Host Houston Pulls Out Tight Victory on Final Day of Phill Hansel Invite

PHILL HANSEL INVITE 2021 Houston

• November 18-20, 2021
• CRWC Natatorium, Houston, TX
• SCY (25 yards)
• Live Results
• Day 1 Results
• Day 2 Results
• Day 3 Results

TEAM SCORES

1. Houston – 1463
2. San Diego State – 1459
3. Rice University – 1192
4. Washington State – 923
5. Colorado State – 866
6. Air Force – 651
7. Tulane – 622.5
8. New Mexico – 384.5
9. University of North Texas – 30

There was some movement on the final day of the Phill Hansel Invite, with host Houston edging out a team victory over San Diego State, who had led through the first 2 days of the meet. Washington State also jumped over Colorado State on day 3, landing a 4th place finish for the other Cougars. Houston had a very balanced team performance across the day 3 events to move up, while Washington State won a few races, including the final event: the 400 free relay.

Washington State was led off by Chloe Larson, who had previously won the individual 100 free in 49.02. Leading off the relay, Larson was significantly slower, clocking a 50.05. Freshman Angela Di Palo went next, splitting a 49.30, and was followed by senior Emily Barrier (50.43), and freshman Selena Duran (49.95), for a final time of 3:19.23. The performance marked a Washington State program record, the Cougars 2nd such relay performance of the weekend. There’s a lot to be excited about in this relay from the standpoint of Washington State. Firstly, Larson’s 50.05 was well off her personal best of 48.74. Also, they had freshman Noelle Harvey lead-off the B relay in 50.74, and senior Keiana Fountaine, who has a flat-start best of 49.28, split 50.61 on the B relay as well. All said and done, the Cougars could easily take this record down quite a bit further at the end of this season.

There was another Washington State program record broken on the day, as 5th year senior Taylor McCoy clocked a 1:56.12 200 backstroke in prelims, establishing herself as the top seed for finals. The swim was a personal best, and the top time in Washington State history. In finals, McCoy was a shade slower, swimming a 1:56.26, while San Diego State’s Riley Tapley (sophomore) won the race in 1:56.10.

Colorado State’s Maya White, a freshman, got the job done in the 1650 free, swimming a personal best of 16:28.50. Although they didn’t take an official split on the 1000, White’s 1000 split of 9:58.95 was also a personal best, marking her first sub-10:00 performance. She was incredibly consistent in the race, splitting 4:57.07 on the first 500, 5:01.88 on the 2nd 500, 4:59.98 on the 3rd 500, and 1:28.70 on the final 150.

San Diego State’s Klara Thormalm swam away with the 200 breast, clocking a 2:09.63, touching first by almost 4 seconds. It was an excellent mid-season performance from Thormalm, coming in right off her personal best of 2:08.30.

In a battle of freshmen, Rice’s Arielle Hayon won the women’s 200 fly in 1:59.50, with San Diego State’s Wilma Johansson taking 2nd in 1:59.92, and Houston’s Adelaide Meuter touching 3rd with a 2:00.71. Johansson took the early lead, turning at the 100 in 57.22, with Meuter and Hayon in tow at 57.64 and 58.10 respectively. Hayon closed way faster, however, coming home in a 1:01.40, while Johansson came home in 1:02.70, and Meuter 1:03.07.