The 2021 Minnesota Invitational began its final day with a prelims session on Saturday from Minneapolis.
Some extremely fast performances have been turned in so far in the meet by swimmers from Texas, Cal, Michigan, Minnesota, and more.
That continued on Friday with several Olympians and NCAA title contenders putting together strong swims.
Minnesota Invitational: Women’s 200 Backstroke
Wisconsin Olympian Phoebe Bacon was the first strong performance of the day. She dropped more than four seconds from her seed time to take the top spot in finals at 1:52.72.
The swim was about five seconds off the NCAA record set by Beata Nelson (1:47.24), but Bacon could be in a position to get closer to that mark in finals and aim for it at the NCAA Championships.
Cal’s Isabelle Stadden was just behind Bacon, taking the second seed in 1:53.14, followed by teammate Ayla Spitz (1:54.75).
Event 31 Women 200 Yard Backstroke
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Name Year School Seed Prelims
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=== Preliminaries ===
1 Bacon, Phoebe SO Wisconsin 1:57.17 1:52.72
2 Stadden, Isabelle SO California 1:55.55 1:53.14
3 Spitz, Ayla JR California 2:01.05 1:54.75
4 Cook, Julia SR Texas 1:56.58 1:54.92
5 McEnroe, Annika FR California 2:00.93 1:55.18
6 Venter, Mariella JR Michigan 1:57.55 1:55.20
7 Schoof, Kaylyn SO Wisconsin 1:59.15 1:55.82
8 Bernal, Aria Arizona 2:03.10 1:56.39
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9 Newman, Mara SR Wisconsin 1:59.72 1:56.73
10 Pasadyn, Felicia SR Harvard 1:59.59 1:56.74
11 Passon, Felicity SR Arizona 1:56.97 1:56.97
12 Ackerman, Kathryn SO Michigan 1:58.79 1:56.98
13 Wilson, Alicia SR California 1:56.61 1:57.11
14 Laughlin, Tea SO California 2:03.02 1:57.67
15 Runeman, Sadie FR Texas 2:01.94 1:57.71
16 Chung, Casey SO Michigan 1:59.70 1:57.74
Minnesota Invitational: Men’s 200 Backstroke
Michigan sophomore Wyatt Davis dropped three seconds from his seed time to hold off a pair of Cal swimmers for the top seed heading into finals.
Davis touched the wall in 1:41.59, just ahead of Cal’s Destin Lasco (1:41.73) and Daniel Carr (1:41.93), setting up what looks to be a pretty fast and close final.
Event 32 Men 200 Yard Backstroke
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Name Year School Seed Prelims
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=== Preliminaries ===
1 Davis, Wyatt SO Michigan 1:44.33 1:41.59
2 Lasco, Destin SO California 1:43.25 1:41.73
3 Carr, Daniel SR California 1:48.21 1:41.93
4 Park, Jason SR Texas 1:47.51 1:42.78
5 Jekel, Wes JR Wisconsin 1:46.54 1:42.89
6 Grant, Gunner SO Harvard 1:45.41 1:43.10
7 O'Connor, Chris SO Texas 1:48.73 1:43.58
8 Daigle, Jared SR Michigan 1:47.57 1:43.81
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9 Coen, Ty Arizona 1:56.17 1:43.84
10 Harder, Ethan JR Texas 1:46.71 1:44.35
11 Larson, Peter JR Texas 1:50.40 1:44.41
12 Newmark, Jake SO Wisconsin 1:47.49 1:44.63
13 Quarterman, Nathan FR Texas 1:47.57 1:44.97
14 Unalmis, Bora SR Michigan 1:48.33 1:44.99
15 Purdy, Ryan SO Arizona 1:52.13 1:45.27
16 Somerset, Sebastian JR California NT 1:45.41
Minnesota Invitational: Women’s 100 Freestyle
Cal’s Isabel Ivey had an extremely fast prelims swim in the 100 free, dropping a second from her seed time and touching the wall in 48.11.
Meanwhile, Michigan senior Maggie MacNeil was just behind at 48.50, though was a little slower than her seed time. If she was holding back for finals, she could throw down a pretty quick time.
Cal senior Elise Garcia also put together a strong race at 48.86, while Michigan sophomore Claire Newman was at 48.92.
