Swimming & Diving Travels to Northwestern Invite
11/19/2014 12:00:00 AM | Swimming and Diving
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State swimming and diving teams will compete at the three-day TYR Northwestern Invite, starting on Friday. The Spartans will be joined by host Northwestern, Saint Louis, UIC, Truman State, and the women's team from Air Force. The action will take place at the Norris Aquatics Center pool in Evanston, Illinois. The meet will hold prelims starting at 10 a.m. ET each morning with the finals in the afternoon at 6 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Sunday.
"I feel really good going into this weekend," said head coach Matt Gianiodis. "The kids have been working really hard this year. I feel good, the kids are confident, I feel we are going to have a really good meet."
Fans can follow live results online at msuspartans.com and on the Meet Mobile app.
LAST TIME OUT
The Michigan State men's swimming and diving team fell short to No. 25 Notre Dame on Friday evening, 171-127, in East Lansing. The Spartans finished the night with seven victories. The men's team is now 4-2 on the season.
Freshman Joe Szczupakiewicz notched the first win for MSU in the 1000 freestyle, finishing with a time of 9:32.29. Sophomore Jon Burke finished in second with a 9:33.92. Burke also finished first in the 500 freestyle clocking in at 4:38.51.
In the 200 freestyle, freshman Lachie McLeish finished in first place with a time of 1:40.05. McLeish continued his winning ways, taking the 100 freestyle as well, finishing at 46.21. Freshman Alex Trompke also recorded two victories on the evening. In the 100 backstroke, he finished at 49.88 and posted a 49.51 in the 100 butterfly.
The Michigan State women's swimming and diving team defeated Toledo by a score of 187-110, two weekends ago. The women's team improved to 3-4 on the season, as the Spartans came away winners of 11 of the 16 events on the night.
The Spartans started strong in the 200 medley relay, taking first place in the event. The team of freshman Chanel Bonin, senior Shelby Lacy, sophomore Sarah Love and freshman Rachael Bukowski finished with a time of 1:44.16. Bonin recorded two personal victories of her own. In the 100 backstroke, she took first place with a time of 57.40, her best time in the event here at Michigan State. She also finished in first at the 200 backstroke, where she clocked in at 2:05.10, also her best time of the year. Love also recorded two personal victories on the night. She finished first in the 50 freestyle (24.16) and the 100 butterfly (56.25)
Junior Marina Borri won the 200 breaststroke with her best time of the year with 2:21.51. Sophomore Kennedy Cutler took third place with a time of 2:25.59.
In the 500 freestyle, senior Hannah Pugh captured first place with a time of 5:06.01. Freshman Haley Kornburger followed closely behind in second, finishing with a time of 5:09.42.
Junior Elizabeth Brown continued her winning ways, taking first in the 200 IM with a time of 2:07.52.
The Spartans were successful against Toledo on the diving boards, taking the three top slots in the 1-meter event and 3-meter event. In the 1-meter, senior Alison Menzies took first with 297.39, sophomore Madeline Sewell took second with 296.54, and senior Cristee Cordes finished in third with 265.20. In the 3-meter event, Cordes took first with a score of 336.15; Menzies took second (329.85) and Sewell third (326.10).
Michigan State finished the meet in winning fashion, taking first place in the 200 freestyle relay. The team of Love, Bukowski, junior Emily Parsons and freshman Maison Moore finished with a time of 1:35.79.
LAST YEAR
The Spartans found success last year at the TYR Northwestern, with both the men's and women's teams finishing second. The men finished with a final score of 904.5 points and the women finished with 657 points. Northwestern finished first in both men's and women's.
THINKING B1G
Michigan State swimming and diving freshman Lachie McLeish has been named Big Ten Freshman of the Week, as announced by the conference on Tuesday, Nov. 18. The Melbourne, Australia, native earns the honor for the first time in his career after winning two individual races against Notre Dame this past weekend. This is the first Michigan State men's swimming and diving award since Bryan Williams was named Big Ten Swimmer of the Week, Oct. 23, 2012, and first Big Ten Freshman of the week since Hunter Bartlett, Dec. 13, 2011.
RHODES TRIP
Senior David Zoltowski travels to Indianapolis, Indiana, this weekend to interview for the Rhodes Scholarship. Zoltowski is looking to become the first Spartan student-athlete since Molly Brennan in 1982 to achieve the honor.
FEELING FRESH
The Spartan freshmen have accounted for nearly half of the swimming victories this season. The freshmen have contributed in 25 of the 53 swimming event victories on the season so far.
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Players Mentioned
