Bellarmine vs Eastern Illinois vs Valparaiso
- October 19, 2024
- Valparaiso, Ind.
- SCY (25 yards)
- Results
Courtesy: Bellarmine Athletics
VALPARAISO, In. – Bellarmine University swimming was nearly unstoppable over the weekend capturing gold in 20 of 22 events in a tri-meet against Valparaiso and Eastern Illinois on Saturday at the Valparaiso Aquatic Center.
Both the men and the women secured gold in 10 matches with eight individual and two relay wins each.
For the women, sophomore Lily Wolfe and freshman Micaela Godfrey led the way, notching two golds each. Wolfe touched the wall first in both the 500 (5:17.35) and 1000 freestyle (10:50.35) while Godfrey claimed firsts in 200 IM (2:08.37) and the 100 backstroke (57.72). Both Wolfe and Godfrey also took part in relay team’s that earned gold with Wolfe swimming with freshmen Kate Ryan and Clara McIntyre and fellow sophomore Coral Brogan in the 400 freestyle relay (3:44.72) while Godfrey swam with senior Alexandra Pierce and freshman Annie Leibold and Lily Epley in the 200 medley relay (1:49.50).
McIntyre secured individual gold in the 200 freestyle (1:59.92), followed by sophomore Charlotte Tully and Leibold as the Knights swept the podium.
Epley claimed gold in the 50 freestyle (24.73) with fellow freshman Ava Jones right behind her in second place. In the 100 freestyle, the two switched places as Jones took first place (53.74) with Epley in second.
Behind Wolfe’s win in the 500 freestyle, the Bellarmine women swept the podium again as McIntyre finished behind her in second with Brogan rounding out the trio.
Junior Erin Dall’Agnol saw success in the 100 breaststroke, taking first with a time of 1:06.41. Pierce finished second in the race as well.
In the lone race the women did not win, the 100 butterfly, Leibold captured second place.
On the men’s side, senior John Paul Metzner and junior Sam Jones earned top billing as they registered two wins each. Metzner touched the wall first in the 50 freestyle (21.36) and the 100 butterfly (51.17) while also swimming as a member of the gold winning 200 medley relay alongside grad student Andrew Nguyen, junior Caleb Howard and sophomore Colin Jackson (1:34.24).
Jones claimed gold in both the 500 and 1000 freestyle with times of 4:45.89 and 9:45.68, respectively. Not wanting to be left out of the fun, his younger brother, sophomore, Evan Jones finished second in both events.
Sophomore Evan Dickson finished first in the 200 freestyle (1:43.50) with fellow sophomore Britton Pianki taking third in the event.
Jackson later saw individual success in the 100 backstroke, taking first with a time of 52.36.
Senior Brandon Thomas took gold in the 100 breaststroke (59.30), followed closely by Nguyen who finished second.
Junior Cason Henderson won the 200 IM (1:56.33) with Thomas also on the podium, finishing third.
The Bellarmine men capped of the day with a win in the 400 freestyle medley thanks to Pianki, Dickson, Thomas and Henderson (3:12.35).
Despite not winning the men’s 100 freestyle, the Knights filled the podium with sophomore Reece Pennington finishing second (47.99) and Pianki and Dickson tying for third (48.33).
The Knights will compete again this weekend, traveling to Evansville, In. for a dual with Southern Indiana on Saturday, October 26.
Courtesy: EIU Athletics
VALPARAISO, Ind. – The Eastern Illinois men’s and women’s swim teams competed in a tri-meet at Valpo on Saturday afternoon alongside Bellarmine. The men picked up their first win of the season with a 100-88 victory over the Beacons.
Conner Colston led the Panthers with a gold medal in the 100 freestyle (47.50) and second place finish in the 200 freestyle (1:43.54). He also joined Zach Clark, Eddie Myers, and Spencer Wilson as part of the 400 free relay team that secured a silver medal finish (3:12.38).
Myers also picked up a second-place finish in the 500 free (4:52.30) and a third-place finish in the 1,000 free (10:12.00).
Meanwhile, Nolan Wallace added a couple more top three finishes for the Panthers with a time of 21.92 in the 50 free and a 1:00.01 mark in the 100 breast.
On the women’s side, Olivia Viele picked up a first-place finish with a time of 58.47 in the 100 butterfly. She combined forces with Izzy Galsgow, Corinne Staneart, and Kaylan Ottosen to secure a silver in the 200 medley relay.
Staneart also added a third-place finish in the 200 IM with a time of 2:14.81.
Sydney VanderVelde represented another podium finish for Eastern with a silver in the 100 free (11:08.08).
The Panthers will have the next couple of weeks off before joining Butler for a tri-meet at UIndy on Saturday, November 2nd.
Courtesy: Valpo Athletics
The Valpo men’s and women’s swimming teams closed out a busy weekend of action at the Valparaiso Aquatic Center on Saturday afternoon with a tri-meet against Bellarmine and Eastern Illinois. The Beacon women made it three wins on the weekend as they took down EIU.
How It Happened
- Sophomore Bri Keese (Brighton, Colo./Brighton) was the Beacons’ top performer on Saturday as she posted a pair of third-place finishes in the springs. Keese came home with a time of 25.52 in the 50 free and 56.66 in the 100 free, both team bests.
- Sophomore Kailyn Benoit (Sussex, Wis./Hamilton) touched the wall third in the 100 fly with a time of 1:00.67, while senior Sara Strauss (Spring Lake, Mich./Spring Lake) led the Beacon contingent in the 100 breast, placing third with a time of 1:09.78.
- Keese was one of three Valpo women to lead the squad in multiple events. Freshman Ally Unruh (Peoria, Ill./Dunlap) paced the Beacons in the 1000 free (11:08.96) and the 500 free (5:29.30), while sophomore Lily Kirkpatrick (Parker, Colo./Legend) posted team-best times in the 200 free (2:04.77) and the 100 back (1:02.64).
- Keese and Kirkpatrick swam the first two legs of Valpo’s 400 free relay, with senior Haley Hume (Ballwin, Mo./Marquette) and sophomore Faith Bargwell (Grand Rapids, Mich./Rockford) completing the back half as the Beacons placed second with a time of 3:48.52.
- On the men’s side, junior Jackson Oostman (Aurora, Ill./Marmion Academy) led the way as he touched second in both the 200 IM (1:56.62) and the 100 back (52.44).
- Junior Garrett Hoppman (Midland, Texas/Midland) added his own runner-up finish as well with a time of 52.28 in the 100 fly.
- The Valpo women beat Eastern Illinois for the second straight season in dual meet competition, downing the Panthers 113-92, while Bellarmine topped the Beacon women, 158-47. On the men’s side, the Beacons fell by scores of 100-88 to Eastern Illinois and 150-38 to Bellarmine.
Next Up
Valpo continues its fall season next Saturday afternoon with a dual meet at Green Bay. The first event is slated for a 2 p.m. start.
