2024 Minnesota Invite
- December 4-7, 2024
- Prelims: 10 am CST/ Finals: 6 pm CST
- SCY (25 Yards)
- University of Minnesota
- Participating Teams: Minnesota (host), University of California- Berkley, University of Nevada- Las Vegas, Harvard, Rutgers, University of Denver
- 2025 NCAA Championship Standards
- Live Stream
- Live Results
- Psych Sheets
- Prelims Live Recaps: Day 2 | Day 3
- Finals Live Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3
Cal freshman Mary-Ambre Moluh swam to become the 4th fastest freshman all-time in the women’s 100 backstroke as she clocked a 49.68 at the Minnesota Invite. That swim also makes her the 7th fastest performer all-time.
All-Time Performers, 100 Back
- Gretchen Walsh, 48.10 (2024)
- Katharine Berkoff, 48.55 (2024)
- Regan Smith, 49.16 (2021)
- Beata Nelson, 49.18 (2019)
- Claire Curzan, 49.37 (2024)
- Charlotte Crush, 49.53 (2023)
- Mary-Ambre Moluh, 49.68 (2024)
All-Time Top Freshman, Women’s 100 Back
- Gretchen Walsh, 49.00 (2022)
- Regan Smith, 49.23 (2022)
- Claire Curzan, 49.46 (2023)
- Mary-Ambre Moluh, 49.68 (2024)
Moluh arrived from France this fall at Cal and has already adjusted to the short course yards (SCY) format well. In fact, her time tonight already makes her the fastest international woman in the 100 backstroke.
Moluh’s time from today is a huge boost at the NCAA level as her swim would have been 2nd at the 2024 NCAA Championships. Katharine Berkoff (NC State) won in a 48.55, finishing ahead of Florida’s Isabel Ivey who touched in a 50.55. Berkoff just finished her fifth year.
Also highlighting the night was Cal freshman Yamato Okadome who swam to a 50.87 in the men’s 100 breast. That makes him the #3 freshman performer all-time.
All-Time Top Freshman, Men’s 100 Breast
- Max McHugh, 50.30 – 2019
- Aleksas Savickas, 50.73 – 2023
- Yamato Okadome, 50.87 – 2024
- Reece Whitley, 51.11 – 2019
- Kevin Cordes, 51.32 – 2012
- Zane Backes, 51.34 – 2019
- Liam Bell, 51.39 – 2020
Like Moluh, Okadome has also already adjusted to SCY well with Cal. He arrived this fall from Japan. His time today notably sits ahead of numerous former Cal Bears including Reece Whitley and Liam Bell. Bell holds the NCAA record in the 100 breast after swimming a 49.53 at NCAAs this past March.
Okadome’s time from tonight would have been 3rd at NCAAs, only behind Bell and Brian Benzing of Towson who swam a 50.59. Bell has since graduated as he just finished his 5th year meaning Okadome helps fill a big void at both the individual and relay level.
50.8 is moving
Moluh breaking the Cal 100 back record prompted me to go look at their top 10 all time list and I was reminded of how unreal Natalie Coughlin was. School records (and some national records) in 7 individual events that almost all stood for over a decade, and it took legendary swimmers in their own right to break them – Missy Franklin (100 free), Dana Vollmer (200 free), Kathleen Baker 100 back), Liz Pelton (200 back), Katie McGloughlin (100 and 200 fly), and Caitlin Leverenz (200 IM). Unreal!
Coach Marsh a recruiting, training, coaching, psychologist, master planning genius! Coach Durden knows what he has in such an amazing person and coach!
Okadome has a great 2nd 50. I bet his 200 will be even better than his 100. I’d guess sub 1:50 later today.
Shocker: internationals coming in to save Cal because they can’t develop anyone other than 1.00 power index top 5 recruits
Gabe Jett just went 44.5 in the 100 back what was that about not being able to develop domestic recruits?
Probably will bomb out at NCAAs like he did in 2024 lol
He finaled in all 3 of his events at NCAAs. I wouldn’t consider that bombing.
He has added time at NCAAs each of the last 2 years, which is where I think is what he’s referring to. His 500 free SB from last year was at a dual meet.
Claire Curzan was 49.46 as a freshman at the PAC-12 championships in 2023
For the happiness of France (and of CAL also), Marie-Ambre Moluh, a progression like Léon Marchand in the years to come, perhaps.
Both very impressive swims. The future looks right for the Cal Bears.