Wolfpack Still in Control at UNC Invite

Friday, December 4

Chapel Hill, N.C.

10 AM Prelims / 6 PM Finals

NC State

UNC Invitational Day 2

12/4/2020 8:09:00 PM | Swimming

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The Wolfpack men's and women's swimming teams continued to uphold their leads at the Janis Hape Dowd UNC Invite as the second day of competition wrapped up on Friday evening. With just Saturday's action left, NC State's men (693.5) and women (723.5) lead Virginia Tech, UNC and Duke's squads.

INDIVIDUAL HIGHLIGHTS:
Katharine Berkoff made a statement in the 100-yard backstroke by taking claim of the program record. Her 50.40 swim was not only good for first place and the top of the NC State record book but was also an NCAA A cut. Junior Kylee Alons joined her in the top three of that race with a 51.81 for second place.

NC State claimed the top four spots in the A final of the 100-yard breaststroke, with transfer Andrea Podmanikova leading the way with the only sub-one minute time of the evening session. Her 59.28 mark for first place ranks fourth in program history, and she was joined by NCAA B cuts from Olivia Calegan (1:00.02), Abby Arens (1:00.12) and Heather Maccausland (1:00.47).

Michael Moore led the way for five A finalists in the 400-yard individual medley. He was the top finisher in the heat with a time of 3:45.12 that cracked the top 10 of the school record book and checked in at fifth in NC State's history. Conall Monohan (3:49.66) and Zachary Cram (3:50.77) joined him in posting NCAA provisional cuts.

RELAY HIGHLIGHTS:
The Wolfpack women secured another NCAA qualifying mark at the start of the night. Berkoff (23.60), Podmanikova (27.22), Sirena Rowe (22.79) and Alons (21.25) went 1:36.40 to kick off Friday action with the relay win.

Despite being the only team racing in the 800-yard freestyle relay, NC State's women still put up a solid time with splits from Kate Moore (1:45.43), Alons (1:44.65), Berkoff (1:45.37) and Julia Poole (1:46.10). Their overall time of 7:01.55 was under a second off an NCAA automatic qualifying mark.

On the men's side, NC State fielded a pair of teams in the 800-yard freestyle relay. Its top squad of Ross Dant (1:34.36), Ike Atkinson (1:32.83), Gil Kiesler (1:34.21) and Kimani Gregory (1:33.04) went 6:14.44 for an NCAA A cut and first place.

UP NEXT:
The Pack will wrap up invitational action with a final day of competition on Saturday. Prelims begin at 10 a.m. at the Koury Natatorium. The slower heats of the 1,650-yard freestyle will start mid-afternoon, with the remainder of the finals slated to go at 6 p.m.

WOMEN'S TOP FINISHERS:

200 medley relay: Berkoff, Podmanikova, Rowe, Alons (1st - 1:34.86)
400 IM: Emma Muzzy (2nd - 4:09.41)
200 freestyle: Elle Giesler (5th - 1:48.79)
100 breaststroke: Andrea Podmanikova (1st - 59.28)
100 backstroke: Katharine Berkoff (1st - 50.40)
800 freestyle relay: Moore, Alons, Berkoff, Poole (1st - 7:01.55)