Event 33 Women 100 Yard Freestyle
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Name Year School Seed Prelims
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=== Preliminaries ===
1 Ivey, Isabel SR California 49.13 48.11
2 MacNeil, Maggie SR Michigan 48.28 48.50
3 Garcia, Elise SR California 49.37 48.86
4 Newman, Claire SO Michigan 51.25 48.92
5 Davidson, Emma JR California 50.87 48.96
6 Cornish, Hannah FR Minnesota 49.96 49.00
7 Flynn, Lindsay FR Michigan 50.21 49.03
8 Gantriis, Emily SO California 50.00 49.07
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9 Hosack, Lillie SR Wisconsin 50.51 49.08
10 Fiske, Sophie FR Wisconsin 50.07 49.22
11 Mazurek, Ella FR California 49.60 49.24
12 Leibel, Kyla JR Texas 50.83 49.33
13 Semenuk, Bridget JR Texas 49.21 49.41
14 Palmer, Alana SR Wisconsin 50.32 49.55
15 McGinty, Jordan JR Minnesota 51.86 49.61
16 Neumann, Robin California 50.77 49.68
Minnesota Invitational: Men’s 100 Freestyle
The men’s 100 freestyle finals will be an elite showdown. How fast was it? So fast that Olympian Drew Kibler swam a 43.25 and didn’t even make the final, taking the ninth seed.
Texas did put three in the finals, however.
Senior Daniel Krueger took the top seed in 41.49, while teammate Cameron Achinachie took the second spot at 41.92, the one swimmers in the field to break 42 seconds.
Harvard senior Dean Farris was third at 42.57, ahead of Michigan sophomore Bence Szabados (42.81) and Cal’s Bjorn Seeliger (42.93).
Event 34 Men 100 Yard Freestyle
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Name Year School Seed Prelims
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=== Preliminaries ===
1 Krueger, Danny SR Texas 43.04 41.49
2 Auchinachie, Cameron SR Texas 43.94 41.92
3 Farris, Dean SR Harvard 44.00 42.57
4 Szabados, Bence SO Michigan 44.99 42.81
5 Seeliger, Bjorn SO California 43.29 42.93
6 Ingram, Hunter SR Arizona 44.77 43.07
7 Jiang, Alvin SR Texas 47.41 43.12
8 Peel, Cam JR Michigan 44.14 43.14
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9 Kibler, Drew SR Texas 43.36 43.25
10 Jett, Gabriel FR California 45.80 43.33
11 Alexy, Jack FR California 44.85 43.35
12 Ercegovic, Marin Arizona 46.49 43.38
13 Reihman, Mahlon SR Harvard 44.93 43.48
13 Jensen, Matt SO California 47.09 43.48
15 Hanson, Robin FR California 44.03 43.50
16 Callan, Patrick SR Michigan 44.94 43.61
Minnesota Invitational: Women’s 200 Breaststroke
Texas sophomore Anna Elendt dropped more than two seconds from her seed time and took the top seed in the 200 breaststroke at 2:07.96. It was nearly five seconds faster than the rest of the field.
Cal took three of the next four spots with Alicia Wilson second (2:12.27), Annika McEnroe third (2:12.42) and Emma Rajic fifth (2:12.58) just behind Wisconsin’s Elizabeth Moore (2:12.45). Michigan’s Letitia Sim has had a strong meet and could make some noise from the sixth seed (2:12.96).
Event 35 Women 200 Yard Breaststroke
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Name Year School Seed Prelims
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=== Preliminaries ===
1 Elendt, Anna SO Texas 2:10.12 2:07.96
2 Wilson, Alicia SR California 2:16.10 2:12.27
3 McEnroe, Annika FR California 2:18.82 2:12.42
4 Moore, Elizabeth JR Wisconsin 2:15.90 2:12.45
5 Rajic, Ema SR California 2:13.34 2:12.58
6 Sim, Letitia FR Michigan 2:10.06 2:12.96
7 Silvestri, Jenna SR Wisconsin 2:19.12 2:13.46
8 Lezer, Emma JR Minnesota 2:16.84 2:13.73
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9 Polonsky, Leah FR California 2:13.49 2:13.80
10 Hanley, Channing FR Texas 2:17.24 2:14.49
11 Urkiel, Molly SO Minnesota 2:20.41 2:14.52
12 McClintock, Katie FR Wisconsin 2:17.18 2:14.98
13 Ward, Maddie California 2:17.67 2:15.01
14 Dennis, Holley SO Minnesota 2:23.06 2:15.24
15 Neser, Jade SR Arizona 2:19.41 2:15.96
16 Henry, Alicia FR California 2:16.10 2:16.02
Minnesota Invitationals: Men’s 200 Breaststroke
After surging to victory in the 100 breaststroke, Texas junior Caspar Corbeau put together a strong race in the 200. He dropped nearly four seconds from his seed time and touched the wall in 1:52.75 to earn the top seed in finals.
It should be a pretty close race with several other contenders within striking distance, led by Cal’s Reece Whitley, who took the second seed in 1:53.71.
Texas senior Brandon Vines was next at 1:54.84, followed by NCAA champion Max McHugh (1:55.09) of Minnesota, and Texas junior Jake Foster (1:56.15).
