2023 TENNESSEE INVITATION
The second day of the 2023 Tennessee Invitational continues Thursday evening with the SCY finals of the 100 fly, 400 IM, 200 free, 100 breast and 100 back.
Junior at the University of Virginia Gretchen Walsh will not compete in the 100 backstroke, where she is the fastest woman in the event’s history, but she faces a thrilling duel in the 200 free against two of her teammates: her older sister Alex Walshand South African sophomore Aimee Canny. This morning Canny (1:59.73) was ahead Alex Walsh (2:00.18) and Gretchen Walsh (2:01.17) in the LCM prelims.
The 100 breaststroke also has the potential to be fast tonight. The entire top eight in the women’s 100 breaststroke were under the 2024 US Olympic Trials average (1:10.29) at the LCM prelims this morning (1:10.29), led by Tennessee Senior Mona McSharryis 1:06.72. Pan Am silver medalist Noah Nichols completed the men’s 100m breaststroke with a time of 1:00.34, faster than his second-place finish last month in Santiago, Chile.
Fifth year in Virginia Ella Nelson is the top seed in the women’s 400 IM, the same event in which she placed second at the NCAAs last season (3:59.54). At 4:12.26 it is currently the eighth best time this season. Tennessee Junior Landon Driggers will look to continue his dominance in the men’s 400m IM after taking the lead by nearly four seconds in the LCM prelims with a time of 4:19.84.
Women’s 200-yard medley relay finals
- NCAA record: 1:31.73, Virginia (2023)
- 2024 NCAA “A” average: 1:36.24
Top 8:
Virginia’s Quartet Gretchen Walsh (22.98 back), Jasmine Nocentini (26.06 chest), Alex Walsh (22.66 fly) and Aimee Canny (21.99) secured a three-second victory in the women’s 200-meter medley relay with a total time of 1:33.69. They were just a few seconds shy of their own NCAA record of 1:31.73 from the 2023 NCAA Championships. Gretchen Walsh was as fast as 22.54 earlier this season and set a new American record in the dual meet against Texas last month.
Josephine Fuller (24.87), Mona McSharry (26.14), Sarah Stotler (23.71) and Jasmine Rumley (22.07) led Tennessee to second place with a time of 1:36.79. The performance was a huge season best, as the Lady Vols were just 1:40.30 against Texas A&M last month, but were still about half a second behind the NCAA A average this season (1:36.24 ). .
Alabama’s “A” team was disqualified, and Virginia’s “B” team (1:37.97) was a few tenths ahead of Tennessee’s “B” team (1:38.13) for the top spot 3rd place.
Men’s 200-yard medley relay finals
- NCAA record: 1:20.67, NC State (2023)
- 2024 NCAA “A” average: 1:23.71
Top 8:
Tennessee senior Harrison Lierz (21.63 back), fifth grader Flynn Crisci (23.25 breast), junior Jordan Crooks (19.64 fly) and sophomore year Gui Caribe (18.62 free) helped the Vols reach the NCAA “A” average with a total time of 1:23.14.
Perhaps the most impressive split of the race was achieved by Virginia senior Noah Nichols, who clocked a time of 22.52 in the breaststroke, leading the Cavaliers to second place with a time of 1:23.96. This is one of the fastest 50 breast splits of all time Leon MarchandIt’s 22.27 from last season. Nichols was joined by UVA senior Matt Brownstead (21.86 back), junior Tim Connery (20.51 flies) and in the fifth year August lamb (7:07 p.m. free), as they shaved exactly three seconds off their season-best time from last month’s doubleheader against Texas.
Women’s 100-Yard Fly Finals
- NCAA record: 48.46, Kate Douglass (2023)
- 2024 NCAA “A” average: 50.69
- 2023 NCAA Invite Time: 52.20
Top 8:
Virginia freshman Maggie Schalow set a new lifetime best in the 100 fly, taking the crown with a time of 52.31, a quarter of a second shy of her previous best of 52.56 at the Winter Juniors last December. She was ranked as a “Best of the Rest” butterfly specialist from Corona Del Mar, California.
Arkansas sophomore Maddy Hartley continued her winning streak this fall and secured second place with a personal best time of 52.74. Earlier this season, her best time was 55.28 in March 2022. Hartley lowered that mark twice last month to 53.57 before losing nearly another second tonight.
As a Virginia senior, the battle for 3rd place was extremely close Abby Harter (52.90), Tennessee junior Sarah Stotler (52.92), Alabama junior Kailyn Winters (52.97), Virginia sophomore Carly Novelline (52.98) were all less than a tenth apart. Arkansas sophomore Betsy Wizard (53.04) and Alabama freshman Gaby Van Brunt (53.13) were also not far behind.
Men’s 100-Yard Fly Final
- NCAA record: 42.80, Caeleb Dressel (2018)
- 2024 NCAA “A” average: 44.64
- 2023 NCAA Invitational Time: 45.57
Top 8:
After placing 4th in the LCM prelims this morning, Jordan Crooks rebounded in his short course specialty with a winning time of 45.30. The Tennessee junior owns a lifetime best of 44.04 from the 2023 SEC Championships. Crooks placed 5th at NCAAs with 44.29.
