Queens University of Charlotte men’s and women’s swim team put a wrap on the regular season with the Royal Invite, as day 2 came to a close on Saturday, February 21, 2015. As the team prepares for the NCAA National Swim Meet, the Royals took hold of four more NCAA “B” Standard cuts during the day’s events.
During the preliminary races in the morning, Lillian Gordy improved to a 24.02 in the 50 Yard Freestyle taking her NCAA “B” Standard time.
Devyn Hughes took an improved time of 49.90 in the 100 Yard Butterfly grabbing his NCAA “B” Standard for the event.
With another improved race for the Royals, Will Hicks grabbed a NCAA “B” Standard in the 100 Yard Breaststroke securing a 55.25 for the race.
It was a 10:25.93 finish for Lauren Frizzel in the 1000 Yard Freestyle. She took her NCAA “B” cut for the event.
Queens will now turn their focus to the NCAA National Swim Meet in Indianapolis, Ind. on March 11-14.
Catawba
Catawba swam four time trials on Saturday at the Queens Invite held in the pool at the Levine Center. Sebastian Holmberg (Akersberga, Sweden/Skolan) was able to notch another school record and qualify for his fourth event at the upcoming NCAA II Championships.
Holmberg posted a new record time in the 50 free, swimming a time of 20.24 which was under the 'B' standard. He was a member of the 200 medley relay team which swam a 'B' cut time of 1:30.40 and was the fifth fastest in school history. He was joined by Dominik Brus (Krakow, Poland/Loms Krakow), Jevgenij Gamper (Vilnius, Lithuania/Kachialov) and Theo Zatterstrom (Stockholm, Sweden/Fryshuset).
Janin Kassner (Giesen, German/Andreanum) swam in the 100 breast time trial and clocked in with a time of 1:07.03. It was the 13th fastest in school history. Rafal Baran (Trzebinia, Poland/Loms Krakow) swam the sixth fastest time in school history in the 200 fly time trial, swimming a time of 1:54.02,
Holmberg will represent Catawba at the nationals which will take place March 10-14 in Indianapolis, Ind.
Wingate
The nationally-ranked Wingate University men's and women's swimming teams recorded 11 NCAA Division II "B" cuts during the second night of the 2015 Royal Invitational at the Levine Center on the Queens University of Charlotte campus Saturday. Eleven Wingate swimming student-athletes competed in the two-day event.
"As with any meet, we had many positives and many letdowns," Wingate head swimming coach Kirk Sanocki says. "We enhanced our positioning in a number of events...and we strengthened several "B" cuts."
"Attending the Royal Invitational was totally worth it for us," Sanocki says. "We believe senior David Collum (DeLand, Fla.) swam his way into the national meet this weekend. Junior Damjan Petrovski (Skopje, Macedonia) and sophomores Roman Kanyuka (Moscow, Russia) and Øystein Fjeldberg (Oslo, Norway) strengthened their positions."
In the Saturday night time trials, Collum posted an NCAA Division II "B" cut time of 55.67 in the 100 Breaststroke. Classmate Samuel Knapp (Madison, Ala.) recorded a D2 "B" cut in the 200 Backstroke (1:48.73) in the same session.
Petrovski and Kanyuka battled back-and-forth in the men's 200 Breaststroke. In the Saturday morning prelims, Kanyuka (2:00.89) edged Petrovski (2:01.09). In the Saturday night finals, Petrovski took the checkered flag with a time of 1:59.99. Kanyuka was second in the 200 Breaststroke final with his time of 2:00.94. All four times are D2 "B" cuts.
Fjeldberg improved his lot in the 400 Individual Medley. In the morning preliminaries, he posted a time of 3:58.90. In the night session, Fjeldberg recorded a time of 3:58.70. Both swims are D2 "B" cuts. He swam a 4:01.25 (also a "B" cut) in the 400 IM Bluegrass Mountain Conference championship final last week in Charlotte.
On the women's side, senior Kellie Gervas (Imperial, Pa.) established a new Levine Center pool record in the women's 200 Individual Medley (2:08.11) during the Saturday night time trials. Earlier in the day, Gervas swam a 57.45 in the 100 Butterfly, good for an NCAA Division II "B" cut. Sophomore Jessika Weiss (Macon, Ga.) recorded a time of 2:17.75 in the 200 Breaststroke prelims, also a D2 "B" cut.
"There are D2 conference meets which conclude Sunday night," Sanocki says. "We will wait and see what happens." The NCAA Division II swimming committee will announce the 2015 field next week. The 2015 NCAA Division II swimming and diving championships will be held March 11-14 in Indianapolis, Ind.
