University of Minnesota Athletics
Lee-To Leads Minnesota At Ohio State Invitational
12/5/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming & Diving
The ninth-ranked Minnesota men's swimming and diving team is in second place after the first day of competition at the Ohio State Invitational at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion in Columbus, Ohio. Senior Colin Lee-To won the 50 freestyle to lead the Gophers efforts, who scored 276.5 points this evening. Ohio State leads with 379.5 points while Penn State is third (200) and Notre Dame is fourth (132). Minnesota posted six overall lifetime-best times on the first night of finals.
The Gophers opened the meet with a victory in the 200 freestyle relay. Colin Lee-To, Michael Richards, Curt Carlson and Steve Miller combined for a strong time of 1:19.00, easily under the NCAA B cut standard and broke Minnesota's meet record time of 1:19.91 set in 2006. Carlson carried the Gophers with a time of 19.43 on the third leg. Ohio State was second in 1:19.62 and Penn State was third in 1:20.41.
The 500 freestyle saw a battle between Minnesota's Ray Betuzzi and Ohio State's George Markovic. Markovic held off Betuzzi by just .02 seconds despite a late surge by Betuzzi over the final 100 yards. Markovic clocked a 4:22.62 while Betuzzi touched in 4:22.64. The time was a season-best for Betuzzi and was easily an NCAA B cut time. Perhaps the most impressive swim by a Gopher in the event was a fifth place finish by junior Nico Zebley who dropped over two seconds off his career-best to touch in 4:26.05. Mike Holmes took seventh in 4:27.40 and sophomore David Hawker was 13th in a career-best 4:28.65. Michael Daup placed 20th with a time of 4:29.94 and Keith Yoho was 24th in 4:34.78.
Minnesota's trend of career-best times continued into the 200 individual medley as Alex Wold clocked a career-best time of 1:47.53 to finish second behind Ohio State's Niksa Roki (1:45.87). Wold's time is also an NCAA B cut standard. In the consolation final, Mark Solfelt placed 10th in 1:50.42 and Anthony Portela was 11th in 1:50.45 and Josh Griffey was 12th in 1:51.17. In the C Final, Richard Hills took 19th in 1:53.16 and Ivan Gutesa was 20th in a career-best 1:53.22.
Minnesota had four finalists in the 50 freestyle, led by Lee-To, who tied for first with Ohio State's Joel Elber with a time of 20.15. Richards took third with a time of 20.21 while Carlson was fourth in 20.31. In the prelims, Carlson went under 20 seconds for the first time in his career with a 19.99. He became the 12th Gopher to ever post a sub-20 second time. Miller took sixth in 20.41. In the consolation final, Kevin Baseheart tied for 10th in a career-best 20.70. Adam Weis also took 23rd in 21.35.
In 1-meter diving action, sophomore Drew Brown placed ninth in a stacked field including several NCAA All-Americans with a tally of 305.15 and Tyler Jepsen placed 20th with a score of 228.25.
The Gophers team of Karl Burdis, Lee-To, Baseheart and Carlson managed a third place finish in 3:15.12 to finish behind Ohio State (3:12.99) and Penn State (3:13.59).
The Ohio State Invitational continues through Sunday.
Several Gophers also competed at the Falcon Invitational held at University Aquatic Center over the weekend. Cole Young captured the title on the 3-meter springboard with a career-best score of 366.55. Rob Schnitzler took first in the 100 breaststroke while Rob Schaefer was fifth (58.82). Jacob Kittilstad won the 200 freestyle in a career-best 1:40.34 and placed fifth in the 500 freestyle (4:44.57). Andy Knaak took runner-up honors in the 200 individual medley in 1:54.49 and Schaefer also placed fourth in the 200 IM with a time of 1:56.20. Matt Papenfuss led Minnesota in the 50 free with a fourth place finish (21.43) and placed sixth in the 200 free in 1:44.51. The Falcon Invitational continues through tomorrow.
The Gophers opened the meet with a victory in the 200 freestyle relay. Colin Lee-To, Michael Richards, Curt Carlson and Steve Miller combined for a strong time of 1:19.00, easily under the NCAA B cut standard and broke Minnesota's meet record time of 1:19.91 set in 2006. Carlson carried the Gophers with a time of 19.43 on the third leg. Ohio State was second in 1:19.62 and Penn State was third in 1:20.41.
The 500 freestyle saw a battle between Minnesota's Ray Betuzzi and Ohio State's George Markovic. Markovic held off Betuzzi by just .02 seconds despite a late surge by Betuzzi over the final 100 yards. Markovic clocked a 4:22.62 while Betuzzi touched in 4:22.64. The time was a season-best for Betuzzi and was easily an NCAA B cut time. Perhaps the most impressive swim by a Gopher in the event was a fifth place finish by junior Nico Zebley who dropped over two seconds off his career-best to touch in 4:26.05. Mike Holmes took seventh in 4:27.40 and sophomore David Hawker was 13th in a career-best 4:28.65. Michael Daup placed 20th with a time of 4:29.94 and Keith Yoho was 24th in 4:34.78.
Minnesota's trend of career-best times continued into the 200 individual medley as Alex Wold clocked a career-best time of 1:47.53 to finish second behind Ohio State's Niksa Roki (1:45.87). Wold's time is also an NCAA B cut standard. In the consolation final, Mark Solfelt placed 10th in 1:50.42 and Anthony Portela was 11th in 1:50.45 and Josh Griffey was 12th in 1:51.17. In the C Final, Richard Hills took 19th in 1:53.16 and Ivan Gutesa was 20th in a career-best 1:53.22.
Minnesota had four finalists in the 50 freestyle, led by Lee-To, who tied for first with Ohio State's Joel Elber with a time of 20.15. Richards took third with a time of 20.21 while Carlson was fourth in 20.31. In the prelims, Carlson went under 20 seconds for the first time in his career with a 19.99. He became the 12th Gopher to ever post a sub-20 second time. Miller took sixth in 20.41. In the consolation final, Kevin Baseheart tied for 10th in a career-best 20.70. Adam Weis also took 23rd in 21.35.
In 1-meter diving action, sophomore Drew Brown placed ninth in a stacked field including several NCAA All-Americans with a tally of 305.15 and Tyler Jepsen placed 20th with a score of 228.25.
The Gophers team of Karl Burdis, Lee-To, Baseheart and Carlson managed a third place finish in 3:15.12 to finish behind Ohio State (3:12.99) and Penn State (3:13.59).
The Ohio State Invitational continues through Sunday.
Several Gophers also competed at the Falcon Invitational held at University Aquatic Center over the weekend. Cole Young captured the title on the 3-meter springboard with a career-best score of 366.55. Rob Schnitzler took first in the 100 breaststroke while Rob Schaefer was fifth (58.82). Jacob Kittilstad won the 200 freestyle in a career-best 1:40.34 and placed fifth in the 500 freestyle (4:44.57). Andy Knaak took runner-up honors in the 200 individual medley in 1:54.49 and Schaefer also placed fourth in the 200 IM with a time of 1:56.20. Matt Papenfuss led Minnesota in the 50 free with a fourth place finish (21.43) and placed sixth in the 200 free in 1:44.51. The Falcon Invitational continues through tomorrow.
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