Alabama junior Bernardo De Almeida posted a new personal best of 46.18 en route to his second place finish, falling short of his previous best of 46.18.
Tennessee took 3rd and 4th thanks to solid passing Gui Caribe (46.58) and Micah Chambers (46.75), both of which were several tenths behind their best times from the 2023 SEC Championships. Virginia sophomore Kamal Muhammad was the only other swimmer under 47 seconds in the final with a 5th place finish in 46.85.
Women’s 400-Yard IM Final
- NCAA record: 3:54.60, Ella Eastin (2018)
- 2024 NCAA “A” average: 4:03.62
- 2023 NCAA Invitational Time: 4:11.36
Top 8:
Fifth year in Virginia Ella Nelson posted a blistering time of 4:03.61, taking over as the best time in the NCAA this season at the time of publication. The NCAA runner-up also managed to win the 400 IM at last year’s Tennessee Invitational with a time of exactly 4:03.61.
Reigning NCAA champion Alex Walsh didn’t compete in the 400 IM, but the Cavaliers still secured the top three spots in that race. UVA junior Ella Bathurst set a new personal best en route to 2nd place, falling more than half a second off her previous best of 4:11.00 at the ACC Championships in February, where she placed 5th.
Virginia Sr Sophia Wilson took 3rd place with a time of 4:13.81, just a few seconds shy of her personal best of 4:11.10 at the 2022 NCAA Championships. She placed 6th at the ACCs last season with a time of 4:11.89 .
Men’s 400-Yard IM Final
- NCAA record: 3:28.82, Leon Marchand (2023)
- 2024 NCAA “A” average: 3:38.90
- 2023 NCAA Invitational Time: 3:42.99
Top 8:
Tennessee Junior Landon Driggers swam the second fastest 400 IM this season Leon Marchand (3:37.96) with a winning time of 3:43.96, about two seconds ahead of two Vols teammates: Junior Gus Rothrock (3:45.82) and North Carolina transfer Aidan Crisci (3:46.00).
Driggers, a former Division II star, started with a 52.50 100 fly split, then managed 55.16 on the backstroke, 1:03.96 on the breaststroke and 52.34 on the freestyle. His lifetime best is a time of 3:40.94 at the 2023 SEC Championships.
Rothrock set a massive new PB, shaving nearly two seconds off his previous best of 3:47.48 at last year’s Tennessee Invitational. Crisci was a few tenths away from his personal best of 3:45.68 from the 2023 ACC Championships as a freshman at UNC.
Women’s 200-yard free final
- NCAA record: 1:39.10, Missy Franklin (2015)
- 2024 NCAA “A” average: 1:42.84
- 2023 NCAA Invitational Time: 1:45.31
Top 8:
After 3rd place behind Alex Walsh And Aimee Canny in the LCM 200 free this morning, Virginia Junior Gretchen Walsh showcased her SCY skills with a massive lifetime best in the 100 free, beating her two talented Cavalier teammates in an off event for the sprint specialist.
Gretchen Walsh reached the wall in 1:41.32, shaving almost two seconds off her previous best time of 1:43.24 at the Cavalier Invitational in February. Her new personal best would have won last season’s NCAA title in the 200 free by more than a second over Stanford Taylor jerk (1:42.36). Gretchen Walsh At the halfway point of the race he was at 48.50 before finishing at 52.82.
Canny took 2nd place with a time of 1:42.93, just half a second shy of the 1:42.50 that took her 3rd at NCAAs as a freshman last season. The South African sophomore’s best time is 1:42.34 from her 4×200-meter free relay heats at the NCAAs. Alex Walsh took third place with a time of 1:43.43, a few seconds off her personal best of 1:41.63 from the 2023 ACC Championships.
Distance specialist Sophia Knapp showed her mettle with a personal best of 1:45.45 on her way to 5th place behind her UVA teammate Cavan Gormsen (1:45.07). Knapp’s previous best time was 1:46.81 at the 2023 ACC Championships.
Men’s 200 Yard Free – Final
- NCAA record: 1:29.15, Dean Farris (2019)
- 2024 NCAA “A” average: 1:31.74
- 2023 NCAA Invited Time: 1:32.85
Top 8:
Alabama junior Charlie Hawke triumphed in the men’s 200 free with an NCAA A average of 1:31.30, exactly a tenth of a second slower than his personal best of 1:31.20 at the 2023 SEC Championships. At the NCAAs last This season, the Australian managed a time of 1:32.42 in the preliminary rounds and missed the A final by 0.14 seconds.
Hawke beat his Brazilian teammate, Kaique Alves, who missed his previous best time of 1:32.93 by almost a full second on his way to second place. Alves, a junior, is just a few tenths behind the NCAA A average (1:31.74) this season.
