Georgia Tech vs. Campbell vs. UNC Wilmington
- October 8, 2022
- UNCW Natatorium, Wilmington, North Carolina
- Short Course Yards (25 yards)
- Women’s tri meet, men’s dual meet
- Results (PDF)
- Team Scores:
- Men
- Georgia Tech 175-UNCW 125
- Women
- Georgia Tech 185-UNCW 115
- Georgia Tech 244.5-Campbell 49.5
- UNCW 235-Campbell-58
- Men
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets hit the road for the first time this season on Saturday, sweeping a set of mid-major opponents in Wilmington.
The GT men’s and women’s teams dominated CAA power UNC-Wilmington; while the UNCW and Tech women both rolled past Campbell, who fall to 3-4 in a busy early-season schedule.
Women’s Meet
Scores:
- Georgia Tech 185-UNCW 115 (exhibition aided)
- Georgia Tech 244.5-Campbell 49.5 (exhibition aided)
- UNCW 235-Campbell-58
Georgia Tech swimmers and divers scored seven individual wins at the meet, with the highlight coming from freshman Deniz Ertan in the 1000 yard free.
She swam 9:43.62 in that race, which shattered the old record of 9:52.52 that was done by Emily Ilgenfritz at the 2019 Georgia Tech Invitational. That prior record-setting swim was done en route to a 1650 swim that ranks 2nd in school history.
The 18-year old Ertan came to Atlanta from Ankara, Turkey, where she was a Tokyo 2020 Olympian and European Junior Championship medalist in both the 1500 free and 400 IM. Ertan is the Turkish National Record holder in the 200 fly, and part of a wave of elite Turkish generation of swimmers who have been shattering national records over the last few years, even as junior athletes. That generation has been especially good in the more grueling “Bowman-esque” events – probably not a coincidence given that they were entering swimming around the time that Turkey hired Bob Bowman as a consultant to its swimming industry.
On Saturday, Ertan also won the 200 breaststroke (2:14.19) and split 23.71 on a 200 free relay. She was disqualified in her fourth event, the 200 IM, though she touched first comfortably in the race.
The Yellow Jackets also swept the butterfly events. Zora Ripkova claimed first in the 100 (55.21) and McKenzie Campbell won the 200 with a time of 2:02.42. Clarissa Sabin cruised into first place in the 100 breast with a time of 1:04.34. Astrid Dirkzwager earned a first-place finish in the 200 back with a time of 2:02.78.
Niebel’s time of 2:05.29 in the 200 IM is a new personal best for the senior. Last year she finished 8th in that event at the CAA Championships, where it took 2:01 to win the conference title.
Campbell’s lone win of the meet came from Laura Lopez, who topped the women’s 100 back in 56.92. A freshman from Spain, Lopez already has three individual event victories this season, and has not finished lower than 2nd place all season in 8 races.
Men’s Meet
With no men’s team at Campbell, the other side of the competition was a simple dual meet between Georgia Tech and the defending CAA Champions from UNCW.
The Georgia Tech men also picked up a big boost from a Turkish swimmer: Batur Ünlü. The 2021 ACC Champion in the 200 free won that event on Saturday by almost three seconds in a time of 1:37.02. He later added a win in the 500 free in 4:27.68.
Ünlü was not as fast in the 200 free last year as a sophomore as he was in 2021 as a freshman, but his early racing this season will reset expectations as a junior. His time in the 200 on Saturday was almost two seconds better than he was in this same meet last season.
Freshman Julian Killius from Nashville, Tennessee remained undefeated in his college career via wins in both the 100 yard breaststroke (55.71) and 200 yard breaststroke (2:02.50).
UNCW picked up four event wins from four different swimmers: Henderson Louviere (200 Fly – 1:52.26), Jacob Duracinsky (100 Free – 46.22), Sam O’Brien (200 Back – 1:48.34) and Dave Fitch (100 Fly – 49.89) posted wins.
For O’Brien, the 2022 CAA Co-Rookie Swimmer of the Year, that time is tops in the conference this year, even though he didn’t swim it at last year’s CAA Championship. There he raced the 500 free, 1650 free, and 400 IM, taking titles in the freestyle events.
