University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Hawai'i
Minnesota Swimming and Diving Notch Wins at Hawaii
12/31/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming & Diving
Dec. 31, 2011
The Minnesota men's and women's swimming teams closed out 2011 by notching a pair of wins at Hawaii Saturday afternoon at the Duke Kahanamoku Aquatics Complex. The Gopher women improved to 6-0 on the year with a 201.5-59.5 victory, while the men picked up their second win by outscoring the Rainbow Wahine, 178-82.
The women claimed titles in all 14 events they competed in, while the men won 12 of their 14 events on the afternoon.
Tess Behrens, Haley Spencer, Tori Simenec and Blake Zeiger opened the competition with a victory in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:44.59, while Kyler Van Swol, Jared Anderson, Larry Formosa and Zach Bolin claimed a win in the same event on the men's side with a time of 1:33.18.
Ashley Steenvoorden, Kiera Janzen, Loren Brandon and Hailey Szews finished in order in the 1650 freestyle, with Steenvoorden taking the title in 16:33.11. The men mirrored the women again in the event, with CJ Smith leading the way by clocking in at 15:36.55, followed by Sean Nesheim, Garin Marlow and Matt Benecki.
Jessica Plant placed first in both the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:49.93 and the 100 freestyle in 51.28, while Mike Vernoia finished in first place on the men's side in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:39.54.
In the women's 100 backstroke, Behrens defeated the field in 55.84, before Haley Spencer posted a first-place finish in the 100 breaststroke in 1:03.12. Simenec won her second title of the afternoon in the 200 butterfly with a time of 2:03.86.
Jessica Plant placed first in the 100 freestyle in 51.28 and Becca Weiland touched the wall in 24.01 to win the 50 freestyle.
Josh Hall won the title in the men's 100 breaststroke in a time of 55.58 and the 200 breaststroke in 2:03.02, Van Swol won the 200 LC meter butterfly in 1:50.26 and the 100 butterfly in 49.06 and Bolin placed first in the 50 freestyle in 20.56 and the 100 freestyle in 44.79.
Smith added a win in the 500 freestyle to his day in a time of 4:32.26, while Andrew Hartbarger took home the title in the 200 individual medley by clocking in at 1:53.27.
The men concluded the event with a victory in the 200 freestyle relay with a time of 1:21.50, thanks to Bolin, Ben Griggs, Felix Samuels and Van Swol.
Katie Anton edged Behrens in the 200 backstroke to place first in a time of 2:01.62 and Janzen won again in the 500 freestyle with a time of 4:50.17.
Simenec added two more wins to her day in the 100 butterfly in 55.29 and in the 200 individual medley in 2:04.41.
Behrens, Zeiger, Plant and Marissa Davies closed out the day for the women with a victory in the 200 freestyle relay with a time of 1:21.50.
Following Minnesota's winter training trip, both the men and the women will return to action on the road at Missouri Jan. 14, before hosting the Big Ten Triple Duals vs. Purdue and Wisconsin Jan. 27-28.
Players Mentioned
