Notre Dame Would-Be Freshmen Compete At Skypoint Transit Invitational; Josh Bey Shines

2024 Skypoint Transit Invitational

• November 1-3, 2024
• Elkhart, Indiana
• Elkhart Aquatic Center
• SCY (25 yards)
• Results on Meet Mobile: “2024 Skypoint Transit Invitational”

A group of swimmers who would’ve been freshmen on the Notre Dame men’s swimming roster this season competed over the weekend at the Skypoint Transit Invitational in Elkhart, Indiana.

In August, the Notre Dame men’s team was suspended for one academic year after an independent law firm found that most team members engaged in gambling throughout the season.

Although that means the Fighting Irish won’t be eligible to compete in the NCAA this season, the swimmers who committed to swim at Notre Dame beginning this fall still appear to be training at UND and competed at the meet over the weekend under “Unattached – Irish Aquatics.”

The group of swimmers who competed at the meet include seven would-be freshmen and two fifth-year transfers—none of whom have ever competed for Notre Dame previously.

• Shane Eckler (18)
• Sean Atkinson (18)
• Hrvoje Tomic (19)
• Charlie Tracy (18)
• Angus MacDonald (19)
• Patrick Branon (19)
• Jack Sullivan (18)
• Charlie Mayr (18)
• Yurii Kosian (21) – Kenyon transfer
• Jack Callan (23) – Michigan transfer

Croatian Hrvoje Tomic had a strong showing at the meet, topping the field in the men’s 200 free in a time of 1:37.36 after a 1:40.61 prelim swim which was his first time racing the yards version of the event. Tomic owns 200 free SCM/LCM best times of 1:45.83/1:49.52.

Tomic also clocked 20.78 in the 50 free prelims before scratching the final, which was a common theme for the Notre Dame commits racing against club swimmers.

Three of the swimmers raced the 500 free, with Michigan transfer Jack Callan (4:30.95) pacing the field over Patrick Branon (4:31.10) and Sean Atkinson (4:31.82). All three own personal bests within the same range, with Callan having been 4:24.16, Branon 4:25.01, and Atkinson 4:24.79.

Branon (1:41.50) and Callan (1:41.94), along with Jack Sullivan (1:41.35 prelim/1:44.29 final), Shane Eckler (1:45.53) and Charlie Tracy (1:51.11) also raced the 200 free.

Angus MacDonald, a U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier in the 400 IM, had some solid swims as he was the runner-up in the 400 IM (3:54.78), claimed the win in the 200 breast (2:00.93), and posted the second-fastest time in the 200 IM prelims (1:50.05) before scratching the final.

MacDonald has been as fast as 3:49.06 in the 400 IM, 1:57.94 in the 200 breast, and 1:46.51 in the 200 IM.

Kenyon transfer Yurii Kosian was the runner-up in the 100 back, clocking 48.70. His PB sits at 47.03 from 2022, while Charlie Mayr earned a win in the 200 fly, putting up a time of 1:50.33 to come within two seconds of his PB (1:48.78).

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

Josh Bey, an Indiana commit and SwimSwam’s #8 ranked recruit in the boys’ high school class of 2025, was a top performer at the meet as he collected five individual wins and added two more podium finishes.

Bey, 18, set lifetime bests en route to wins in the 100 back (48.39) and 100 fly (49.08), and added victories in the 50 free (20.86), 100 breast (54.97) and 400 IM (3:50.64), narrowly missing his PBs in the 50 free and 400 IM. The fastest swimmer in the class of 2025 in the 100 breast, Bey’s best time in that event sits at 52.98.

He also set a best time in the 100 free, clocking 46.10 to finish 2nd to Waukesha Express’ Carter Jewell (45.89), and Bey was 3rd with a PB in the 200 free, clocking 1:38.06 to trail Tomic and Finn Winkler.

Winkler, who is taking a gap year away from college swimming after completing his freshman year at Texas, was just two-tenths off his PB in the 200 free, touching in 1:37.95 after going 1:37.78 at the 2023 Texas Invitational.

The 19-year-old also set a significant best time in the 200 IM, dropping more than a second to claim the win in 1:48.08, and added a 20.59 50 free and a 23.48 50 back on relay lead-offs for the Fishers Area Swimming Tigers (FAST)

On the girls’ side, Julie Mishler, the #17 recruit in the girls’ high school class of 2025, had some noteworthy swims for FAST.

A sprint specialist and Louisville commit, Mishler won the girls’ 50 free in a time of 22.17, within striking distance of her 21.85 PB, and she also won the 200 back with a big best time of 1:57.30. She was also the runner-up in the 200 free (1:50.55) and 100 fly (54.38), both new best times. The 17-year-old went 22.93 leading off the FAST 200 free relay and was 25.40 on backstroke to lead their medley relay.

Winning the 100 fly over Mishler was Irish Aquatics’ Alayna Riggins, 16, who went 54.18 for a new best time. Riggins also won the 200 fly in 2:04.05, knocking eight one-hundredths off her bet time.