2023 West Virginia State Games
- October 6-7, 2023
- Morgantown, West Virginia
- SCY (25 yards)
- Day 1 Results
- Day 2 Results
Courtesy: WVU Sports
Day 1 Recap
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams opened the 2023-24 regular season with a dominating performance on the opening night of the West Virginia State Games at the Aquatic Center at Mylan Park in Morgantown.
The Mountaineers combined for 1,716 team points, with the men contributing 913 points and the women contributing 803. Overall, West Virginia won 12 of the 16 swimming events.
The night began with the Mountaineers placing first in the 200-yard medley relay in both the men’s and women’s events. The relay team composed of freshman Victoria Kidney, sophomore Mia Cheatwood, sophomore Ada Szwabinska and senior Lilly Culp placed first with a time of 1:44.35.
The men’s relay team composed of juniors Conner McBeth and Braden Osborne and seniors Danny Berlitz and Justin Heimes placed first with a time of 1:30.90. West Virginia took the top three spots in the 200-yard medley relay.
In the men’s 1000-yard freestyle event, West Virginia took the top five spots with senior William Mullen placing first.
In the women’s 100-yard breaststroke, sophomore Mia Cheatwood placed first in the event with a time of 1:02.66. Freshman Chloe Hickman placed fifth for the Mountaineers in the event with a time of 1:07.26.
The women’s team also won the 200-yard butterfly and the 50-yard freestyle events. The men’s team won eight total events on the night including the 200-yard freestyle, 100-yard backstroke, 100-yard breaststroke, 200-yard butterfly, 50-yard freestyle and the 400-yard freestyle relay events.
In the diving well, junior Sarah Krusinski and senior Sara Haggerty placed second and third on the women’s 3-meter springboard, respectively. Krusinski placed first on the women’s 1-meter springboard.
The second day of the WV State Games will begin at 11 a.m. ET on Saturday, Oct. 7, at the Aquatic Center Mylan Park.
Day 2 Recap
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams wrapped up competition at the West Virginia State Games at the Aquatic Center at Mylan Park on Saturday.
West Virginia finished with 3,115.5 total points to lead the meet. The men’s team won all eight events on Saturday and finished with 1,815 total points for the meet. The next closest team was Davis & Elkins, scoring 370 points.
The women’s team finished in second place behind Marshall with 1,300.5 points. The Thundering Herd finished with 1,340.5 points.
“Overall, a pretty good weekend,” head coach Vic Riggs said. “Definitely improved from last weekend. Our splitting and racing were much better. We do have a lot of work to do and with that comes an opportunity to improve. Never fun losing and now we’ll start to see what this team is made of. We’ll get back to work on Monday and get ready for Penn State.”
The second day of the meet began with the women’s 400-yard medley relay. The Mountaineers won their first event with the team comprised of freshmen Delaney Cox and Madeline Smutny and sophomores Mia Cheatwood and Ada Szwabinska placing first with a time of 3:53.12.
Cheatwood also won the 200-yard breaststroke and the 200-yard individual medley. Szwabinska won the 100-yard freestyle event.
In six individual events, the men’s team had five different winners. Senior Danny Berlitz led the way, winning the 200-yard breaststroke and the 200-yard individual medley events.
West Virginia has now won the West Virginia State Games in each of its 12 seasons. The men’s team continued its dominance, as it has never lost at this meet. The women’s team lost for just the second time.
Up next, the Mountaineers host Penn State on Friday, Oct. 13, and Saturday, Oct. 14, at the Aquatic Center at Mylan Park in Morgantown. The men’s team will compete on Oct. 13, at 6 p.m. and the women’s team will compete at 10 a.m. on Oct. 14.
Courtesy: Marshall Athletics
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The Marshall University swimming and diving team claimed the 2023 West Virginia State Games title on Saturday in Morgantown, West Virginia.
“We have a really special group here and our staff is so proud of these women,” Herd swimming and diving head coach Ian Walsh said after his team’s triumph. “It was a true team effort this weekend and every individual played a part in it. A lot of standout performances this weekend. I’m pleased with how our freshman navigated this tough, emotional two-day meet. The upperclassmen have been wonderful examples for that group and setting the tone of the season through training and competing.”
The Herd racked up 1,340.5 points at the two-day meet besting West Virginia’s 1,300.5 total.
