Eastern Michigan Invite - Day One

Toledo

Kenzie Bagan (Roanoke, IN) set a new school-record in the 200 butterfly, and the University of Toledo swimming team wrapped up the first day of competition at the Eastern Michigan Invitational at the Jones Natatorium in Ypsilanti, MI.

Bagan, a freshman, broke Taryn Smith's 2003 record of 2:03.36 by finishing in a time of 2:02.96 to place third. Bagan, who nearly broke the record a month ago in the dual meet win over Miami (2:03.78), was just .06 behind Michigan senior Courtney Beyer for second-place in the event.

"She was the star of this meet for us today," head coach Lars Jorgensen said. "It was a great performance."

The Rockets also received a strong performance in the 400 freestyle relay, finishing third in a time of 3:29.18. The squad, made up of freshman Carly Harter (North Huntington, PA), senior Caitlin Cormack (Bedford, OH), junior Laura Heckroth (Columbus, IN) and senior Katie White (Monroe, MI), narrowly missed out on a second-place showing by less than half of a second. The relay time was the best for a Toledo quartet this season.

Cormack started the Rocket scoring for the evening with a third-place finish in the 1650 freestyle, as she steadily pulled away from Eastern Michigan's Briana Emig in the final few laps. Her time of 16:53.79 was the best by a Rocket this season. Classmate Ashley Cusack (Willow Spring, IL) had a strong start in the 200 backstroke and took fourth in 2:04.74.

"We had a few good swims today, but there's room for improvement," Jorgensen said. "Hopefully we can have a better day tomorrow."

Wayne State Men

After the first day of the Eastern Michigan Invitational on Friday, the Wayne State men’s swimming and diving team is in second place with 365 points, trailing only the host Eagles (447). In addition, the Warriors achieved several new qualifying times for the NCAA Championships.

Among those earning “A” qualifiers was Oskar Nordstrand (Stockholm, Sweden), who won the 1650 freestyle in a time of 15:55.47. He also improved upon his prior “B” time for the 1000 free during the swim (9:36.43).

James Ekleberry (Rochester Hills, Mich./Avondale) placed fourth in the 1650 with a “B” time of 16:18.60. John Fitzgerald (Grand Ledge, Mich.) came in seventh (16:56.31) and Eric Platte (Clinton Twp., Mich./L’Anse Creuse) placed eighth (17:33.91) as the Warriors collected 58 points in the event.

Three more “A” times were reached in the 200 breaststroke. Joaquin Abascal Gallegos (Madrid, Spain) came in second (2:02.79), Matthew Laschuk (Tecumseh, Ont./Academie Ste. Cecile) finished fifth (2:04.94) and Matt Victor (Chesterfield, Mich./Anchor Bay) placed sixth (2:05.04).

Other “B” cuts were achieved by Nathan Hesche (Jackson, Mich.), who came in fourth in the 200 backstroke (1:53.90); Justin Shields (Chesterfield, Mich./Anchor Bay), the second-place finisher in the 100 free (46.51); and Ben Dueweke (Macomb, Mich./Dakota), who finished third in the 200 butterfly (1:53.42).

Cauli Bedran (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), who led the first-place 400 free relay with Shields, Hesche, and Abascal Gallegos, garnered a “B” cut with his leadoff time of 45.65, missing an “A” time by just .06 seconds.

In the one-meter diving competition, Cayce Bolt (Sterling Hts., Mich./Warren Mott) placed second (555.53) and Mike Elliott (Washington, Mich./Romeo) came in sixth (481.80).


Wayne State Women

The Wayne State women’s swimming and diving team is in fourth place out of seven teams after the first day of the Eastern Michigan Invitational on Friday, but perhaps more importantly the Warriors had several more student-athletes qualify for the NCAA Championships in March.

The Warriors totaled six new national “A” qualifiers, two new “B” cuts and two school records. They totaled 210 points, trailing Michigan (361), Eastern Michigan (298) and Toledo (233).

Ashley St. Andrew (Grand Rapids, Mich./Jenison), who already has an “A” cut to her credit in the 1650 freestyle, improved upon her qualifying time with a second-place finish on Friday (17:46.96), coming two seconds shy of her own school record. She also improved both of her “B” times for the 500 free (5:05.91) and 1000 free (10:10.77) during the swim.

Stephanie Ekleberry (Rochester Hills, Mich./Avondale) finished ninth and achieved an “A” cut (17:23.15) while posting a “B” time of 10:30.88 for her first 1000 yards.

School records fell in the 200 backstroke and the 200 breaststroke. Sara Franklin (Caro, Mich.) broke her own mark and achieved an “A” cut by a .03 second margin with a fifth-place finish in the 200 back (2:05.16), while Ana Gonzalez Pena (Gijon, Spain) eclipsed Courtney Roberts’ (Milan, Mich.) school record in the 200 breaststroke, winning in an “A” time of 2:19.85. Maria Johnson (Harrison Twp., Mich./L’Anse Creuse), who finished ninth in the 200 breaststroke, notched a “B” cut (2:25.90).

Two swimmers reached “A” status in the 200 butterfly, as Elaina Hogle (Kentwood, Mich./East Kentwood) placed fourth (2:03.29) and Laura Leix (Flint, Mich./Southwestern) finished eighth (2:06.99), actually matching the NCAA qualifying standard.

Cassie Chetosky (Shelby Twp., Mich./Utica) placed fourth in the three-meter diving event (539.50), while Carly Sevald (Royal Oak, Mich./Mercy) finished sixth (488.55).

Ashley Corriveau (Metamora, Mich./Lapeer East) improved her “B” cut in the 100 free (52.65), while Hogle attained her first as the leadoff (53.17) for the fifth-place 400 free relay with Gonzalez Pena, St. Andrew and Corriveau (3:31.73).