Meet Results
- October 6-7, 2017
- Morgantown, West Virginia
- Meet Results
- Score
- MEN:
- West Virginia 1,899
- West Virginia Wesleyan 456
- WOMEN:
- West Virginia 1,515.5
- Marshall 1,262.5
- MEN:
Press Release
Courtesy of West Virginia Athletics
The West Virginia University men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams showed their dominance on Saturday, Oct. 7, on the second and final day of the West Virginia State Games at the WVU Natatorium.
Each team earned first-place finishes over the meet’s in-state competition, winning a combined 35 of 40 events on the weekend.
The WVU men won all 20 events at the two-day meet, claiming its seventh consecutive West Virginia State Games title. The Mountaineers earned a total of 1,899 points, well ahead of second-place West Virginia Wesleyan, which finished with a total of 456 points.
The WVU women’s team, which won 15 of 20 events, including nine on Saturday, also registered a victory, its sixth overall in the event and first since 2015. The Mountaineers earned 1,515.5 points, 253 better than second-place Marshall. The Thundering Herd collected 1,262.5 points.
The Mountaineers also broke a pool record for the second consecutive day, the third record to fall of the weekend, when the men’s 800 freestyle relay team of redshirt senior Nate Carr, junior Drew Damich and sophomores Ryan Kelly and Trayton Saladin set a new WVU Natatorium record of 6:44.75. The mark broke a time of 6:48.59 set in 2015.
Carr and Saladin led the way for WVU, earning five wins apiece. Each won three individual events and two relays, including the record-setting 800 free relay.
The Mountaineer women were led by senior Amelie Currat and sophomore Morgan Bullock, who each won four total events on the day.
In all, 12 different Mountaineers were a part of multiple wins.
“I was very pleased with the team’s effort, energy and racing,” WVU coach Vic Riggs said. “Each team broke pool records and we had many season-best times. It’s definitely the start we were looking to have. Our goal was to finish as strong as we started and we did that, which is a good indication of where we are as a team going into the season.”
Saturday’s morning session began with a Mountaineer victory in the women’s 200 medley relay. Junior Emma Harris and sophomores Julia Miranda, Julia Nilton and Bullock teamed up for a time of 1:46.79. WVU also secured a second-place finish in the event as Currat, junior Maggie Miller and freshmen Olivia Heflin and Sofia Bernard went 1:47.63.
The men’s team also won its opening event, winning the 200 medley relay in 1:32.82. Nate Carr, junior Merwane El Merini and freshmen Angelo Russo and David Dixon combined for the first-place finish. The WVU team of Damich, redshirt junior Tristen DiSibio and sophomores Luke Hene and Gabe Swardson claimed second place in a time of 1:34.58.
In the women’s 100 butterfly, Bullock picked up another win in a time of 55.75. The Zeeland, Michigan, native was the first of a 1-2-3 finish for WVU in the event, with Currat (56.79) taking second and Miranda grabbing third (57.32).
For the men, Saladin earned the 100 fly victory for WVU in a time of 49.47, ahead of second-place finisher Dixon (50.10).
In the 400 individual medley, junior Morgan Carr led the WVU women with a second-place finish (4:34.61), while Nate Carr cruised to a win in the men’s event. His time of 3:57.56 bested the competition by nearly 10 seconds. Dixon (4:06.33), freshman Philip Kay (4:06.57) and senior James Koval (4:10.29) finish second, third and fourth, respectively.
Then, Bernard claimed a second-place finish in the women’s 200 free, touching the wall in a time of 1:54.41. WVU freshman Giselle Gursoy finished third in a time of 1:55.38, while freshman Luisa Winkler took fourth in 1:56.88.
For the men, Kelly led the way for WVU, which finished with the top 10 finishers in the 200 free. Kelly earned the victory in a time of 1:39.98, ahead of second-place Damich (1:42.23) and third-place Saladin (1:42.98).
The Mountaineer women also recorded second- and third-place finishes in the 100 breaststroke. Harris touched the wall in 1:07.13 for second place, just ahead of Heflin, who took third (1:07.47).
Nate Carr notched his third win on the day in the men’s race, earning a first-place time of 56.85. DiSibio (57.11) was second, while senior Drew Riebel (57.96) placed third.
Currat got the Mountaineer women back in the win column in the 100 backstroke. She earned a first-place time of 57.41, ahead of Miranda (58.04), Miller (58.25) and freshman Ally VanNetta (58.39).
El Merini won the men’s event, finishing in a time of 50.74. The Mountaineers saw Russo (51.66) finish second and senior Chris McMahon and Hene tie for third (52.33).
The morning session concluded with the 800 freestyle relays. First, the WVU women’s team of Bernard, Gursoy, Bullock and Currat earned a first-place time of 7:37.61.
Then, the Mountaineers’ men’s 800 free relay team ended the morning session in style, recording a new WVU Natatorium record in the event. Saladin, Nate Carr, Damich and Kelly combined to finish in 6:44.75, earning the big victory.
Sophomore Alex Pampalone started the afternoon session off with a third-place finish in the women’s 1,650 free, while Saladin led the way for the men. Saladin won the event in 16:16.11, ahead of Koval (16:30.59), sophomore Brandon Christian (16:47.45) and freshman Max Gustafson (16:55.86).
On springboard, junior Julia Calcut won the women’s 1-meter for WVU, earning an NCAA Zone-qualifying score of 267.80. Junior Averly Hobbs finished second with a score of 250.80, while junior Madelyn Woods (237.25) claimed third place.
Senior Logan McHenry won the men’s 3-meter, registering a score of 310.20. Senior Michael Proietto earned a second-place finish with a score of 292.40, while junior Austin Smith‘s 280.35 placed third.
In the women’s 200 backstroke, Currat added to her big day with a victory in 2:04.69. WVU occupied every spot in the top five of the event, including a second-place finish by Miller (2:05.97). Morgan Carr finished third in 2:07.43.
Saladin kept his winning ways going in the men’s 200 back, finishing first in a time of 1:52.13. The Buchanon, Michigan, native paced the Mountaineers, who took the first six spots in the event.
Bernard led WVU to a second-place finish in the women’s 100 free, touching the wall in 52.81. Damich won the men’s event, just beating out El Merini for the top spot. Damich earned a time of 46.29, while El Merini finished second in 46.82.
In the women’s 200 breaststroke, Harris earned a victory with a time of 2:22.06. Nate Carrfollowed suit in the men’s race, tallying a first-place time of 2:04.76. DiSibio (2:08.74), Riebel (2:10.81) and sophomore Jack Portmann (2:12.44) rounded out the top four.
Bullock added another win for WVU in the women’s 200 butterfly, registering a time of 2:04.07. She finished ahead of Morgan Carr, who finished second in a time of 2:05.41.
Then, Dixon grabbed his first individual collegiate victory with a win in the men’s race. The freshman touched the wall in 1:50.83, the first of five Mountaineers at the top of the event results.
The women’s team capped off its weekend with a victory in the 400 freestyle relay as Bernard, Currat, Gursoy and Nilton won the event in a time of 3:31.75.
The Mountaineer men also claimed victory in the 400 freestyle relay, clinching a perfect 20-for-20 weekend. Damich, El Merini, Neaveill and Saladin combined for the win in a time of 3:06.62.
West Virginia returns to the pool on Friday, Oct. 27 at 6 p.m. ET, and Saturday, Oct. 28 at 11 a.m., when the Mountaineers host Seton Hall and Xavier at the WVU Natatorium.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUSwimDive on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
