Five School Records Fall on Day 2 of SMU Invite

2023 SMU Invite

• November 16-19
• Dallas, Texas
• Robson & Lindley Aquatics Center and Barr-McMillion Natatorium
• SCY (25-yard)
• Prelims: 10 a.m. (CST) / Finals: 6 p.m. (CST)
• 2024 NCAA Championships Standards
• Meet Mobile: 2023 SMU Invite

After holding Wednesday time trials in long course, the SMU Invite kicked off Thursday with a traditional invite line-up in yards. Thursday’s final session featured the 200 free relay, 500 free, 100 fly, 200 IM, 50 free, and 400 medley relay.

The Miami women bookended the session with relay wins and school records. The Hurricanes’ 200 free relay team of Jane Fitzgerald (23.24), Giulia Carvalho (21.99), Jacey Hinton (22.63), and Talia Bates (22.05) combined (1:29.91) to take 1.19 seconds off of the previous program record set in 2019. To cap off the session, Emma Shuppert (52.50), Emma Sundstrand (1:01.25), Carvalho (52.18), and Bates (48.88) undercut the previous record by an even larger margin, taking 3.69 seconds off the old school record to post a dominant 3:34.81.

Bates is a fifth-year transfer from Florida and has helped boost the Hurricanes’ performances this season, particularly after most of their top divers announced they are redshirting this season.

There were also two individual records sent by Miami athletes. Shuppert, a fifth-year transfer from Duke, set a program record leading off the 400 medley relay. Her best time stands at 51.89 from 2021. Carvalho, a junior, swam 51.51 in the 100 fly, leading the field by over a second. She also won the 50 free (22.46).

On the men’s side, Hawai’i’s team of Mario Surkovic (19.95), Jakub Ksiazek (19.11), Meacham Meacham (19.60), and Timothy Gallagher (19.61) combined to take the win in the 200 free relay (1:18.27), surpassing the Rainbow Warriors’ school record set in 2020.

Despite dropping the fastest split of the field, Ksaizek touched 3rd in the individual 50 free (19.64), behind Drury’s Yuri Cabral (19.53) and SMU’s Lance Butler (19.54). Cabral’s time would have made the A final at last season’s DII NCAAs.

SMU had a 1-2 finish in the 500 free, with Christopher Mykkanen (4:19.18) pulling past team record holder Jack Hoagland (4:19.35) with a huge last 50.

Drury capped off the session with a win in the 400 medley relay, with Ivan Adamchuk (47.27), Davi Mourao (52.90), Alejandro Villarejo (46.48), and Cabral (42.40) combining (3:09.05) to hit the wall just 0.68 seconds ahead of SMU.

Other Highlights:

• Yale first-year Caroline Riggs won the 500 free in a time of 4:47.22, a best time by over four seconds and her first time under 4:50. She now ranks 5th in Yale’s all-time performers.
• Ava Franks was Yale’s other individual event winner, taking the 200 IM in 2:00.24.
• Russell Exum (SMU) won the 100 fly (46.34), just off his best time. He was followed by Villarejo (46.76) who posted a best time to take 2nd.

Team Standings:

Women:

1. Miami – 301
2. Yale – 287.5
3. SMU – 264.5
4. Hawai’i – 208
5. Rice – 170
6. Drury – 102
7. BYU – 12

Men:

1. SMU – 398
2. Hawai’i – 282
3. Yale – 278
4. Drury – 257
5. BYU – 32