North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State
NC State/GAC Invitational (Day 1)
NC State Wraps Up Day One of Fall Invite with NCAA Qualifying Times
11/18/2021 10:29:00 PM | Swimming
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- The Wolfpack posted some of its fastest times of the season as both the men's and women's swimming and diving teams opened action at the Greensboro Aquatic Center on Thursday.Â
NC State won a total of three events in the first Finals session of the three-day meet. The Pack took ownership in the women's 200-yard freestyle relay, women's 400-yard medley relay, and men's 400 medley relay.
RELAY HIGHLIGHTS:
The Wolfpack women kicked off the Finals session with a bang, dropping a speedy 1:27.31 in the 200-yard freestyle relay, marking the fastest time in the country and the team's first NCAA cut of the season. Katharine Berkoff led off the squad with a time of 22.11 seconds, followed by Kylee Alons (21.37), Sophie Hansson (22.21), and Heather MacCausland (21.92).
NC State men took a close second place in the 200-yard freestyle relay, just .16 behind Arizona State. Noah Henderson (19.28), David Curtiss (19.05), Nyls Korstanje (19.06), and Giovanni Izzo (19.37) combined their efforts for a time of 1:16.76, marking a new NCAA cut in the event.
In the women's 400-yard medley relay, the quartet of Berkoff (50.96), Hansson (56.87), Alons (49.99), and Abbey Webb (48.62) fought off Stanford for the win with a time of 3:26.44, the fastest time in the country this season and a new NCAA A-cut. Hansson's stunning breaststroke split on the third leg cracks the all time top-10 list, notably only behind Lilly King.
The Pack men ended the night with a bang, cruising to a first place finish with a new NCAA A-cut time of 3:04.02. Kacper Stokowski put his teammates in front of the field from the start with his leadoff split of 44.79, which is also an NCAA A-cut. Rafal Kusto contributed a 52.49 breaststroke leg, followed by Korstanje's 44.78 split in the butterfly and Luke Miller's 41.96 100-yard freestyle.
INDIVIDUAL HIGHLIGHTS:
Leading off the men's 400-yard medley B relay, Hunter Tapp threw down a 45.95 to take the second spot in the nation, just behind Stokowski.
In the women's 200-yard IM, graduate students Kate Moore and Julia Poole claimed the second and third spots. Just two one hundredths ahead of Poole's 1:55.58, Kate Moore stopped the clock with a 1:55.56. Annabel Crush (1:58.57) and Grace Sheble (1:59.11) rounded out the A-final with their fifth and seventh place finishes, respectively.
Alons and Berkoff took the second and third place spots in the 50-yard freestyle with times of 21.72 (Alons) and 22.22 (Berkoff). MacCausland (22.37) and Hansson (22.65) finished fifth and seventh in the last individual event of the evening.
Throughout the day, many members of the Pack swam lifetime bests and had amazing races. The team proudly qualified forty five men and women to swim individual races in the evening Finals session.
DIVING:
Bayne Bennett worked his way up to second place in the men's three meter, finishing with 348.35 points, which is a season best by 8.42 points.
Junior Helene Synnott finished her evening with a third place finish and 289.60 points in the women's one meter, also marking a season best. Synnott's night punched her ticket to this year's USA Diving Winter Nationals, set to be held in December.
UP NEXT:
The NC State Fall Invite 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: Henderson, Curtiss, Korstanje, Izzo (1:16.76)
- Three-meter: Bennett (348.35)
- 500 freestyle: Dant (4:17.68)
- 200 IM: M. Moore (1:44.37)
- 50 freestyle: Henderson (19.20)
- 400 medley relay: Stokowski, Kusto, Korstanje, Miller (first place - 3:04.02)
WOMEN'S TOP FINISHERS:
- 200 freestyle relay: Berkoff, Alons, Hansson, MacCausland (first place - 1:27.61)
- One-meter: Synnott (289.60)
- 500 freestyle: Hierath (4:43.69)
- 200 IM: K. Moore (1:55.56)
- 50 freestyle: Alons (21.72)
- 400 medley relay: Berkoff, Alons, Hansson, Webb (first place - 3:26.44)
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