“We have only beaten WVU twice in the history of our program. It makes it extra special when we can do it at their venue. Our parents and fans were incredible today with the support they showed up in the stands.”
MU finished the final day by winning four of the final eight events and had 14 top-three finishes.
Three of the team’s wins came during a stretch between events three through six. Gabrielle Ivey took the 200 Backstroke (2:05.97) and Eszter Laban won the 500 Freestyle (5:07.32). In the sixth event of the day, the 100 Butterfly, Marshall took four of the top-five spots with Madeline Hart winning the event (57.17), Klava Katayama taking third (58.19), Ivey fourth (58.38) and Laban fifth (58.68), respectively.
The Herd closed out the event with a first-place finish in the 200 Freestyle Relay by the team of Katayama, Parker Lynch, Hart, Audrey West (1:36.53) and third by Ivey, Mia McBride, Nina Nugent, Molly Warner (1:37.81).
Katayama also finished second in the 100 Freestyle (52.62) in addition to the 400 Medley Relay with the team of McBride, Paige Banton and Hart (3:53.12).
Jenna Bopp took second in the 200 Breaststroke (2:21.39) just ahead of Banton who finished in third (2:21.50).
In the 200 Individual Medley, Laban finished second (2:08.31) with Warner finishing third (2:08.51).
“We have a month until our next meet against JMU, so we will enjoy this day and get back to work Monday.”
RESULTS
400 Medley Relay
2nd – Mia McBride, Paige Banton, Madeline Hart, Klava Katayama (3:53.12)
3rd – Gabrielle Ivey, Jenna Bopp, Katie Fisher, Molly Warner (3:53.87)
8th – Mackenzie Rider, Grace Valenza, Grace Cox, Claire Kenney (4:15.00)
100 Freestyle
2nd – Klava Katayama (52.62)
3rd – Madeline Hart (53.40)
4th – Audrey West (53.78)
6th – Parker Lynch (54.47)
7th – Nina Nugent (54.54)
8th – Sofia Bormett (54.68)
13th – Claire Kenney (55.84)
20th – Grace Cox (57.96)
200 Backstroke
1st – Gabrielle Ivey (2:05.97)
4th – Mia McBride (2:08.72)
5th – Lauren Ramsey (2:08.74)
7th – Molly Warner (2:09.41)
8th – Allison Dodd (2:09.59)
10th – Charlotte Thompson (2:11.32)
13th – Parker Lynch (2:18.10)
17th – Mackenzie Rider (2:24.77)
200 Breaststroke
2nd – Jenna Bopp (2:21.39)
3rd – Paige Banton (2:21.50)
5th – Audrey West (2:25.09)
6th – Jessica Humby (2:27.41)
7th – Katie Fisher (2:29.48)
8th – Nina Nugent (2:31.13)
11th – Grace Valenza (2:37.89)
500 Freestyle
1st – Eszter Laban (5:07.32)
6th – Charlotte Thompson (5:16.64)
10th – Jenna Bopp (5:20.60)
100 Butterfly
1st – Madeline Hart (57.17)
3rd – Klava Katayama (58.19)
4th – Gabrielle Ivey (58.38)
5th – Eszter Laban (58.68)
6th – Tatum Robinson (58.82)
10th – Katie Fisher (59.87)
11th – Lauren Ramsey (1:00.31)
12th – Mia McBride (1:00.67)
20th – Grace Cox (1:02.38)
26th – Mackenzie Rider (1:07.35)
200 IM
2nd – Eszter Laban (2:08.31)
3rd – Molly Warner (2:08.51)
5th – Audrey West (2:08.69)
6th – Paige Banton (2:11.06)
8th – Allison Dodd (2:11.17)
11th – Jessica Humby (2:12.98)
13th – Katie Fisher (2:13.99)
14th – Lauren Ramsey (2:14.79)
15th – Jenna Bopp (2:14.89)
17th – Tatum Robinson (2:16.51)
18th – Grace Valenza (2:17.35)
200 Freestyle Relay
1st – Klava Katayama, Parker Lynch, Madeline Hart, Audrey West (1:36.53)
3rd – Gabrielle Ivey, Mia McBride, Nina Nugent, Molly Warner (1:37.81)
5th – Sofia Bormett, Claire Kenney, Lauren Ramsey, Allison Dodd (1:39.74)
UP NEXT
Marshall returns to the pool in Harrisonburg, Virginia, for a dual meet at James Madison on November 4.
