Texas A&M Men & Women Roll Over Incarnate Word In Season Opener

MEET FACTS

• Ann Barshop Natatorium, UIW Campus
• Wednesday, October 19th
• 25 yards
• Men: Texas A&M 182, Incarnate Word 105
• Women: Texas A&M 182, Incarnate Word 105

Texas A&M had their season opener and Incarnate Word their home opener on Wednesday, with the Aggies defeating the Cardinals 182-105 on both sides to give the men and women 1-0 records to start the year.

The Texas A&M women dominated, sweeping the events. The Aggie women are full of talent, evidenced by their 4th place finish at last years NCAA Championships.

They were led by four different women who won multiple events. First year Katie Portz brought home both the 100 free (51.46) and 200 free (1:49.73), junior Beryl Gastaldello took down the 100 back (54.70) and the 100 fly (53.83), and senior Sarah Gibson was victorious in both the 200 fly (2:01.03) and the 500 free (4:55.18). The fourth multiple winner for the Aggie women was South African Franko Jonker, who made her return after taking a redshirt last year sweeping the breaststroke events in 1:02.24 and 2:14.18 respectively.

The Incarnate Word women had a tough matchup with the 4th ranked Aggies, but managed five runner-up finishes. Alona Kyselova, who was 2nd in the 200 breast, also earned the official victory in the 400 IM despite touching behind Texas A&M’s Bethany Galat, due to Texas A&M having to race the final event exhibition.

There were no double winners on the men’s side, but it was the Aggies getting the job done easily winning 13 of 16 events. They were led by their freshmen, as six different first years earned an event win in their first meet of the season. First years winners were Jake Gibbons (1000 free), Anthony Kim (100 back), Adam Koster (100 free), Mike Thibert (500 free), Benjamin Walker (400 IM), and Raiz Tjon-A-Joe (200 breast).

The Incarnate Word men came out on top in three events, earning wins from Beau Fusilier (200 free), Hector Ruvalcaba Cruz (200 fly) and Dawson Martinez (3-meter dive).

Texas A&M won all four relays in the meet.

PRESS RELEASES

Texas A&M:

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The Texas A&M men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams opened their respective 2016-17 seasons with impressive victories over Incarnate Word on Wednesday at the Ann Barshop Natatorium on the UIW campus.

The Texas A&M women’s squad grabbed at least the top two spots while sweeping the day’s events, while the Aggie men’s team won 13 of 16 possible events with a sweep of the top two spots 11 times. Both teams rolled to 182-105 victories over the Cardinals.

Texas A&M’s impressive crop of newcomers made its presence felt by combining to win 10 races on the day. Women’s squad newcomers winning races were freshman Katie Portz in the 100-yard freestyle (51.46) and 200 free (1:49.73), redshirt freshman Raena Eldridge in the 50 free (23.72) and freshman Kaley Batten in the three-meter dive (277.70). Newcomers logging wins for the men’s team included redshirt freshman Jake Gibbons (transfer from Yale) in the 1,000 free (9:44.50), freshman Anthony Kim in the 100 backstroke (49.78), freshman Adam Koster in the 100 free (45.69), freshman Mike Thibert in the 500 free (4:42.09), freshman Benjamin Walker in the 400 IM (4:01.60) and freshman Raiz Tjon-A-Joe in the 200 breast (2:06.61).

Also of note in the competition was the return of junior Franko Jonker and senior Ashley McGregor to action after redshirting last season while training for the 2016 Olympic Games. Jonker swept both the 100 and 200 breaststrokes (1:02.24 and 2:14.18)), while McGregor was third in the 100 breast and second in the 200 breast.

The Aggies swept the relays with the foursome of junior Lisa Bratton, junior Jorie Caneta, senior Sarah Gibson and Eldridge combining to win the 200 medley relay and sophomore Claire Rasmus, junior Kristin Malone, Eldridge and junior Beryl Gastaldello touching first in the 400 free relay for the women’s team, while Kim, junior Jonathan Tybur, junior Brock Bonetti and seniorJacob Gonzales won the 200 medley relay and Gonzales, Bonetti, sophomore Connor Long and junior Cameron Kerr were victorious in the 400 free relay for the men’s squad.

