University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Iowa Invitational
Players Mentioned
Gophers Close Out Day One of Hawkeye Invite
11/15/2018 9:31:00 PM | Men's Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving
IOWA CITY - The Minnesota swimming and diving team got off to a strong start on day one of the Hawkeye Invite as the Gophers earned first-place finishes in six of the fourteen events. The 16th-ranked women ended the day with 333 points, more than 90 points ahead of the second place University of Nebraska team. The 20th-ranked men's team stands in third place at the close of day one with 241 points, trailing first place by only ten points.
On the women's side, the 200 yard freestyle relay team of Zoe Avestruz, Katherine Wagner, Kaia Grobe and Tevyn Waddell gave the Gophers their first win of the night after Waddell out-touched the anchor of the Iowa relay team to finish the race with a time of 1:31.25.
Mackenzie Padington broke a set of records with her performance in the 500 yard freestyle. Her time of 4:37.01 claimed the new meet and pool records in Iowa City and gave her the fastest time in the nation this year for the event. Three Minnesota teammates--Chantal Nack, Kate Sullivan and Kelli McCarthy--joined her in the top heat for the race. Nack's time of 4:40.31 grabbed her a second-place finish and a claim to the fourth-best time in the nation so far this season.
Another Gopher notched a top five national time on day one. Waddell, already part of a winning relay team, completed her 200 yard individual medley race in 1:57.83, giving her the fifth-best time in the country. She ended her night with another first-place finish as part of the 400 medley relay team along with Nack, Avestruz and Lindsey Kozelsky. The relay went 3:34.76 to earn the win and a meet record.
Kristen Hayden finished in third place in the one-meter diving competition. She closed day one with a score of 307.55.
The Minnesota men had their share of victory with Bowen Becker recording a 19.63 finish in the 50 yard freestyle and setting a meet record. His time clocks in at only 0.01 behind his top time of the season that he recorded last week at the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
The Gophers dominated in the men's diving well on day one with Nick Yang atop the point standings for three-meter diving with a total of 404.30. Alan Leblang finished behind his teammate in second place with a score of 375.70 on the day .
The Gophers will be back in action Friday morning for the second day of competition at the Hawkeye Invite. Live stats will be available at the link above, beginning with the start of the first session at 10:00 am CT.
Order of Events
Friday, Nov. 16
200-yard Medley Relay
400-yard IM
100-yard Butterfly
200-yard Freestyle
100-yard Breaststroke
100-yard Backstroke
Women's Three-Meter Diving
Men's One-Meter Diving
800-yard Freestyle Relay