GREENSBORO, N.C. – Sun Devil swimming kicked off day one of the NC State GAC Invitational this weekend, sitting in second place with 388 points after the first day of action. They lead third place Auburn by a solid120 points.
ASU kicked off the morning preliminary session on a high note, sending seven women – including four to the A Final – and nine men to the final session in the 500-freestyle event. Erica Laning highlighted the women's side in the morning session, swimming to a time of 4:43.06 to take second place while Ben Olszewski took fifth with a time of 4:21.28.
The 200 IM followed, an event in which six women and eight men made the finals cut, including six freshman in Jade Foelske, Katrina Marty, Andrew Gray, Bobby Pearce, Noah Scheuermann and Alex Colson. Through the morning events, no less than four first-year Sun Devils made the finals cut, proving the talent the young class holds just three meets into the season.
The morning finished up with the 50 freestyle, with the Sun Devil men showing their prowess in the sprint events. Nine men made the finals cut, including five in the A Final to make the majority of the field a Sun Devil. The morning race proved a tight one, as less than one second separated first place from 11th place.
The evening session began with the 200 free relays, another event in which the men shined. The all-underclassmen foursome of Carter Swift-Evan Carlson-Jack Dolan-Ethan Luc put themselves in the record book, taking first place in the event with a time of 1:17.67, good enough for the third-fastest time in Arizona State history. The men also took home ASU's first relay provisional cut of the season, just a fraction-of-a-second off from a qualifying cut. The women took seventh with their race time of 1:33.25.
Cierra Runge followed with an individual win of her own, this time in the 500 free. She touched the wall at 4:37.26, the fifth-fastest time in ASU history and unofficially the current fastest time in college swimming this season. Erica Laning (4th), Kendall Dawson (5th) and freshman Claire Nguyen (8th) rounded out the women in the A Final. Ben Olszewski stepped up to the block in the men's 500 for another top-10 time in school history to take fourth overall in the event.
In the last of the individual events, Camryn Curry took the starting block in the 50 free and achieved several feats with one swim. Her time of 22.43 was a personal best for the junior that also secured her a NCAA B Cut and the sixth-fastest time in program history. The men followed Curry strong, with the Sun Devils taking third place through sixth in part by Evan Carlson,Cody Bybee, Jack Dolan and Carter Swift, respectively. Ethan Luc placed eighth to render five of the eight competitors in the event Sun Devils.
The 400 medley relay polished off day one, with the women shining. Chloe Isleta, Silja Kansakoski, Lindsay Looney and Cierra Runge worked together for a time of 3:33.88 for second place while the men also took second at 3:07.62.
Day two of action at the NC State GAC Invitational kicks off tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. MST. Meanwhile in Austin, Youssef Selim looks to compete in the three meter springboard event at the Texas Diving Invitational, with that event beginning at 11:20 a.m. MST. Fans can keep up with the action all season long by following @ASUSwimDive on Twitter.
ASU kicked off the morning preliminary session on a high note, sending seven women – including four to the A Final – and nine men to the final session in the 500-freestyle event. Erica Laning highlighted the women's side in the morning session, swimming to a time of 4:43.06 to take second place while Ben Olszewski took fifth with a time of 4:21.28.
The 200 IM followed, an event in which six women and eight men made the finals cut, including six freshman in Jade Foelske, Katrina Marty, Andrew Gray, Bobby Pearce, Noah Scheuermann and Alex Colson. Through the morning events, no less than four first-year Sun Devils made the finals cut, proving the talent the young class holds just three meets into the season.
The morning finished up with the 50 freestyle, with the Sun Devil men showing their prowess in the sprint events. Nine men made the finals cut, including five in the A Final to make the majority of the field a Sun Devil. The morning race proved a tight one, as less than one second separated first place from 11th place.
The evening session began with the 200 free relays, another event in which the men shined. The all-underclassmen foursome of Carter Swift-Evan Carlson-Jack Dolan-Ethan Luc put themselves in the record book, taking first place in the event with a time of 1:17.67, good enough for the third-fastest time in Arizona State history. The men also took home ASU's first relay provisional cut of the season, just a fraction-of-a-second off from a qualifying cut. The women took seventh with their race time of 1:33.25.
Cierra Runge followed with an individual win of her own, this time in the 500 free. She touched the wall at 4:37.26, the fifth-fastest time in ASU history and unofficially the current fastest time in college swimming this season. Erica Laning (4th), Kendall Dawson (5th) and freshman Claire Nguyen (8th) rounded out the women in the A Final. Ben Olszewski stepped up to the block in the men's 500 for another top-10 time in school history to take fourth overall in the event.
In the last of the individual events, Camryn Curry took the starting block in the 50 free and achieved several feats with one swim. Her time of 22.43 was a personal best for the junior that also secured her a NCAA B Cut and the sixth-fastest time in program history. The men followed Curry strong, with the Sun Devils taking third place through sixth in part by Evan Carlson,Cody Bybee, Jack Dolan and Carter Swift, respectively. Ethan Luc placed eighth to render five of the eight competitors in the event Sun Devils.
The 400 medley relay polished off day one, with the women shining. Chloe Isleta, Silja Kansakoski, Lindsay Looney and Cierra Runge worked together for a time of 3:33.88 for second place while the men also took second at 3:07.62.
Day two of action at the NC State GAC Invitational kicks off tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. MST. Meanwhile in Austin, Youssef Selim looks to compete in the three meter springboard event at the Texas Diving Invitational, with that event beginning at 11:20 a.m. MST. Fans can keep up with the action all season long by following @ASUSwimDive on Twitter.