Molacek, Vazaios Pick Up Individual Wins on ACC/Big Ten Challenge Day One

Saturday, November 10

West Lafayette, Ind.

5 PM

NC State

ACC/Big Ten Challenge

Molacek, Vazaios Pick Up Individual Wins on ACC/Big Ten Challenge Day One

11/10/2018 7:36:00 PM | Swimming

@packswimdive

Freshman Emma Muzzy sets new 400 IM program record on the way to taking second place.

November 10, 2018

Day One Results

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – NC State swimming seniors Andreas Vazaios and Jacob Molacek picked up individual wins on the first day of competition at the inaugural ACC/Big Ten Challenge to each contribute a team-best nine points to the total score for the conference's men's team Saturday evening.

NC State's men were also a part of a relay gold medal, as Justin Ress and Coleman Stewart swam as members of the winning 400-yard medley relay team to kick off the meet.

After the first day of competition at the Morgan J. Burke Aquatic Center on the campus of Purdue University, the Big Ten leads both the ACC's women and men. The Big Ten men hold a 85-82 advantage, while the women are up 123-44 against the ACC.

INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES:
Molacek claimed the Wolfpack's first individual gold of the evening as he took first place in the 100-yard freestyle. His 42.63 time stands as the nation's fastest time of the early season. Justin Ress also finished on the podium in the event, touching the wall third with a season-best 43.05 that also ranks among the top three in the nation. Both of their times were good for NCAA B cuts.

Vazaios continued his unbeaten streak and picked up his second 200-yard backstroke win of the season. He clocked in with a personal-best time of 1:41.62 to move into fifth in program history in the event. His swim at the ACC/Big Ten Challenge was the ACC's best performance of the season and an NCAA B cut.

In just her third meet as a member of the Wolfpack, freshman Emma Muzzy made a statement in the 400-yard individual medley as she set a new program record with her blazing time of 4:05.60. She took second place by just .04 seconds at the meet with a time that is the second-fastest in the nation this season and the fastest in the conference. The mark is also an NCAA B cut.

Coleman Stewart competed in the 100-yard butterfly, an event in which he has already posted an NCAA B mark earlier this season. Stewart finished second Saturday evening, clocking in at 46.22, which is good for the ACC's fastest time of the season.

Elise Haan, Julia Poole, and Tamila Holub also clocked NCAA B cut times in their respective individual events. Haan took fourth place in the 200-yard backstroke in 1:54.73, and Poole finished seventh in the 200-yard breaststroke in 2:11.73. Distance specialist Holub clocked a 4:45.95 in the 500-yard freestyle.

Giovanni Izzo also saw action for NC State's men, taking seventh in the 100-yard butterfly with a season-best mark of 47.46.

RELAY HIGHLIGHTS:
Ress and Stewart helped the ACC's men to a first-place finish in their first race of the night. Stewart led off the 400-yard medley relay, clocking a 45.35 backstroke split to better his nation-best time. When Ress got off the starting block for the freestyle leg, the ACC's squad found itself barely trailing, but Ress powered the conference to the win with a 41.73 split. The squad's winning time was 3:06.10.

Haan joined up with the ACC women to place second in the 400-yard medley relay. The Wolfpack senior swam the backstroke leg and led off the relay with a 51.90 split, the fastest 100-yard backstroke time in the ACC.

Vazaios and Molacek concluded the evening with a second-place finish as part of the ACC's 800-yard freestyle relay team. That squad touched the wall in 6:20.16 after Vazaios led off strong with a 1:35.06 split, the conference's fastest 200-yard freestyle time of the season.

DIVING:
James Brady and Madeline Kline represented the Wolfpack divers at the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Brady placed 10th on the three-meter boards with a score of 304.70, and Madeline Kline took 10th place on the platform with a score of 221.35.

UP NEXT:
NC State's swimmers and divers resume action at the ACC/Big Ten Challenge Sunday, with the second day of competition set to begin at 10 a.m. Sunday's events will once again be broadcast live, with video coverage provided by the Big Ten Network.

MEN'S SCORE THROUGH DAY ONE: BIG TEN 85, ACC 82
TOP NC STATE FINISHERS:

400 medley relay: Coleman Stewart, Valdas Abaliksta, Kanoa Kaleoaloha, Justin Ress (1st place – 3:06.10)
100 freestyle: Jacob Molacek (1st place – 42.63)
200 backstroke: Andreas Vazaios (1st place – 1:41.62)
100 butterfly: Coleman Stewart (2nd place – 46.22)
800 freestyle relay: Andreas Vazaios, Jacob Molacek, Zach Yeadon, Rodrigo Correia (2nd place – 6:20.16)
Three-meter dive: James Brady (12th place – 304.70)

WOMEN'S SCORE THROUGH DAY ONE: BIG TEN 123, ACC 44
TOP NC STATE FINISHERS:

400 medley relay: Elise Haan, Marlia Astashkina, Grace Oglesby, Mallory Comerford (1st place – 3:28.30)
400 individual medley: Emma Muzzy (2nd place – 4:05.60)
100 freestyle: Ky-lee Perry (4th place – 48.74)
200 backstroke: Elise Haan (4th place – 1:54.73)
200 breaststroke: Julia Poole (6th place – 2:11.73)
500 freestyle: Tamila Holub (7th place – 4:45.95)
800 freestyle relay: Haibing Wang, Easop Lee, Julia Poole, Manon Viguier (4th place – 7:10.78)
Platform dive: Madeline Kline (10th place – 221.35)