Event 36 Men 200 Yard Breaststroke
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Name Year School Seed Prelims
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=== Preliminaries ===
1 Corbeau, Caspar JR Texas 1:56.60 1:52.75
2 Whitley, Reece SR California 1:54.49 1:53.71
3 Vines, Braden SR Texas 1:59.80 1:54.84
4 McHugh, Max SR Minnesota 1:56.14 1:55.09
5 Foster, Jake JR Texas 1:56.51 1:56.15
6 Degrado, Paul JR Texas 2:04.21 1:56.37
7 Foote, Ryan SR Arizona 2:04.35 1:56.55
8 Scheinfeld, Charlie SR Texas 2:01.42 1:56.73
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9 Fusti-Molnar, Adam FR Texas 2:04.07 1:57.37
10 Laeuffer, Jacques JR California 1:59.31 1:57.76
11 Louser, Jason JR California 1:58.82 1:57.83
12 Hunter, Mason SR Michigan 2:08.41 1:57.84
13 Hand, Jake JR Arizona 1:59.94 1:58.11
14 Myhre, Will JR Wisconsin 2:00.94 1:58.69
15 Bornstein, AJ SR Michigan 2:01.05 1:59.34
16 Chan, Will SR Michigan 2:02.31 1:59.67
Minnesota Invitational: Women’s 200 Butterfly
Another showdown that could mirror an NCAA showdown is brewing in the 200 butterfly.
Texas sophomores Emma Sticklen and Olivia Bray continued their strong performance this week by taking the top two seeds in the 200 fly. Sticklen finished in 1:52.47, while Bray was at 1:52.98.
Meanwhile, Michigan’s NCAA champion in the event, Olivia Carter, took the third seed in 1:54.44. She could have some more in the tank for the finals.
Either way, this race looks to be a gauge for NCAA title challengers, along with Georgia’s Dakota Luther and a couple others.
Event 37 Women 200 Yard Butterfly
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Name Year School Seed Prelims
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=== Preliminaries ===
1 Sticklen, Emma SO Texas 1:54.46 1:52.47
2 Bray, Olivia SO Texas 1:58.75 1:52.98
3 Carter, Olivia SR Michigan 1:55.91 1:54.44
4 Klinker, Rachel JR California 1:57.82 1:55.10
5 Cook, Lizzy FR California 1:58.31 1:55.31
6 Pash, Kelly JR Texas 1:54.47 1:55.36
7 Van Berkom, Megan SO Minnesota 1:57.11 1:55.83
8 McConagha, Mackenzie FR Wisconsin 1:57.25 1:57.37
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9 Heimstead, Julia JR Arizona 1:59.26 1:58.05
10 Jump, Mallory JR Wisconsin 2:01.78 1:58.40
11 Seigal, Mikayla JR Wisconsin 1:59.17 1:58.54
12 Pasadyn, Felicia SR Harvard 2:01.79 1:58.96
13 Carr, Abigail FR Harvard 2:01.46 1:59.42
14 Kwan, Victoria SR Michigan 2:01.01 1:59.56
15 Kragh, Mia FR California 2:01.90 1:59.72
16 DiMeco, Sarah JR California 2:07.48 1:59.82
Minnesota Invitational: Men’s 200 Butterfly
Michigan freshman Gal Cohen Groumi dropped nearly two seconds from his seed time to lead a trio of swimmers who broke 1:43 in the 200 butterfly prelims.
Cohen Groumi has the top seed in finals with a 1:42.52, as he finished just ahead of Arizona’s Brooks Fail (1:42.84) and Texas junior Sam Artmann (1:42.95).
Event 38 Men 200 Yard Butterfly
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Name Year School Seed Prelims
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=== Preliminaries ===
1 Cohen Groumi, Gal FR Michigan 1:44.31 1:42.52
2 Fail, Brooks Arizona 1:44.05 1:42.84
3 Artmann, Sam JR Texas 1:50.24 1:42.95
4 Johnson, Jake SR Harvard 1:48.10 1:43.58
5 Jett, Gabriel FR California 1:48.09 1:43.90
6 Taner, Brooks SR Arizona 1:52.17 1:43.95
7 Rose, Dare SO California 1:46.35 1:44.09
8 Carrozza, Coby SO Texas 1:49.73 1:44.22
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9 Koustik, Andrew SR Texas 1:47.62 1:44.31
10 Roberts, Will California 1:47.60 1:44.84
11 Nixdorf, Drew JR Wisconsin 1:47.98 1:45.19
12 Crane, Cole JR Texas 1:48.14 1:45.69
13 Heasley, Ethan SO Texas 1:48.31 1:46.47
14 Gures, Umitcan JR Harvard 1:49.00 1:46.57
15 Santana, Brendan Arizona 1:54.78 1:46.75
16 Jhong, Chris SR California 1:53.95 1:47.28