Virginia sophomore Sebastien Sergile completed the podium with a third-place finish in 1:34.14, just a tenth of his personal best of 1:34.05 from February 2022.
Women’s 100-yard Breaststroke Final
- NCAA record: 55.73, Lilly King (2019)
- 2024 NCAA “A” average: 58.02
- 2023 NCAA Invitational Time: 59.73
Top 8:
Tennessee senior Mona McSharry broke a new SEC record in the 100 breaststroke with a winning time of 56.87. The Irish was faster than her runner-up finish at NCAAs last season (57.16) and faster than the Texas freshman Lydia Jacoby went on to win the event last season (57.03). McSharry’s new lifetime best is ranked No. 1 in the NCAA this season ahead of USC Kaitlyn Dobler (57.35).
UVA sophomore Emma Weber took 2nd place with 59.02, beating the Tennessee freshman Emelie Fast (59.07) in the blink of an eye. Weber was about half a second shy of her personal best of 58.61 at the 2023 ACC Championships. Fast, a freshman from Sweden, shaved nearly two full seconds off her best 100 breaststroke time as she beat her previous best of 1: 01.07 from last month’s dual meet against Texas A&M.
Men’s 100-yard Breaststroke Final
- NCAA record: 49.69, Ian Finnerty (2018)
- 2024 NCAA “A” average: 51.10
- 2023 NCAA Invitational Time: 51.90
Top 8:
After a time difference of 22.52 on the breaststroke in Virginia’s 200-meter medley relay to open the session, senior Noah Nichols continued his streak with a nation-leading time of 51.67 in the 100-meter dash. His best time is 50.82 at the 2023 ACC Championships.
Alabama senior Trey Sheils His second place finish of 52.74 was just a few tenths shy of his personal best of 52.42. At the time of publication, he is ranked 8th in the NCAA this season.
Fifth year in Tennessee Flynn Crisci completed the podium with 52.95. The Pitt transfer was about a second shy of his personal best of 51.87, which placed him fifth in the ACC last season.
Women’s 100-yard Backstroke Final
- NCAA record: 48.26, Gretchen Walsh (2023)
- 2024 NCAA “A” average: 50.88
- 2023 NCAA Invitational Time: 52.36
Top 8:
To Virginia Jr Reilly Tiltman won the LCM Battle of the 100 this morning, Tennessee Junior Josephine Fuller Made amends tonight with an SCY win in 52.11. Fuller’s lifetime best is 51.00 at last season’s NCAA Championships, where she placed 7th. Tiltmann was as fast as 50.42 at the 2022 ACC Championships.
Alabama freshman Ella Menear posted a personal best of 52.67, securing 3rd place ahead of Kentucky Senior Torie Citizen (52.79) and Crimson Tide teammate Cadence Vincent (52.83). Menear shaved seven tenths of a second off her previous best of 53.37 from March 2022.
Men’s 100-Yard Back Final
- NCAA record: 43.35, Luca Urlando (2022)
- 2024 NCAA “A” average: 44.71
- 2023 NCAA Invitational Time: 45.70
Top 8:
Tennessee senior Harrison Lierz won the men’s 100-meter race by more than a full second with a time of 45.71. The Colorado native fell just 0.01 seconds shy of his personal best of 45.70 in a 400m medley relay heat at the 2023 SEC Championships.
UVA freshman Will Thompson achieved a tremendous personal best, taking 2nd place with 46.75, improving exactly one second from his previous best of 47.75 from March. This morning, Thompson regained the LCM 100 with a personal best of 55.00, dropping almost a full second from his previous best of 55.93 from July.
UVA senior Matt Brownstead completed the podium with 47.07, beating the Alabama senior Eric Stelmar (47.18) by just a tenth of a second.
Women’s 800-yard free relay final
- NCAA record: 6:45.91, Stanford (2017)
- 2024 NCAA “A” average: 7:00.86
Top 8:
Tennessee’s quartet Brooklyn Doughwright, Julia Burroughs, Sarah StotlerAnd Kate McCarville cruised to victory in the 800 free relay with an SEC-leading time of 7:10.17, but MeetMobile splits appeared to be incorrect at the time of publication. We’ll check back later.
Men’s 800-yard free relay final
- NCAA record: 6:03.42, Texas (2023)
- 2024 NCAA “A” average: 6:16.02
Top 8:
Jordan Crooks broke a new school record in the 200-meter free during his opening round of the Tennessee relay and set a personal best of 1:32.07 to lead the Vols to victory in 6:19.77. The junior sprint star from the Cayman Islands put his best foot forward, dropping more than two seconds off his previous best of 1:34.30 at last year’s Tennessee Invitational. The previous school record in Tennessee was 1:32.35 minutes Joey Reilman in 2019.
Gui Caribe (1:36.09), Joaquin Vargas (1:36,35) and Rafael Ponce De Leon (1:35.26) joined Crooks on the Vols’ winning relay.