GREENSBORO, N.C. – It's been pure domination through the first two nights of competition for the Sun Devils at the Greensboro Aquatic Center.
Léon Marchand and Max McCusker were the stories of Day 2 of the NC State Invite, after each set new program records in the 400 IM and 100 fly, respectively.
For the second consecutive night, the Sun Devils won five races, and the No. 5 Men still hold a comfortable advantage atop the team standings. The Sun Devil Women will enter Saturday evening locked in a battle for third-place after a strong Day 2.
TEAM STANDINGS
MEN
1) ASU, 1636. 50
2) NC State, 1,261
3) Stanford, 1,098
4) Penn State, 610. 50
5) Duke, 447. 50
6) Army, 342. 50
7) George Washington, 45
WOMEN
1) NC State, 1,489. 50
2) Stanford, 1,353
3) ASU, 807
4) Penn State, 806. 50
5) Duke, 766
6) Army, 227
7) George Washington, 153
8) UNC Asheville, 34
RECORDS FALLING IN GREENSBORO
Dolan kicked things off on Day 1 with his record-setting performance in the 50 free.
Marchand and McCusker followed suit on Friday evening. Here's the trio of records the Sun Devils have set so far this week.
50 free
Jack Dolan, 18.92
400 IM
Léon Marchand, 3:33.65
100 fly
Max McCusker, 45.01
HOW IT HAPPENED
200 MEDLEY RELAY
Perhaps the Sun Devils hinted at what was to come when they opened the Men's 200 medley relay with a 1:22.97 first-place showing by Jack Dolan-John Heaphy-Max McCusker-Grant House. It's now the fastest time in the nation this year, per SwimCloud.
400 IM
Charli Brown was the lone Sun Devil to compete in the Women's installment of the 400 IM, and she turned in an effort of 4:09.78 that netted her a third-place finish. It's now the fourth-fastest time in school history and the first time since 2019 that the Sun Devil Women have turned in a top-10 effort in the 400 IM (Marlies Ross, 4:11.36, March 1, 2019).
The Sun Devils dominated the Men's 400 IM, as they went 1-2-3 and five finished within the top seven. They were led by Léon Marchand's new school record of 3:33.65. Here's who followed Marchand at the top – David Schlicht (2nd/3:43.16), Owen McDonald (3rd/3:44.27), Daniel Matheson (5th/3:46.64). Cale Martter (7th/3:48.41) wasn't far behind.
Leon Marchand's 3:33.65 Makes Him Third-Fastest 400 IMer Ever https://t.co/oclN7VPTno
— SwimSwam (@swimswamnews) November 19, 2022
100 FLY
Lindsay Looney paced the way in the Women's 100 fly, nearly setting a school record in the process. She went 52.09, just .41 off Caitlin Andrew's 2008 school record, en route to a fourth-place finish. Jade Foelske claimed seventh at 53.43.
Just like the 400 IM, the Sun Devil Men crammed the top of the leaderboard in the 100 fly, as four would finish in the top eight. Max McCusker had the top-finish (2nd) and set a new school record at 45.01. Alex Colson (3rd/45.77), Cody Bybee (7th/45.77) and Jonny Kulow (8th/47.08) rounded out the A final.
200 FREE
Opposing teams played catch-up once more to the Sun Devils, this time in the Men's 200 free, after they turned in a 1-2-3-4 performance. Grant House netted the win (1:31.96) and was followed by Julian Hill (2nd/1:32.26), Patrick Sammon (3rd/1:32.79) and Andrew Gray (4th/1:33.55). They finished with five in the top-10, courtesy of Tiago Behar (9th/1:34.59).
Erin Milligan was the lone Sun Devil in the Women's 200 free final, clocking in at 1:47.03 to take sixth overall.
100 BREAST
The Sun Devils made their presence felt in the Women's 100 breast, as five finished within the top-15. Iza Adame was their top performer (6th/1:00.63). Here's how they fared the remainder of the way – Emma Gehlert (10th/1:01.62), Zoe Summar (12th/1:01.99), Izzy Krantzcke (14th/1:02.30) and Ginger McMahon (15th/1:02.47).
Four Sun Devils packed inside the top-11 in the Men's 100 breast. John Heaphy (5th/53.39) was closest to the top and the only to compete in the A final. Ethan Hansen (9th/53:90), though competing in the B final, turned in a time that was seventh overall on Friday. Andy Dobrzanski (10th/54.23) and Christian Osterndorf (11th/54.32) were the remaining top Sun Devil finishers.
100 BACK
Jack Dolan added yet another win – continuing his hot-streak in Greensboro – in the Men's 100 breast (45.53). Jack Wadsworth took home fourth (46.55).
800 FREE RELAY
The Sun Devils put an exclamation point on Day 2 in their final race of the day by winning the 800 free relay. Grant House-Julian Hill-Patrick-Sammon-Léon Marchand went a nation-best and pool record 6:08.97.
DAY 2 WINS
200 medley relay – Jack Dolan-John Heaphy-Max McCusker-Grant House
400 IM – Léon Marchand
200 free – Grant House
100 back – Jack Dolan
800 free relay – House-Hill-Sammon-Marchand
Of the four relays the Sun Devil Men have won so far this week (200 free, 400 medley, 200 medley and 800 free), all are currently the fastest time in the nation.
Surprised? Neither are we ??
— Sun Devil Swim/Dive (@ASUSwimDive) November 18, 2022
Léon Marchand's winning time of 3:33.65 in tonight's 400 IM final is a new school record, breaking his previous record of 3:34.08 set at the NCAA Championships. pic.twitter.com/wEeQED1ySP
For an updated look at the team records after the first two days of action in Greensboro, visit here.
Men's Event Records | Women's Event Records
DIVING RESULTS
3-meter finals
It was a career day in the young Sun Devil career of Lane Stallworth, who went a personal-best 340.55 in the 3-meter to place second overall. Zach Lundgren took fourth (338.50) and Thomas Wesche was sixth (329.85), marking the trio of Sun Devils within the final top-six.
Stallworth, Lundgren and Wesche also met their 3-meter zone cut score on Friday evening in Greensboro.
Stallworth scored a 313.80 in the 3-meter prelims to place fourth. Right behind him was Zach Lundren (6th/294.95) and Thomas Wesche (7th/281.35). Caleb Liban trailed for a ninth-place finish in the prelims with his score of 251.35.
1-meter consolation finals
Amayah Wiley netted a sixth-place finish in the 1-meter, scoring a career-best 229.25. In the morning prelims, Wiley went 221.50 in the 1-meter. Junior Ashlyn Kirsch added a 200.55 effort in the morning 1-m prelims.
MORNING PRELIMINARIES
A total of 21 Sun Devils qualified to compete in the evening finals session, highlighted by the Men's 1-2-3-4-5 effort in the morning 400 IM race (Marchand-McDonald–Schlicht-Martter-Matheson).
In two additional races, three or more Sun Devils finished within the top-eight to qualify for the A final.
UP NEXT
The Sun Devil Men are in prime position to win this invitational tomorrow on Day 3 of the NC State Invite, which will begin with preliminaries (7:30 a.m. MST) followed by the evening finals session (3:30 p.m. MST).
Here's how Day 3 is set to unfold:
1650 Freestyle
200 Backstroke
100 Freestyle
200 Breaststroke
200 Butterfly
10 Meter Diving
400 freestyle relay
800 Freestyle Relay
Keep up with the action via live results or through the team's Twitter, @ASUSwimDive, which is updated with daily notes, results and recaps.