2023 ZIPPY INVITE
- November 30 – December 3, 2023
- Ocasek Natatorium, Akron, OH
- SCY (25 yards)
- Live Results Available on MeetMobile
TEAMS
- Akron
- UC Santa Barbara
- Cornell
- Keiser
- Oakland
- Penn West University Clarion
- Eastern Illinois
RESULTS
The 2023 Zippy Invite has come to an end. The fourth and final day of the meet saw a ton of records broken.
After breaking the MAC Record in the women’s 100 fly on Saturday, Akron’s Abby Daniel did it again on Sunday, breaking the MAC Record in the women’s 200 fly. Daniel clocked a new career best of 1:55.87. She dipped under the MAC Record of 1:55.98, which was held by Akron’s own Sarah Watson. She held her pace quite well throughout the race, splitting 26.16 on the first 50, then split 29.66, 30.11, and 29.94 respectively on the rest of the 50s.
Daniel also helped Akron break the meet record in the women’s 400 free at the end of the meet. Maddy Gatrall (50.25), Daniel (48.74), Weronika Gorecka (49.15), and Rebecca Reid (48.97) teamed up for a 3:16.91, breaking the meet record.
UC Santa Barbara’s Taber daCosta popped a 15:08.16 en route to winning the men’s 1650 by a massive 25-second margin. He established a new meet record with the swim.
Teammate Matt Driscoll then won the men’s 200 back in 1:42.70, also setting a meet record. Driscoll got out to a slim lead, splitting 49.85 on the opening 100, then really took the race over on the 3rd 50, where he split 26.14. A 26.71 on the final 50 was enough for Driscoll to get the win by over a second.
Cornell’s Joseph Gurski got in on the record breaking, taking the men’s 200 fly in 1:44.85. Cornell posted a 1-2 finish in the event, as Jacques Grove came in 2nd with a 1:45.88. Grove was actually out faster than Gurski, splitting 50.71 on the opening 100 to Gurski’s 51.11. Gurski then quickly took the race over, pulling into the lead on the 3rd 50 and expanding his lead through the final lap.
Oakland’s Christian Bart, the men’s 100 breast champion from the night before, didn’t race the 200 breast and instead was in the men’s 100 free. Bart swam a 43.26, winning the event and setting a new meet record in the process. The 50 free champion as well, Bart was out the fastest, splitting 20.70 on the first 50, then came home in 22.56, which was also the fastest split in the field.
The meet ended with a bang, seeing a thrilling race between Cornell, Oakland, and UC Santa Barbara in the men’s 400 free relay. All 3 teams came in under the previous meet record of 2:55.49. Cornell had Dominic Edwards (44.35), Paige Dacosta (43.13), Sebastian Wolff (43.66), and Jacques Grove (43.29) combine for a 2:54.43. On the Oakland team, Harry Nicholson (43.76), Charlie Brown (44.02), Colin Martin (44.08), and Christian Bart (42.58) teamed up for a 2:54.44, finishing just 0.01 seconds behind Cornell. Austin Sparrow (43.58), Zachary Tamusaitis (43.45), Bryden Thielenhaus (44.60), Matt Driscoll (43.13) clocked a 2:54.76 for UCSB. It was a fun back and forth of a race, seeing UCSB lead through the first 2 legs. Cornell overtook the lead on the 3rd leg, and while they would maintain the lead through the finish, Oakland’s Bart was flying on the anchor and very nearly pulled it off.
OTHER EVENT WINNERS
- Women’s 200 breast: Madeline Dyer (Akron) – 2:13.11
- Women’s 100 free: Priscilla Wongso (Cornell) – 50.25
- Women’s 200 back: Weronika Gorecka (Akron) – 1:54.38
- Women’s 1650 free: Erin Dehollander (Cornell) – 16:53.41
- Men’s 200 breast: Noel de Geus (Keiser) – 1:54.65
FINAL TEAM SCORES
MEN
- Cornell – 2015
- UC Santa Barbara – 1861.5
- Oakland – 1702.5
- Keiser – 1166
- PennWest University Clarion – 821
WOMEN
- Akron – 2086
- UC Santa Barbara – 1770
- Cornell – 1491
- Oakland – 1136
- Keiser – 704
- PennWest University Clarion – 544
- Eastern Illinois – 242
