Redhawk Women, Grand Canyon Men Jump Out To Day 1 Lead At Miami (OH) Invite

2021 Miami Invite

  • Thursday, December 2- Saturday, December 4, 2021
  • Corwin M Nixon Aquatic Center, Oxford, OH
  • SCY (25y)
  • Day 1 Prelims Results
  • Day 1 Finals Results
  • Results on Meet Mobile: “2021 Miami Invite – 28th Annual”

The Miami Redhawk women and Grand Canyon Lopes men kicked off the 2021 Miami Invite in Oxford by establishing the early meet lead, holding respective advantages of 88 and 95 points over the second-place teams.

The meet only features Miami, Grand Canyon and Youngstown State.

Women’s Recap

Despite Miami opening up the team lead, Grand Canyon won five of the six events of the opening day on the women’s side.

The lone victory for the Redhawks was a massive one, however, as sophomore Nicole Maier dominated the 500 freestyle field by almost 13 seconds in a time of 4:42.60. That swim breaks the 11-year-old pool record of 4:44.23, set by Toledo’s Jacy Dyer in 2010.

Maier, a German native, was the MAC champion last season in the event, setting a new program record of 4:39.96.

For the Lopes, freshman Maria Brunlehner and senior Emily Muteti had phenomenal performances, winning one individual event apiece and contributing on both first-place-finishing relays.

Brunlehner, a native of Kenya, first led off Grand Canyon’s 200 free relay in a school record time of 22.66 for the 50 free, and followed with a massive five-second victory in the 200 IM in 1:59.54.

In the relay, Brunlehner, Muteti (22.42), Kaitlyn Carr (23.34) and Claire Banic (22.21) cruised to victory in a time of 1:30.63, lowering the school record of 1:31.55 set at the 2021 WAC Championships.

Muteti won the 50 free in a time of 22.95, having hit clocked 22.76 in the heats. Banic and Miami’s Honor Brodie-Foy tied for second in 23.06.

In the 400 medley relay, Robyn Edwards (55.97), Raphaela Nakashima (1:01.03), Muteti (54.45) and Brunlehner (49.09) paced the field in 3:40.54.

Miami (3:41.48) took second, with Maier throwing down a blistering 47.95 anchor leg.

GCU’s Abigail Erickson (245.50) add a win for the Lopes in the women’s platform diving event.

TEAM SCORES – THRU DAY 1

  1. Miami University (Ohio), 373
  2. Grand Canyon University, 285
  3. Youngstown State University, 92

Men’s Recap

The GCU men came incredibly close to sweeping all six events on the day, with Miami edging out one victory in the 200 IM.

Leading the charge for the Lopes was sophomore Jack Armstrong, who set a new school record in the 50 freestyle in a time of 19.30, lowering his previous mark of 19.47 set earlier this season. Armstrong also broke the 13-year-old pool record of 19.38 previously held by Josh Schneider.

Armstrong also led off Grand Canyon’s 200 free relay in 19.49, with Omar Elsayd (19.48), Mazen Shoukri (19.87) and Florent Janin (19.41) earning a near-two-second win in 1:18.25. That also broke the pool record of 1:19.53.

Armstrong finished off the session by anchoring GCU to the win in the 400 medley relay, splitting 43.54 on fresestyle as they finished in a time of 3:13.53. He was joined by Dylan Nasser (49.27), Alonso Carazo Barbero (53.61) and Adrian Curbelo Tejera (47.11) on back, breast and fly.

Also winning for the Lopes on the men’s side was Mikhail Lyubasvskiy in the 500 free (4:23.26) and Nicholas Gunn (289.85) in the platform diving event.

In the 200 IM, Miami’s Henju Duvenhage (1:47.52) held off Curbelo Tejera (1:47.61) for a tight win.

TEAM SCORES – THRU DAY 1

  1. Grand Canyon University, 346
  2. Miami University (Ohio), 251
  3. Youngstown State University, 150

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About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

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