Alabama and Virginia Tech Wrap Up Hokie Invitational With Big Wins

Virginia Tech Generic Swimmer

CHRISTIANBURG – Alabama and Virginia Tech wrapped up competition at the Hokie Invitational, taking all 12 events. Alabama’s Emma Saunders put up an impressive double while the men’s 200 breast gave the crowd an exciting race all the way to the finish.

Saunders, who won the 200 free and 100 back yesterday, stepped up for two finals tonight and won the 200 back with a 1:54.27 and the 100 free with a 49.94. She won the 200 back by a second, with Klaudia Nazieblo of Virginia Tech placing second with a 1:55.23 and teammate Holly Harper third with a 1:57.27. In the 100 free, Meredith Vay of South Carolina was second with a 50.21 while Bailey Scott of Alabama placing third with a 50.55.

Nils Wich-Glasen appeared to have the title in the men’s 200 breast well in control, leading by a full second over Alabama’s Anton McKee at the 150-yard mark. But McKee put up a 29.44 final 50 yards to Wich-Glasen’s 30.62 to eke out the win, 1:55.76 to 1:55.98. Well back in third was Pavel Romanov of Alabama with a 1:58.02.

Morgan Latimer of Virginia Tech put up a dominant swim with a 1:44.30 in the 200 fly, putting him in the top five in the collegiate standings. He was two seconds ahead of Alabama’s Connor Oslin, who posted a 1:46.76 for second. Taylor Charles of Alabama took third with a 1:47.56.

Virginia Tech started off the night by winning the women’s and men’s 1650s. Jessica Hespeler took the women’s mile with a 16:30.50 over Villanova’s Caitlin Daday, who posted a 16:33.67, and the 16:36.581 by South Carolina’s Victoria Mitchell. In the men’s 1650, Virginia Tech’s Michal Szuba and Jake Ores separated from the pack to wage a two-person battle for the win. After more than 15 minutes of swimming, it was Szuba who got the win, 15:11.30 to 15:11.33. Tom Peribonio of South Carolina took third with a 15:18.03.

Virginia Tech, the meet host, enjoyed four more wins on the final night. Weronika Paluszek took the women’s 200 breast with a 2:10.24, well ahead of the 2:12.38 by Alabama’s Kaylin Burchell and the 2:12.90 by Virginia Tech’s Mackenzie Stewart. Much more dominant in her win was Nazieblo, who recovered from her 200 back runner-up finish to win the 200 fly with a 1:55.90. At this point, that’s the second-fastest swim in the collegiate ranks, just behind the 1:55.59 by Jasmine Tosky. Breaking two minutes was teammate Maggie Gruber with a 1:59.73, while Mia Nonnenberg of Alabama was third with a 2:00.91.

Collin Higgins, ninth in the 200 back at last season’s NCAAs for Virginia Tech, won that event handily tonight with a 1:42.69. That’s a little more than two seconds off his lifetime best, but one of the top five swims in college this season so far. In his first swim of the night, Oslin placed second with a 1:44.63 while Robert Owen of Virginia Tech was third with a 1:45.35.

Alabama’s Kristian Gkolomeev took the sprint freestyle double with a 43.28, which may stand as one of the top five swims of the college ranks so far this season. Teammate Brett Waslsh nearly cracked 44 seconds with a 44.13 for second, while Owen Burns of Virginia Tech finished third with a 44.23.

Alabama closed out the meet by taking both of the 400 freestyle relays. The women’s team won by a fingernail over Virginia Tech, 3:20.18 to 3:20.19. The Hoies’ “C” team placed third with a 3:24.52. In the men’s race, Alabama’s sprint depth was no match for the field as the Crimson Tide posted a 2:54.45 for the win. Virginia was a distant second with a 2:57.20, while South Carolina was third with a 2:57.67 after leading Virginia Tech by three tenths going into the final leg.

Results: Virginia Tech Invitational

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