{"id":600929,"date":"2024-12-05T18:42:58","date_gmt":"2024-12-06T01:42:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=600929"},"modified":"2024-12-05T22:12:33","modified_gmt":"2024-12-06T05:12:33","slug":"minnesota-invitational-cal-dominates-behind-leah-polonskys-200-im-a-cut","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/minnesota-invitational-cal-dominates-behind-leah-polonskys-200-im-a-cut\/","title":{"rendered":"Minnesota Invitational Day 2: Cal Dominates Behind Leah Polonsky’s 200 IM A Cut"},"content":{"rendered":"

The first full evening of the Minnesota Invitational brought the first individual events of the midseason meet and a lot of fast swimming, especially by Cal.<\/p>\n

Through the second day of competition, the Cal men lead with 683 points. Rounding out the standings are Minnesota (366), Harvard (329), UNLV (283) and Denver (253).<\/p>\n

The Cal women have earned 668.5 points to take a commanding lead in the team standings. Minnesota is second with 400 points while Harvard is third with 297.5 points.<\/p>\n

Cal senior Leah Polonsky<\/strong> threw down a 1:53.65 to win the 200 IM and lead a 1-2-3-4 sweep for the Golden Bears. Her time was four seconds faster than her prelims time and was an NCAA automatic qualifying time. \u00a0Polonsky’s\u00a0mark was the fourth-fastest in the country this season.<\/p>\n

Graduate student Isabelle Stadden<\/strong> was second in 1:58.32 and fellow grad student Margaux McDonald was third in 1:58.48, both NCAA B cuts. Freshman Arielle Brotman<\/strong> took fourth (1:59.40).<\/p>\n

The women’s 500 free saw Cal graduate student Maya Geringer<\/strong> earn a victory with a five-second drop from prelims. She finished ahead of Minnesota’s Katie McCarthy<\/strong> (4:41.57) and Eliot Kennedy<\/strong> (4:41.69), all NCAA B cuts.<\/p>\n

Cal freshman Mary-Ambre Moluh<\/strong> won the 50 free in 21.65, the lone swimmer to break 22. Minnesota freshman Livi Wanner<\/strong> was second in 22.21, just head of Cal’s McKenna Stone<\/strong> (22.24) and Stadden (22.25), who was doing a quick double.<\/p>\n

Mia West<\/strong>, Stadden, Moluh and Stone won the 200 free relay in 1:27.54, an NCAA A cut. The Golden Bears were three seconds ahead of the field.<\/p>\n

The Cal men dominated as well.<\/p>\n

Cal senior Gabriel Jett<\/strong> finished just ahead of teammate Keaton Jones<\/strong> in the 500 free as the Golden Bears went 1-2. Both dropped about five seconds from prelims and Jett won in 4:16.63 just ahead of Jones (4:16.76), both in NCAA B cuts.<\/p>\n

In the 200 IM, Destin Lasco<\/strong> (1:47.72) led a 1-2-3 sweep with Sean Swift<\/strong> (1:44.56) and Carter Lancaster<\/strong> (1:45.01), all NCAA B cuts.<\/p>\n

UNLV grad student Daniel Nicusan<\/strong> also hit a B cut with a 1:45.12 to finish fourth.<\/p>\n

Cal’s Evan Petty<\/strong> led a 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 sweep for the Golden Bears in the 50 free. He finished in 10.39, ahead of Nans Mazellier<\/strong> (19.40), Roman Jones<\/strong> (19:46) and Bjorn Seeliger<\/strong> (19.52), all B cuts.<\/p>\n

Petty, Mazellier, Lucca Battaglini<\/strong> and Jett won the 200 free relay in a B cut 1:16.75.<\/p>\n