The University of Tampa men's and women's swimming teams capped an impressive four-day showing with both team titles at the fifth annual Shark Invitational, which was hosted by Nova Southeastern University.
Tampa's women won with 1,651.5 points, finishing ahead of Florida Southern (1,322.5), Nova Southeastern (1,321.5), Lynn (511), Rollins (440.5) and Lenoir-Rhyne (211).
The Spartan men led all teams as they compiled 1,875 total points. Trailing UT were Nova Southeastern (1,535.5), Florida Southern (1,304), Rollins (381.5) and Lenoir-Rhyne (270).
On the women's side, UT had top-three performances from Brittany Bayes in the 1,650 Free (second, NCAA B, 17:02.26), Marisa Barton in the 100 Free (third, NCAA B, 51.52) and Allison Chandler in the 200 Back (third, NCAA B, 2:02.83).
UT's women's 400 Free Relay team also finished second with an NCAA A qualifying time. The team of Barton, Briana Murphy, Erin Plachy and Amanda Fernandes were timed at 3:26.75.
The men had top-three efforts from Tommy Reminger in the 1,650 Free (third, NCAA B, 15:56.27), Khalid Aldaboos in the 100 Free (second, NCAA B, 44.27) and Clayton Clemens in the 200 Breast (second, 2:03.67).
Tampa also won the 400 Free Relay with an NCAA A timing. The group of Aldaboos, Jordan Augier, Martin Hammer and Jeremy Parker were the first to the finish line at 2:57.62.
In addition to winning a pair of team titles over top Sunshine State Conference and national opponents, UT accomplished several national qualifying times for the 2015 NCAA Championships.
The Spartans return to action following the New Year on Saturday, January 3, at the UT Relay Carnival at the Aquatics Center. The meet is scheduled for 11 a.m. UT will offer a live broadcast of the event.
The Nova Southeastern University swimming and diving teams closed the final day of the Shark Invitational, swimming 11 NCAA provisional times and two NCAA qualifying times, breaking two Sunshine State Conference records and breaking three Shark Invitational records.
The highlight of the night came from Thiago Sickert (So., Vila Velha, Brazil) and Bryndis Hansen (So., Akureyri, Iceland), who each swam NCAA qualifying times in the men's and women's 100-yard freestyle. Their times of 43.65 and 49.40, respectively, broke the men's and women's 100- free Sunshine State Conference records that they each set in Sunday morning's prelims. Both times now rank second overall in NCAA Division II on the men's and women's side.
In the women's 1650-yard freestyle, Alexis Diaz (Fr., Summerfield, Fla.) and Brooke Munion (So., Bethlehem, Pa.) both swam NCAA provisional times of their own. Their times of 17:26.03 and 17:33.65, respectively, placed them in the top six finishers. The top finisher for the Sharks in the men's 1650-free was Blake Woodrow (Fr., Fort Myers, Fla.), who swam a NCAA provisional time 15:58.00.
The women's 200-yard backstroke featured a NCAA provisional time of 2:01.81 from Emma Wahlstrom (So., Stockholm, Sweden), good enough for a second place finish. In the men's 200-back, Marco Aldabe (So., Alicante, Spain) swam a NCAA provisional time of 1:48.61, good enough for a third-place finish.
Freshman standout, Malin Westman (Harryda, Sweden), followed with a NCAA provisional time of 2:17.16 in the women's 200-yard breaststroke, good enough for a second-place finish. Anton Lobanov (Fr., Novosibirisk, Russia) would then swim a NCAA provisional time and Shark Invitational record of 1:57.92 in the men's 200-breast.
After a twenty-minute intermission, all attention turned toward the men's and women's 400-yard freestyle relays, the final events of the Shark Invitational. In the women's 400-free, NSU's A-team consisting of Wahlstrom, Jordan Shows (Fr., Alta Loma, Calif.), Hansen, and Emma Lawrenz (Sr., Mennetonka, Minn.) swam a NCAA provisional and Shark Invitational record time of 3:24.93. They were followed by the men's A-team consisting of Sickert, Shane Kleinbeck (Sr., San Antonio, Texas), Michael Ragan (So., Dacula, Ga.) and Magnus Lundgren (Sr., Stockholm, Sweden), who swam a NCAA provisional time of 2:58.93, good enough for a second-place finish.
NSU's men finished in second place with 1535.5 points, while the women finished in third place with 1321.5 points, one point behind Florida Southern. The University of Tampa finished in first place on the men's and women's side with 1,875 and 1,651.5 points, respectively.
Earning the Michael D. Fish Most Outstanding Performer awards on the men's side was Sickert, while Westman won the award on the women's side. They each tailed 113 and 98 points, respectively.
The Sharks will be back in action on January 3rd in a home dual meet with Grand Valley State.
