OHIO STATE WINTER INVITE
- February 14-16, 2020
- Hosted by Ohio State
- Short Course Yards
- Day 1 Recap|Day 2 Recap
- Day 3 Results
The 2020 Ohio State Winter Invite concluded on Sunday. After swimming a lifetime best in the 100 back on Saturday, Kentucky’s Parker Herren swept the backstrokes. Her 1:57.01 in finals beat her former best from prior to this meet by over 2 seconds. In the men’s race, Notre Dame’s Joe Turk put up another season best. His 1:46.01 was almost a second and a half faster than he was with his former season best in January.
Ohio State’s Becca Luft took a sweep of the sprints. In the 100 free, she took down her lifetime best for the first time since 2014. Luft hit the wall in 50.64, marking her first time under 51 seconds. Kentucky’s Louis Barker dropped over half a second to win the men’s race. Barker clipped his best in prelims and lowered it again with his 44.02 in finals. Behind him, Notre Dame freshman Alec DeLong (44.62) dropped a few tenths from his best ahead of fellow Irish freshman Topher Stensby (44.79).
OSU freshman Leah Baker took 3 seconds off her best in the 200 breast. She swam a 2:16.82 in the final to take 2nd behind Janessa Matthews (2:15.97). Johns Hopkins’ Noah Frassrand had a breakthrough in the men’s race. His former best had been from 2017, but he dropped 2 seconds to win it in 2:00.65.
Another Ohio State freshman, Sarah Turchanik, also continued her trend of best times over the weekend. Her 2:00.38 in the 200 fly was a best by 2 seconds. Notre Dame freshman Charles Korndorffer dropped nearly 2 seconds on the men’s side in 1:46.45 for the fly sweep.
The Irish freshmen had also scored a win in the men’s mile, as Luke Thornbrue won it in 15:19.47. Ohio State’s Grace Kowal won the women’s race in 16:50.27. That was a season best by 2 seconds.
PRESS RELEASE – OHIO STATE
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The 2020 Ohio State Winter Invitational concluded Sunday at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion with three more victories in the pool for the hosts, the Ohio State Buckeye program. A select group of Buckeye swimmers finished with 10 victories during the meet, contested against eight other schools.
Highlights of the Sunday swims included:
- A 1,650 freestyle race right to the finish between Grace Kowal and Kendyl Ferrara, who went one-two in 16:50.27 and 16:50.43, respectively.
- Becca Luft claimed the top sprinter title for the weekend as she added a 100 freestyle victory Sunday in :50.64 to her 50 free victory on Friday.
- Sarah Turchanik was also a multiple winner this weekend. Sunday she took first in the 200 butterfly with a time of 2:00.38 after winning the 200 individual medley on Friday.
- In addition to Ferrara in the 1,650, five other Buckeyes placed second: John Sampson (200 backstroke) and Matthew Magness (200 butterfly) for the men and Brooke Glesenkamp (100 freestyle), Leah Baker (200 breaststroke) and Meredith Moellering (200 butterfly).
Up next for Ohio State’s No. 7 ranked women’s team: the Big Ten championships running this Wednesday, Feb. 19, through Saturday, Feb. 22, at the University of Iowa.
Ohio State’s No. 14-ranked men’s team is off this week prior to competing at the Big Ten championships in Bloomington, Ind., Feb. 26-29.
Women’s Top Individual Finishes – Sunday
1,650 freestyle – 1. Grace Kowal, 16:50.27; 2. Kendyl Ferrara, 16:50.43; 7. Lauren Kurzydlo, 17:03.60
200 backstroke – 4. Morgan Kraus, 2:00.19; 6. Quinn Fike, 2:02.76
100 freestyle – 1. Becca Luft, :50.64; 2. Brooke Glesenkamp, :51.09; 4. Katie Wright, :51.26
200 breaststroke – 2. Leah Baker, 2:16.82; 5. Grace Kowal, 2:21.76
200 butterfly – 1. Sarah Turchanik, 2:00.38; 2. Meredith Moellering, 2:01.96; 4. Alissa Cook, 2:03.14
Men’s Top Individual Finishes
200 backstroke – 2. John Sampson, 1:46.96
100 freestyle – 4. Jay Johnson, :45.27; 6. Colin Roy: 45.83; 8. Jonathon Sugar, :46.74
200 breaststroke – 3. Ian Mikesell, 2:01.72; 7. Dominic Harry, 2:07.90
200 butterfly – 2. Matthew Magness, 1:49.52; 3. Kyle Silver, 1:50.85
