South Carolina Women, Tampa Men Put On Dominant Performances On Day 1 of Gamecock Invite

2023 Gamecock Swimming Invitational

• November 15-17, 2023
• Columbia, South Carolina
• SCY (25 yards)
• Results on Meet Mobile: “2023 Gamecock Swimming Invitational”
• Day 1 Results (PDF)

The South Carolina women and Tampa men put on a show on the opening day of the Gamecock Invitational in Columbia, S.C., with both teams sweeping their events and finishing the day well ahead in the team standings.

WOMEN’S RECAP

The South Carolina women went wire-to-wire on the day, winning every single event and going 1-2 in all but one.

In the 200 free relay, the Gamecocks squad of Dylan Scholes, Aubrey Chandler, Peyton Curry and Nicholle Toh combined for a time of 1:29.45 to win the event by more than two seconds, setting a new pool record as Chandler provided the quickest split at 22.03.

South Carolina then went 1-2-3-4 in the women’s 500 free, with sophomore Amy Riordan leading the charge in 4:43.82, a new personal best time that moves her into #2 in school history.

Hayley Mason was the runner-up in 4:48.65, just shy of her best time set at this meet last year (4:47.27).

In the 200 IM, it was a 1-2 finish for South Carolina as Greta Pelzek and Annaliese Streeter both hit new personal best times – Pelzek in 1:58.36 and Streeter in 1:59.98.

Things closed out individually in the 50 free with Chandler (22.83) leading Curry (23.03) leading a 1-2 finish for the Gamecocks.

They went 1-2 yet again in the 400 medley relay, with the ‘A’ team of Bella Pantano, Streeter, Toh, and Scholes finishing in 3:34.61 for a new pool record. The Gamecocks ‘B’ squad, which included Riordan, Pelzek, Chandler and breaststroker Lien Yu clocked 3:35.75.

Ranking 2nd in the team race thus far is Vanderbilt, which had one school record go down at the hands of Sophia Kosturos, Faith Knelson, Kailia Utley and Ellie Taliaferro in the 400 medley relay (3:37.66) en route to 3rd place.

Team Scores Through Day 1

1. South Carolina, 571
2. Vanderbilt, 344.5
3. Tampa, 270.5
4. UNC Wilmington, 245
5. Georgia Southern, 79
6. North Florida, 56
7. Gardner-Webb, 43
8. Milligan, 22

MEN’S RECAP

The Tampa men put on a clinic, setting the tone right off the hop in the 200 free relay, where they won by more than two seconds in 1:17.84.

The team, which set a new pool record, was comprised of Ian Cooper, Tibor Tistan, Caleb Brandon and Blake Moran, all splitting in the 19s, including a 19.24 anchor from Moran.

Later in the session, Moran won the 50 free in a PB of 19.71, with Tistan (19.89) 2nd and Cooper (19.96) 3rd.

The Spartans went 1-2 in the 500 free, with Santiago Corredor leading the charge in a pool record of 4:19.34, nearing his PB (4:18.57) and the school record (4:18.66).

Freshman Jacob Hamlin was the runner-up in 4:21.50, putting him under 4:22 for the first time.

Parker Knollman kept the ball rolling for Tampa in the men’s 200 IM, clocking 1:47.49 to shatter his previous best time of 1:49.89. He was followed by South Carolina’s Wylie Kruse (1:48.83) and UNCW’s Jacob Duracinsky (1:49.52).

Tampa closed out the night in the 400 medley relay, setting a new pool record of 3:10.35 as Knollman (47.08), Richard Polasek (53.71), Adrian Aguilar (46.56) and Moran (43.00) combined for a time of 3:10.35.

South Carolina took 2nd in 3:12.11, with Michael Laitarovsky producing a notable 46.51 lead-off leg on backstroke.

Team Scores Through Day 1

1. Tampa, 514
2. UNC Wilmington, 365
3. South Carolina, 364
4. Milligan / Gardner-Webb, 152