2024 Hawaii vs. Ohio State
- Jan. 5, 2024
- Honolulu, Hawaii
- SCY (25 yards)
- Team scores
- Men: Ohio State 154, Hawaii 109
- Women: Ohio State 160, Hawaii 96
- PDF results
After redshirting this fall, Ohio State senior Charlie Clark returned to collegiate competition with a pair of victories during Friday’s dual meet at Hawaii.
Clark clocked a winning time of 8:54.84 in the 1000 free, which ranks 7th in the NCAA this season. He has been as fast as 8:47.19 during a time trial last October. Clark also triumphed in the 500 free with a time of 4:23.13, about 10 seconds off his best time (4:13.77) from 2022.
Clark competed at last October’s World Cup stop in Berlin, where he won the 1500-meter free (14:59.21), while sitting out NCAA competition this past fall. At the U.S. Open a couple months ago, he won the 800-meter free (7:50.49) while also placing 2nd in the 1500 free (15:05.57) behind Bobby Finke.
Clark wasn’t the only notable swimmer to make his long-awaited return on Friday. Karol Ostrowski was initially expected to be eligible for Hawaii starting next season, but the 24-year-old Polish Olympian was deemed immediately eligible after a recent compliance review.
Ostrowski’s impact was felt right off the bat in his Rainbow Warrior debut as he helped the Hawaii men’s 200 medley relay (1:28.08) upset Ohio State (1:30.84) along with Justin Lisoway (24.27 breast), Grant Stoddard (21.27 fly), and Jakub Ksiazek (19.72 free). Ostrowski went on to win the individual 50 free (20.03), place 2nd in the 100 free (44.23), and throw down a 43.55 anchor on Hawaii’s 400 free relay (2:57.72) that beat Ohio State (2:59.38) to close out the meet.
The addition of Ostrowski wasn’t enough for the Hawaii men to pull off a team upset of Ohio State as the Buckeyes prevailed, 154-109. But it did make the matchup tighter with Ohio State winning eight events to the Rainbow Warriors’ six. Hawaii also got multiple individual victories from Croatian sophomore Mario Surkovic in the 200 free (1:37.80) and 200 IM (1:48.72).
On the women’s side, Gwen Woodbury, Josie Panitz, and Amy Fulmer each collected two individual wins to lead Ohio State to a 160-96 victory over the Rainbow Wahine.
Woodbury swept the distance freestyle events with 1st-place finishes in the 1000 free (9:55.85) and 500 free (4:55.03). Panitz claimed both breaststroke crowns with wins in the 100 breast (1:02.00) and 200 breast (2:14.56). Fulmer triumphed in the 100 free (49.46) and 200 free (1:47.74). Fulmer’s season bests in the 100 free (47.68) and 200 free (1:44.24) rank 10th and 17th in the NCAA, respectively.
Other standout performances from the Ohio State women included Teresa Ivan in the 50 free (22.90) and Kit Kat Zenick in the 100 fly (54.82). Ivan was just about a second off her season-best 21.89 in the 50 free that ranks 7th in the NCAA.
Hawaii sophomore Kailee Chow lowered her lifetime best in the 200 fly (2:01.05) en route to a 1st-place finish ahead of Ohio State’s Jessica Eden (2:01.55), who touched first in the 200 IM (2:04.18). Mando Nguyen had a busy day for the Rainbow Wahine, earning runner-up finishes in the 200 breast (2:15.31) and 200 IM (2:04.51) while also placing 3rd in the 100 breast (1:03.47).
