Texas Invite: Saturday Finals Recap

The third and final night of the 2014 Texas Swimming & Diving Hall of Fame Invite in Austin, Texas was another exciting night of several achieved NCAA A cuts and school records. Many of the top times posted tonight also are among the fastest times in the country so far this year. Here’s your recap of tonight’s 1650 Freestyle, 200 Backstroke, 100 Freestyle, 200 Breaststroke, 200 Butterfly, and 400 Freestyle Relays:

1650 Freestyle
Two women achieved NCAA A cuts today in the 1650 Freestyle: Bonnie Brandon of Arizona and Tjasa Oder and Arizona. Brandon continued her impressive weekend with a win in a time of 15:48.35. She was followed by Oder in a time of 15:53.33. Kaitlin Pawlowicz of Texas (3rd – 15:57.37), Haley Anderson of Trojan Swim Club (4th – 16:00.97), and Tristin Baxter, also of Trojan Swim Club (5th – 16:22.19), achieved the NCAA B cut in this event. In the men’s event, Utah’s Bence Kiraly claimed first in 14:51.17, just five seconds slower than the NCAA A cut time. Sam Lewis of Texas placed second in 14:57.81, followed by Matthew Hutchin of Wisconsin (15:00.71) and Pawel Furtek of USC (15:03.91). The top thirteen finishers in the men’s 1650 Freestyle achieved the NCAA B cut.

200 Backstroke
Sarah Denninghoff moved up from the second seed this morning to a top finish in the Women’s 200 Backstroke. Her time of 1:52.61 edged out Bonnie Brandon (1:52.98), the Texas Invite’s 200 and 1650 Freestyle champion. USC’s Kendyl Stewart touched third in 1:54.20, followed by Danielle Lee of Harvard in 1:54.63. The top twelve women achieved the NCAA B cut. In the men’s event, all three of the top swimmers achieved the 200 Backstroke NCAA A cut. Drew Teduits of Wisconsin, the 2013 NCAA champion in this event, placed first in a time of 1:39.72. Jack Conger of Texas was second in a time of 1:39.84, followed by Jake Taylor of BYU, the Texas Invite’s 100 Backstroke champion, in 1:40.51. Jack Manchester of Harvard took fourth in 1:42.41.

100 Freestyle
Margo Geer (unattached – Arizona) was the only woman under 48 seconds tonight. If Geer was still a college swimmer, this would have been an NCAA A cut for her. Ivy Martin of Wisconsin, the Texas Invite champion in the 50 Freestyle, finished second in 48.38. Taylor Schick of Arizona placed third in 48.81. In the men’s event, Dax Hill of Lonestar Aquatic Club led the way in a time of 42.61. Texas swimmer John Murray placed third in 42.64, followed by the rapid succession of Brett Ringgold of Texas (43.03), Matt Ellis of Texas (43.04), Nikita Lobintsev of Trojan Swim Club (43.05), and Bradley Tandy of Arizona (43.06).

200 Breaststroke
Gretchen Jaques swept the breaststroke events at the Texas Invite with a win in the 200 Breaststroke in a time of 2:08.06. Andrea Kropp of USC took second in 2:09/82, followed by two Arizona swimmers: Sara Borendame (2:10.08) and Emma Schoettmer (2:10.49). In the men’s event, two swimmers clocked NCAA A cuts. Will Licon had one of the most exciting swims of the night, finishing first in 1:52.18. His time sets a new University of Texas school record, breaking Scott Spann, Jr.’s 1:52.24 from the 2010 NCAA prelims. This was also Licon’s second win of the weekend, as he finished first in the 400 IM on Friday night. In second was 2014 NCAA champion, Kevin Cordes, in a time of 1:52.65, an NCAA A cut. Nick Shafer of Wisconsin claimed third in 1:54.92, followed by Eric Ronda of Harvard in 1:55.71.

200 Butterfly
Kelsey LeNeave of Texas won the women’s 200 Butterfly by over a second. LeNeave scratched her 100 Freestyle final in order to prepare for her 200 Butterfly tonight. In second and third were USC’s Jasmine Tosky (1:56.82) and Andrea Ward (unattached UCSB; 1:57.18). Joseph Schooling set the second University of Texas school record of the evening in the men’s 200 Butterfly, finishing in a time of 1:41.00. His time broke Neil Caskey’s 1:42.52 from the 2012 NCAA Championships and is currently the fastest 200 Butterfly time in the country this year. Clark Smith finished second in 1:41.42, also surpassing the Caskey’s previous record in the event. Both clocked NCAA automatic qualifying times. Wisconsin’s Nicholas Caldwell (1:44.75) and Arizona’s Justin Wright (1:45.02) finished third and fourth, respectively.

400 Freestyle Relay
The Texas A relay comprised of Gretchen Jaques, Kelsey Leaneave, Rebecca Millard, and Sarah Denninghoff claimed an NCAA A cut in the women’s 400 Freestyle Relay, touching the wall in a time of 3:15.54. Two seconds behind Texas was Wisconsin’s A relay of Ivy Martin, Aja Van Hout, Chase Kinney, and Dana Grindall (3:17.04). Arizona’s A relay claimed third in 3:17.66. In the men’s event, Texas completed their sweep of the 400 Freestyle Relay events. The A relay of Clay Youngquist, John Murray, Jack Conger, and Matt Ellis finished in an NCAA A cut time of 2:52.30, two seconds ahead of Arizona’s Bradley Tandy, Brian Stevens, Thane Maudslien, and Michael Meyer (2:54.45). USC’s A relay finished third in 2:54.67.

Final results can be found at http://texassports_com.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/2014/12/4/thursday_finals_pdf.pdf.