USA Swimming Sectionals, Buffalo: Austin Staab Crushes 100 Fly Pool, Meet Record

BUFFALO, New York, March 12. THE second evening of short course yard action at the USA Swimming Sectionals held in Buffalo welcomed a surprising guest as Westerville's Austin Staab, currently on leave from Stanford, posted a sterling time in the 100 fly.

While a deeper explanation of why Staab left Stanford this semester remains to be heard, the Westerville Aquatic star made sure not to waste his training from this year. He's chosen to use the Buffalo Sectional meet as the place to post the times he likely would have clocked at the NCAA Championships.

Staab won the men's 100 fly going away with a smoking fast effort of 44.72. While it isn't as fast as his American record of 44.18, it still ties as the seventh-fastest swim of all time. The other 44.72 happened to be the American record for five years as set by Ian Crocker in 2004. Peddie's Nimrod Hayet (48.23) and Fairport's Todd Winchell (50.18) rounded out the podium tonight.

Incidentally, Staab smashed the pool record of 47.69 set by Camilo Becerra in 2003 and the meet record of 48.58 set by Brian Wilson in 2006.

Magnus' Rachel Moore clipped the meet record in the women's 100 fly with a time of 54.55. That performance, along with Peddie's Carolyn Fittin's second-place 54.58, cleared the meet mark of 54.59 set by Alex Forrester in 2007. Penn State's Kelly Nelson took third in 55.07.

Nelson led off the night with a 1:49.00 to win the women's 200 free. Magnus' Rachel Moore (1:49.79) and Central Connecticut's Faith Martin (1:50.67) touched second and third. Cougar's Derek Hursch won the men's 200 free in 1:40.07. Teammate Nicolas Fink took second in 1:41.39. Berkeley's Paul Nolle finished third in 1:41.60.

SoNoCo's Haley Sinatro earned the women's 100 breast title in 1:03.90. Star's Emily Kopas finished second in 1:04.68, while Cougar's Deirdre Esposito placed third in 1:05.43. Fink turned his second-place time in the 200 free into a winning effort of 55.98 in the men's 100 breast. The performance nearly cleared the meet record of 55.87 set by Ron Karnaugh in 2001. Lansing Cats' John Nord took second in 57.97, while Peddie's Daniel Fine placed third in 58.16. Notably, Hayet turned in the top qualifying time with a 57.58 but scratched finals.

Eastern Express' Victoria Cassidy won the women's 400 IM in 4:18.58, while Magnus' Maggie D'Innocenzo finished second in 4:18.60, while Albany's Aimee Hooper claimed third in 4:21.92. Peddie's Connor Signorin topped the men's 400 IM going away with a 3:52.30. Hamden's Connor Maher touched second in 3:59.28, while Hursch wound up third in 4:00.81.

In relays, Magnus' D'Innocenzo, Kendra Cheng, Erica Belcher and Moore won the women's 800 free relay in 7:24.31. The swim beat the former meet record of 7:27.29 set by Germantown, and nearly beat the pool record of 7:24.25 set by Fordham last year. Peddie's foursome of Ryan Signorin, Hayet, Peter Fittin and Connor Signorin took home the men's 800 free relay in 6:57.24.

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