Swim & Dive Earns Two First Place Finishes on Day One of Midseason Action
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina swimming & diving earned two first place finishes and seven additional podium finishes on the first day of their respective midseason invitationals.
Swimming – Gamecock Invitational
The women’s 200 free relay of Peyton Curry, Aubrey Finn, Reagan Phillips and Dylan Scholes opened up the first finals session of the Gamecock Invitational on Wednesday evening with a time of 1:31.66, good enough for second place. The men (Eldor Usmonov, Ryan Hufford, Michael Laitarovsky, Wylie Kruse) followed up with a fourth-place finish after swimming the 10th fastest time in program history of 1:19.21.
The women’s 500 freestyle squad kicked off the individual events of the night on a high note as three Gamecocks made their way onto the top-10 all-time list. Ellery Ottem claimed the Gamecocks first gold medal of the invitational, winning the event with the second fastest time in program history of 4:43.74. Megan Willar made her way onto the podium, placing third overall with a time of 4:45.48 which is over 10 seconds faster than her previous collegiate best time. Amy Riordan clocked a season best 4:45.70 for fourth while freshman Nora Fluck etched her name onto the top-10 all-time list after swimming a 4:46.15.
Raymond Prosinksi made his way onto the podium from an outside lane in the men’s 500 freestyle, placing third in a season best time of 4:18.52 which was nearly seven seconds faster than his prelims time. Connor Fry swam a 4:22.40 (4:21.79 prelims) for a new season best and fifth place finish.
Meghan Harnish was the Gamecocks top finisher in the 200 IM as she shaved two seconds off of her prelims time to clock a 1:58.47 for third place. The result marks a best time for the junior and moves her up to eighth on South Carolina’s top-10 all-time list. Greta Pelzek finished right behind her in fourth with a time of 1:58.80 which is a season best for the senior.
Linus Kahl was the men’s top finisher in the 200 IM, touching the wall in seventh place with a time of 1:45.05 which is three seconds faster than the senior’s previous best time. Tommy Eaton finished right behind Kahl with a season best time of 1:46.69 followed by Wylie Kruse with a 1:47.00.
Dylan Scholes led the sprinters day one efforts, placing second overall with a season best time of 22.51 in the 50 free which is only .08 off of the junior’s personal best. Peyton Curry took sixth place after clocking a 23.10. Aubrey Finn won her heat of the B finals in 23.23, collecting 11 points for the Gamecocks.
Quinn Buck had the men’s top 50 freestyle time of the night, swimming a 20.16 closely followed by Ryan Hufford who clocked a 20.18 to place in the top 10.
The women’s 400 medley relay of Amy Riordan, Annaliese Streeter, Greta Pelzek and Dylan Scholes secured a third-place finish with the fourth fastest time in program history, clocking a 3:34.22. The men’s relay consisting of Michael Laitarovsky, Linus Kahl, Eldor Usmonov and Ryan Hufford earned a bronze medal in the event as well, taking third after swimming a 3:07.68 which ranks second on the top-10 all-time list.
After day one the women are in second place, trailing University of North Carolina by 136 points. The men sit in third behind Tampa and UNC.
Diving – UGA Invitational
Charley Bayer took 5th in consolation finals of the 1-meter with 291.00 points.
Sophie Verzyl earned 374.20 points in the prelims of the 3-meter which put her seeded first going into finals. She was able to remain ahead of the seven other divers to win the event overall after hitting her last dive of a front two and a half somersault with two twists for 73 points to take the lead and win on the final dive. The junior is competing at a degree of difficulty of 18.50, which is the highest on the women’s 3-meter event at this meet.
Up Next
Both invitationals continue tomorrow morning. The swimmers will compete in the 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breast and 100 back as well as the 200 medley and 800 free relays while the divers are set to compete in the women’s 1-meter and men’s 3-meter.
