Two Dozen ‘A’ Cuts Posted On Night Two of Georgia Fall Invitational

Chase Kalisz swims in the prelims of the 200 breaststroke.

Photo Credit: Peter Bick

ATHENS – Twenty-four NCAA A cuts were recorded during the second night of racing at the Georgia Fall Invitational, including multiple nation-leading times. After two days of racing, the California women and Georgia men sit atop the team standings.

After just missing the NCAA record in the 400 medley relay last night, the Virginia women continued their hot streak in the 200 medley relay, as the same foursome of Courtney Bartholomew, Laura Simon, Ellen Williamson and Ellen Thomas clocked a 1:36.07 to top the event tonight. California’s Rachel Bootsma, Marina Garcia, Noemie Thomas and Farida Osman stopped the clock at 1:36.82 to take second, while Florida State placed third with Bianca Spinazzola, Natalie Pierce, Chelsea Britt and Kaitlyn Dressel posting a 1:37.57. All three teams cleared the A cut of 1:37.84.

On the men’s side, California’s Ryan Murphy, Chuck Katis, Justin Lynch and Tyler Messerschmidt finished way out in front in the 200 medley relay with a 1:24.15, the fastest time in the nation by a lot. Auburn’s Joe Patching, Michael Duderstadt, Arthur Mendes and Kyle Darmody edged Georgia’s Taylor Dale, Nicolas Fink, Pace Clark and Michael Trice for second, 1:25.45 to 1:25.47, as those two teams took over second and third nationally. The top three teams all finished under the automatic qualifying time of 1:25.63 in the event.

The final of the women’s 400 IM came down to the final inches of the race as three swimmers duked it out down the stretch. California’s Celina Li got to the wall first in 4:05.13, only .03 in front of Georgia’s Hali Flickinger (4:05.16). Georgia’s Amber McDermott dropped almost four seconds from prelims and was right in the mix as well with a 4:05.25 for third. Li, Flickinger and McDermott all punched their ticket to NCAAs after clearing the A cut of 4:05.37.

Meanwhile, Georgia teammates Chase Kalisz, Gunnar Bentz and Jay Litherland put on a great show in the men’s 400 IM, finishing within two seconds of each other, all in NCAA automatic qualifying times. Kalisz led the way in 3:39.28, with Bentz in second at 3:40.57. Litherland clocked a 3:41.52 to take third, as the trio took over the top three spots in the nation this season.

Florida State’s Chelsea Britt nearly got under the NCAA A cut in the women’s 100 fly, but finished a tenth off in 51.80. California’s Farida Osman snuck in for second at 51.92, while Georgia’s Lauren Harrington rounded out the top three in 52.05.

California’s Justin Lynch picked up his first individual win of the meet in the men’s 100 fly as he hit the wall in 46.22 to edge Florida State’s Cadell Lyons (46.54) and Auburn’s Arthur Mendes (46.88).

California sophomore Missy Franklin was in a class of her own in the women’s 200 free, winning by nearly two seconds in 1:41.23. She knocked off Stanford’s Simone Manuel (1:42.03) for the fastest time in the country this season. Teammate Elizabeth Pelton moved into third nationally with a 1:43.13, while Cierra Runge made it a Golden Bear sweep with her 1:44.12. Franklin and Pelton both got under the A cut in the event, which stands at 1:43.90.

Georgia’s Matias Koski led the field in the men’s 200 free, stopping the clock at 1:34.62 for the win. California’s Long Gutierrez got to the wall second in 1:35.50, while teammate Trent Williams tracked down third in 1:36.04.

Virginia’s Laura Simon cruised to a win in the women’s 100 breast, breaking 1:00 for the second time today and nearly posting an A cut with a 59.41. No one else finished under a minute, as Auburn’s Natasha Lloyd (1:00.66) and Annie Lazor (1:00.83) took second and third.

California’s Chuck Katis posted the only A cut of the day in the men’s 100 breast, winning tonight’s final in 52.09. Virginia’s Yannick Kaeser, the top seed after prelims, wound up second in 52.47, while Auburn’s Michael Duderstadt rounded out the top three in 52.54.

After posting the second-fastest 100 back (50.01) in history leading off Virginia’s 400 medley relay last night, Cavalier Courtney Bartholomew couldn’t quite match that time in the individual 100 back, but still finished first by almost a second in 50.39. California grabbed the next four places, as Rachel Bootsma finished second in 51.20 and Elizabeth Pelton and Missy Franklin tied for third in 51.85.

Ryan Murphy of California recorded the only A cut of the men’s 100 back final, dipping under the automatic qualifying time of 45.62 with a 45.55. Murphy finished a full second ahead of Penn State’s Nate Savoy (46.56) and Georgia’s Taylor Dale (46.85).

In diving, Virginia Tech’s Kaylea Arnett topped the women’s 1-meter with 294.55 points, ahead of UCLA teammates Annika Lenz (288.70) and Maria Polyakova (283.25). Auburn’s Fraser McKean had the best 3-meter score on the men’s side with 379.45 points. Georgia’s Ian Forlini (351.80) and Virginia Tech’s Kyle Butts (351.65) rounded out the top three.

California’s Cierra Runge, Camille Cheng, Missy Franklin and Elizabeth Pelton swam a nation-leading, A cut time of 6:55.95 in the women’s 800 free relay to wrap up the women’s meet. No other teams have even broke 7:00 yet this season. Georgia’s Hali Flickinger, Jordan Mattern, Madeline Locus and Brittany MacLean swam a 7:02.69 to take second, while Virginia’s Leah Smith, Hanne Borgersen, Ellen Williamson and Kaitlyn Jones came in third at 7:05.85.

On the men’s side, the Georgia quartet of Gunnar Bentz, Chase Kalisz, Alec Cohen and Matias Koski posted a 6:20.91 to win the 800 free relay and dip under the A cut of 6:22.81. California’s Will Hamilton, Trent Williams, Long Gutierrez and Ryan Murphy took second in 6:24.03, while Georgia’s B team of Jay, Mick and Kevin Litherland and Nicolas Fink came in third at 6:26.75.

Results: Georgia Fall Invitational, Day Two

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