Four Top Finishes Highlight Day One at NC State Invite

Thursday, November 21

Greensboro, N.C.

9:30 AM PRELIMS / 5:30 PM FINALS

NC State

NC State/GAC Invitational (Day 1)

Four Top Finishes Highlight Day One at NC State Invite

11/21/2019 9:00:00 PM | Swimming

Day 1 Results (PDF)

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Wolfpack posted some of its fastest times of the season as the men's and women's swimming and diving teams opened action at the NC State/GAC Invitational on Thursday.

The Wolfpack won a total of four events – men's 50-yard freestyle, men's 500-yard freestyle, men's 400-yard medley relay, women's 400-yard medley relay – on the first day of the three-day meet at the Greensboro Aquatic Center.

The teams recorded a collection of provisional cuts for the NCAA Championships and NCAA Zones, and both of NC State's women's top relays posted times that meet the automatic NCAA qualifying standards.

In addition, sprinter Nyls Korstanje took ownership of the nation's fastest 50-yard freestyle mark with his Thursday swims.

RELAY HIGHLIGHTS:
The first evening of finals got going in tight fashion with both of the 200-yard freestyle relay decisions coming down to split seconds. NC State took second place in both of those races.

On the women's side, Ky-lee Perry (22.34), Kylee Alons (21.75), Sirena Rowe (21.81) and Sophie Hansson (22.31) teamed up for the 1:28.21 finish. That mark meets NCAA qualifying standards.

NC State's top team on the men's side of the 200-yard freestyle relay was Nyls Korstanje (19.75), Hunter Tapp (19.54), Noah Hensley (19.47) and Coleman Stewart (19.19).

The 400-yard medley relay saw the Wolfpack take ownership of a pair of first-place finishes.

Katharine Berkoff led off for the Wolfpack women with an impressive 51.85 backstroke split with Hansson (58.38), Rowe (53.56) and Alons (47.61) teaming up with her for the victory in 3:31.40. That time ranks atop the nation ahead of this weekend's packed slate of invites, and it was also good for an NCAA A cut.

Stewart's blistering 44.82 backstroke leg started off a 3:06.43 400-yard medley relay for the men that was rounded out by Rafal Kusto (53.44), Hensley (45.89) and Korstanje (42.28). That time also beats out the previous national best by almost four seconds.

INDIVIDUAL HIGHLIGHTS:
Korstanje came out firing with two speedy 50-yard freestyle times. The sophomore went 19.13 in the prelims, the nation's fastest time this season, and bettered that mark by swimming a 19.11 in the A final. The time is just .08 seconds off of his lifetime best of 19.03, which he clocked at the 2019 NCAA Championships.

For the third time in as many meets this season, the Pack men swept the podium in the men's 500-yard freestyle. Six current members of the squad currently own sub-4:20 marks after Thursday's race, which saw Eric Knowles lead the way in 4:16.36. Ross Dant (2nd, 4:17.16) and Curtis Wiltsey (4:19.00) both posted career-best times to move them into the all-time top 10 at NC State.

Danny Erlenmeyer (6th, 4:23.25) and Gil Kiesler (7th, 4:23.54) also swam in what was a packed A final for the men.

Divers Madeline Kline and Bayne Bennett both hit their Zones marks on Thursday to qualify for postseason action.

"I couldn't be happier with what I saw out of the divers today," said head diving coach Yahya Radman. "I think we have another two solid days ahead of us, and I'm looking forward to seeing what our underclassmen have learned in a short time with us."

Kline was the Pack's top finisher in the women's one-meter competition, with her 276.25 in the finals good for fifth overall. Bennett qualified for the finals on three-meter after posting his Zones cut of 344.90 in the prelims.

Julia Poole (1:55.33) and Noah Bowers (1:47.14) both finished as runners-up in the 200-yard individual medley A finals. Kate Moore added a podium finish for the Wolfpack women in the 500-yard freestyle with a season-best time of 4:39.34.

UP NEXT:
The NC State/GAC Invitational continues on Friday for the second of three days of action. Prelims are once again set for 9:30 a.m., and finals will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Greensboro Aquatic Center.

MEN'S TOP FINISHERS:

200 freestyle relay: Korstanje, Tapp, Hensley, Stewart (2nd – 1:17.95)
Three-meter: Bayne Bennett (6th – 304.85)
500 freestyle: Eric Knowles (1st – 4:16.36)
200 IM: Noah Bowers (2nd – 1:47.14)
50 freestyle: Nyls Korstanje (1st – 19.11)
400 medley relay: Stewart, Kusto, Hensley, Korstanje (1st – 3:06.43)