Liang (Michigan) – 48.85
6. Lexi Cuomo (Virginia) – 48.99
7. Greer Pattison (UNC) – 49.31
8. Gabby DeLoof (TNA) – 49.35

Gretchen Walsh had a great prelims swim that would be the fastest in the nation heading into this weekend, if she hadn’t already been 47.11 at the Texas-UVA dual meet a couple weeks ago. The Cavalier stopped the clock in 47.41, the only woman under 48. She’ll be joined by UVA teammates Maxine Parker (48.70) and Lexi Cuomo (48.70) in tonight’s A-final.

Michigan should also have three women in the A-final, with freshman Brady Kendall (49.39) moving up a spot since 8th place this morning went to post-grad Gabby DeLoof of Tennessee Aquatics (49.35).

Men’s 100 Free – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Standard – 41.64
• 2022 NCAA Invite Time – 42.34

Top 8:

1. Jordan Crooks (Tennessee) – 41.17
2. Gui Caribe (Tennessee) – 41.91
3. Matt King (Virginia) – 42.19
4. Aleksey Tarasenko (Tennessee) – 42.89
5. Matt Brownstead (Virginia) – 43.06
6. Bence Szabados (Michigan) – 43.16
7. Louis Dramm (UNC) – 43.45
8. Nikola Acin (Michigan) – 43.48

The Volunteers’ sprinting has been on fire the last few days, and they kept the momentum going this morning with two men going under 42. Jordan Crooks paced the field with a 41.17, followed by freshman teammate Gui Caribe at 41.91. Crooks’ time is over a second faster than anyone else’s this season heading into this round of invites. Fifth year Aleksey Tarasenko gave Tennessee three of the top four seeds with a 42.89.

Virginia’s duo of Matt King (42.19) and Matt Brownstead (43.06), both of whom made the A-final in this event at last season’s NCAA Championships, qualified 3rd and 5th this morning.

Women’s 200 Breast – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Standard – 2:06.18
• 2022 NCAA Invite Time – 2:09.15

Top 8:

1. Kate Douglass (Virginia) – 2:03.57
2. Alex Walsh (Virginia) – 2:05.20
3. Ella Nelson (Virginia) – 2:07.50
4. Anna Keating (Virginia) – 2:08.39
5. Letitia Sim (Michigan) – 2:09.32
6. Mona McSherry (Tennessee) – 2:09.38
7. Jaycee Yegher (Virginia) – 2:11.13
8. Skyler Smith (UNC) – 2:13.04

The ‘Hoos have one of the best breaststroke groups in the nation, and that strength was on full display this morning as they took five of the top eight spots. Kate Douglass led the field with a 2:03.57, breaking her own pool and meet records. That appears to be over five seconds faster than any other performance heading into this weekend. Alex Walsh (2:05.20) and Ella Nelson (2:07.50) should also represent UVA in the A-final tonight, while Anna Keating (2:08.39) and Jaycee Yegher (2:11.13) will get bumped out.

Men’s 200 Breast – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Standard – 1:51.54
• 2022 NCAA Invite Time – 1:53.23

Top 8:

1. Noah Nichols (Virginia) – 1:52.62
2. Jarel Dillard (Tennessee) – 1:52.91
3. Max Iida (Virginia) – 1:54.91
4. Michael Houlie (Tennesse) – 1:55.82
5. Lyubomir Epitropov (Tennessee) – 1:55.90
6. Brett Champlin (Tennessee) – 1:56.71
7. Ansel Froass (Michigan) – 1:57.55
8. Cameron Luarde (Michigan) – 1:59.91

Virginia took yet another top seed, courtesy of 100 breast Noah Nichols, who qualified first with a 1:52.62. Tennessee, though, took four of the top eight spots, led by 100 breast runner-up Jarel Dillard. Nichols and Dillard were the only two swimmers under 1:54.9, while UVA’s Max Iida qualified third with a 1:54.91.

Women’s 200 Fly – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Standard – 1:52.86
• 2022 NCAA Invite Time – 1:56.14

Top 8:

1. Ellie Vannote (UNC) – 1:55.92
2. Abby Harter (Virginia) – 1:55.93
3. Sara Stotler (Tennessee) – 1:57.41
4. Katie Crom (Michigan) – 1:58.13
5. Sam Baron (Virginia) – 1:58.53
6. Caroline Kulp (Virginia) – 2:00.46
7. Emma Weber (Virginia) – 2:01.03
8. Kyleigh Tankard (UNC) – 2:01.50

Ellie Vannote earned a top seed for the Tar Heels with a 1:55.92 effort this morning. That appears to be just about a tenth of a second shy of her lifetime best, which she set at last season’s ACC Championships. UVA’s Abby Harter was only 0.01s behind Vannote this morning, and led four Cavaliers who finished in the top eight. Michigan’s Megan Glass (2:02.05) should move into the A-final with one of the UVA swimmers getting bumped out.

Men’s 200 Fly – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Standard – 1:40.20
• 2022 NCAA Invite Time – 1:42.42

Top 8:

1. Martin Espernberger (Tennessee) – 1:43.53
2. Josh Fong (Virginia) – 1:44.44
3. Gal Cohen Groumi (Michigan) – 1:44.54
4. Boyd Poelke (UNC) – 1:44.69
5. Joel Giraudeau (Tennessee) – 1:45.54
6. Kamal Muhammad (Virginia) – 1:46.10
7. Patrick Hussey (UNC) – 1:46.40
8. Sebastien Sergile (Virginia) – 1:47.23

Tennessee’s Martin Espernberger led the field by almost a second this morning with his time of 1:43.53. That looks like a lifetime best by roughly 2.5s for the freshman, who is an Austrian native who attended the Bolles School in Jacksonville, FL.

ACC A-finalist Josh Fong of UVA touched 2nd this morning in 1:44.44, while Michigan’s Gal Cohen Groumi, the only man in the field with a lifetime best under 1:41, was just a tenth behind Fong.