Aggie veterans earning double victories included Gastaldello in the women’s 100 back (54.70) and 100 fly (53.83), Gibson in the women’s 200 fly (2:01.03) and 500 free (4:55.18) and Castillo in the men’s 100 breast (55.63) and 100 fly (49.41). Returnees with solo victories for the women’s squad were junior Caitlyn Moon in the 1,000 free (10:21.51), sophomore Alais Kalonji in the one-meter dive (283.40), Bratton in the 200 back (1:58.95) and junior Bethany Galat in the 400 IM (4:16.54). Veterans earning solo wins for the men’s squad were Gonzales in the 50 free (20.66), Bonetti in the 200 back (1:45.76) and sophomore Skylar Lake in the three-meter dive (352.45).

The Aggies return to action next week when they host Southeastern Conference foe South Carolina at 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 28 on Alumni Weekend at the Student Recreation Natatorium.

Incarnate Word:

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The University of the Incarnate Word men’s and women’s swimming and diving team competed at home for the first time in this 2016-2017 season against Texas A&M on Wednesday night.

HOW IT HAPPENED

UIW impressed fans in the swimming pool, but it was Freshman Dawson Martinez who made the splash to remember as he set a new school record in the 3-meter diving.  In his second collegiate meet, Martinez won the 3-meter event with a total of 365.40 points, breaking the UIW former NCAA Division II National Champion’s, Justin McDonald, team record.  In winning, Martinez also defeated Texas A&M’s top diver that is a Division I All-American. Dawson also finished fourth on 1-meter with 288.00 points.

The Cardinals fought hard against the Aggies and took home first place in two other events including the 200 freestyle and 200 butterfly.

“We have some injuries and some sicknesses,” Coach Phillip Davis said, “but we cannot make that excuse because all college sports deal with that very thing each day. We competed hard; effort is never going to be a problem for us at UIW. But we must identify the little things that are holding us back technically.”

UIW LEADERS

Men’s 3 Meter Diving: 1^st place, Dawson Martinez, 365.40
Men’s 1000 Freestyle: 3^rd place, Joao Granato, 9:50.95
Men’s 200 Freestyle: 1^st place, Beau Fusilier, 1:42.12
2^nd place, Jack Hennessy II, 1:43.42
Men’s 200 Butterfly: 1^st place, Hector Ruvalcaba Cruz, 1:51.16
Men’s 100 Freestyle: 2^nd place, Christopher Lestage, 46.92
Men’s 200 Breaststroke: 3^rd place, Hector Ruvalcaba Cruz, 2:09.92
Men’s 500 Freestyle: 2^nd place, Joao Granato, 4:45.07
3^rd place, Nathan Coppock, 5:02.04
Men’s 100 Butterfly: 2^nd place, Bryce Kuchan, 51.92
3^rd place, Roberto Pinedo, 52.84
Men’s 400 IM: 2^nd place, Hector Ruvalcaba Cruz, 4:02.00
3^rd place, Beau Fusilier, 4:13.57

Women’s 1 Meter Diving, 3^rd place, Malory Draper, 220.85
Women’s 3 Meter Diving, 3^rd place, Malory Draper, 218.30
Women’s 100 Freestyle: 2^nd place, Paulina Zelanzna, 52.63
3^rd place, Leia Bates, 55.74
Women’s 200 Backstroke: 2^nd place, Natasha Fung, 2:06.67
3^rd place, Abigail Meyer, 2:07.29
Women’s 200 Breaststroke: 2^nd place, Alona Kyselova, 2:22.34
3^rd place, Sophia Rodriguez, 2:36.73
Women’s 500 Freestyle: 2^nd place, Leia Bates, 5:21.53
3^rd place, Genevieve Pena, 5:39.86
Women’s 100 Butterfly: 2^nd place, Taylor Steele, 1:00.67
3^rd place, Magdalena Contreras Gomez, 1:00.86
Women’s 400 IM: 1^st place, Alona Kyselova, 4:27.83
2^nd place, Magdalena Contreras Gomez, 4:55.44
3^rd place, Jenny Cokley, 5:04.69

SERIES HISTORY

The Aggies and Cardinals have dueled in the pool many times in the past. Competing against a high-level program such as Texas A&M only makes for more competitiveness and team spirit from UIW.

Up Next

The Cardinals will have a full month off of competition before they travel to Mansfield to swim and dive in the Texas A&M Invitational on Thursday, Nov. 17 to Saturday, Nov. 19.

Stay Tuned

UIW will host their annual UIW Christmas Invite at the Palo Alto College on Dec. 17 to Dec. 19. A number of different teams from around Texas will compete in this three day meet just before students go home for Christmas break.

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