Purdue Women, Ohio State Men Lead After Day One of Ohio State Invitational

Photo Credit: Ohio State Swim Club

COLUMBUS – The Purdue women’s and Ohio State men’s swimming and diving teams have jumped out to the lead after the first day of finals at the Ohio State Invitational, which featured several NCAA B cut performances on both the men’s and women’s sides.

Ohio State Women’s Press Release

The Ohio State women’s swimming diving team opened competition at the ninth-annual Ohio State Swimming and Diving Invitational Friday evening at McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion. The Buckeyes are currently in fourth place with 168.5 points earned, trailing Purdue (276.5), Kentucky (244) and Wisconsin (220). Competition resumes Saturday with preliminary races set to begin at 8:30 a.m. and finals scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. start time.

Ohio State kicked off the invitational with a third-place touch in the 200 freestyle relay. Behind swims from Zhesi Li, Rachael Dzierzak, Annie Jongekrijg and Annelise Sprau, the Buckeye ‘A’ relay posted a time of 1:32.74 for the finish.

Sophomore Lindsey Clary followed it up with a ninth-place showing in the 500 freestyle (4:50.83). A fast race from start to finish, five NCAA provisional qualifying times were posted among the field of competitors.

In the 200 individual medley, senior Ashley Vance and sophomore Amy Bopp both represented the Scarlet and Gray in the championship final. Vance placed seventh with a mark of 2:02.39, while Bopp took 10th in a time of 2:06.29. Li, a freshman this season, then earned fourth in the 50 freestyle (23.16).

The Buckeye contingent of Camey Rabold, Vance, Sprau and Li placed fifth in the 400 medley relay to finish out the first evening of racing (3:46.06). Ohio State’s ‘B’ relay of Erin Dunseith, Taylor Vargo, Amanda McNulty and Jongekrijg also placed in the top-10 with a time of 3:48.98 for ninth.

In the three-meter diving competition, freshman standout Brittany Menninger took fifth with a score of 289.55.

Ohio State Men’s Press Release

Following the first day of competition at the ninth-annual Ohio State Swimming and Diving Invitational, the Buckeyes hold a firm lead with 437.5 points secured Friday evening. Wisconsin ranks second with 249 points, followed by Kenyon (142) and Kentucky (128). Hosted at McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion, the invite resumes Saturday with preliminary races set to begin at 8:30 a.m. and finals scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. start time.

The Buckeyes started the evening strong with a first- and third-place showing in the 200 freestyle relay. Ohio State’s grouping of Josh Fleagle, Matt McHugh, Thomas Trace and Michael DiSalle earned the top spot with a 1:19.50, while Nick Brodie, Steffen Hillmer, Andrew Appleby and Vladislav Komarov followed in 1:22.01.

Rookie Brayden Seal picked up a win in the 500 freestyle with an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 4:19.82. Buckeyes Joey Long and Alex Osterhage also earned a spot in the championship final, placing sixth and eighth, respectively.

In the 200 individual, Ohio State recorded two more NCAA ‘B’ cut times. Senior Tamas Gercsak posted his consideration time with a first-place finish in 1:46.08. Gercsak’s classmate Steven Zimmerman took second with a time of 1:46.95.

After breaking the 20-second barrier in prelims of the 50 freestyle, Fleagle continued dominating the event with a 19.60 in finals. The St. Mary’s, Ohio native placed first for the Buckeyes, while McHugh, DiSalle and Trace also dropped top-five finishes.

In the one-meter diving competition, Buckeye Stephen Ettienne placed sixth with a final score of 355.45.

Ohio State rounded out the meet, finishing first in the 400 medley relay. The ‘A’ crew of Zimmerman, DJ MacDonald McHugh and Fleagle touched in a time of 3:11.08.

Results: Ohio State Invitational, Day One

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