Kara Kopcso Among Top Performers at LSU Purple and Gold Intrasquad

Photo Courtesy: Griffin Scott

The purple team defeated the gold team, 132.5-111.5, in the annual LSU Swimming and Diving Intrasquad meet Friday at the Natatorium.

“It was a first chance to race and there were definitely some high points today,” LSU Swimming coach Dave Geyer said. “When we look back at where we were a year ago, a number of returners are significantly faster and that is always our goal.

Veterans Kara Kopcso, Alex Linge Megan Cox, Devon Dabney and Colleen O’Neil each finished the meet with two victories. Freshman Alarii Levreault-Lopez also shined for the purple team with a victory in the 200 fly (1:52.57) and the top male swimmer in the 1000 free (9:54.14).

“It was exciting for our freshmen to go out there and perform in their first college meet. We had a number of them go out and swim really well,” Geyer added.

Kopcso led the way for the entire team with two individual and two relay wins. The junior, who was a part of the purple team, swept the butterfly events with times of 54.99 and 2:00.11.

Linge took wins in the 100 and 200 free for the purple team with times of 45.77 and 1:42.45.

Cox earned wins in the 100 free (51.41) and 200 free (1:50.28) for the gold team. Dabney also swept the distance events with a first-place finish in the 500 free (5:02.56) and as the top female finisher in the 1000 free (10:15.92)

O’Neil rounded out the swimmers with two wins after finishing first in the 100 and 200 breast with times of 1:03.75 and 2:21.03 respectively.

Twelve other swimmers touched the wall first in events, including freshmen Thomas Smith in the 200 back (1:49.08) and Will Arthur in the 200 IM (1:55.66).

Caley Oquist, Silas Dejean, Joao Mescolote, Jake Markham, Logan Rysemus and Sophie Weber finished in first for the gold team in individual events.

Brandon Goldman, Leah Troskot, Danielle Stirrat and Garrett House were the swimmers who touched the wall first for the purple team.

The women’s purple team and men’s gold team dominated the relay event to start and wrap up the meet. The team of Haylee Knight, Taryn MacKenzie, Kopcso and Troskot finished first in the 200-medley relay with a time of 1:43.81. Rysemus, Dejean, Mescolote and Tyler Harper combined to win the 200-medley relay in 1:32.97.

Knight, Troskot, Kate Zimmer and Kopcso wrapped up the women’s events with a victory in the 200-free relay (1:35.89). Mescolote, Harper, Alex Carson and Damen Pheiffer ended the meet with a first-place finish in the 200-free relay (1:24.83)

Andrew Suchla was the top male diver and Allie Alter was the top female diver. Newcomers Rileigh Knox and Mathew Phillip also finished in second place.

The above article is a press release submitted to Swimming World. To reach our audience, contact us at newsmaster@swimmingworld.com.

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