Swimcloud

UConn Husky Open

UConn Men

The University of Connecticut men’s swimming team concluded the 2015-16 regular season after hosting four schools at the Husky Open, which was held Saturday morning at the Wolff-Zackin Natatorium.

The annual event, which follows a time-trial format, allowed swimmers from each school to participate in a variety of races, as some of the schools used the meet to determine who they would be sending to their conference championships.

The Huskies landed among the top three finishers 21 times, including nine first-place finishes. Senior captain Chris Girg (Burbach, Germany) swam the 200-butterfly in 1:49.74 to win the race and set a new pool record. He also won the 50-butterly in a time of 23.25, with sophomore Kyle Kimura (Tampa, Fla.) and junior James Donlevy (Lake Grove, N.Y.) completing the race with only one hundredth of a second  separating the two to sweep for the Huskies.

UConn had another sweep on its hands when sophomore Walker Hill (Jacksonville, Fla.) took first in the 50-backstroke in a time of 25.96. Freshman Mark Hunter (Pietermaritzburg, South Africa) completed the race in 26.15 to edge out fellow rookie Luke Martin (Richmond, Va.), who recorded a time of 26.33.

Senior Jeff Magin (Brookfield, Conn.) had a strong day for the Huskies, winning the 50-freestyle with a time of 21.24, and fellow captain Greg Baliko (Fanwood, N.J.) went on to finish first in the 100-IM, swimming it in 52.46. Magin was behind him in 52.74, followed by Kimura (53.90).

Sophmore Patrick Kavanaugh (Frederick, Md.) claimed first in the 400-IM in 4:10.42 before Donlevy won the 50-breaststroke in 26.66. In his last time swimming at home, senior Ryan Walsh touched the wall in 52.79 to finish first in the 100-backstroke. Hunter rounded out the victories for the Huskies by winning the 200-breaststroke (2:06.89).

The Huskies now focus their attention on the American Athletic Conference Swimming and Diving Championships, which is set to take place on Feb. 17-20 at the CRWC Natatorium at the University of Houston.


UConn Women

The University of Connecticut women’s swimming team concluded the 2015-16 regular season after hosting four schools at the Husky Open, which was held Saturday morning at the Wolff-Zackin Natatorium.

The annual event, which follows a time-trial format, allowed swimmers from each school to participate in a variety of races, as some of the schools used the meet to determine who they would be sending to their conference championships.

The Huskies landed among the top three finishers 18 times, including five first-place finishes. Senior Laura Ruttan (Stittsville, Ontario) got the meet started on a high note, after winning the 200-IM in 2:11.15. Sophomore Christina Cirillo (Kinnelon, N.J.) was second (2:11.50).

Freshman Julie Hu (Wilton, Conn.) swam to the top spot in the 400-IM (4:35.36), followed by sophomore Emily Parillo (Phillipston, Mass.) in 4:37.43. Classmate Emily Caplis (Chillicothe, Ill.) touched the wall in 2:26.57 to finish first in the 200-breaststroke. Sophomore Sophia Kingcompleted the 50-butterfly for the Huskies in 26.43 to win the race, as freshman Danielle Bordes (Alpharetta, Ga.) took third (26.54). Junior Rachel Mulligan (Raleigh, N.C.) went head-to-head with Northeastern’s Anila Mehta in the 1650-freestyle and came away with the victory in 17.39.18.

UConn had multiple second-place finishes, including swims from junior Sophie Nothnagle (Victor, N.Y.) in the 200-backstroke (2:08.99) and classmate Darrah Jampo (West Chester, Pa.) in the 100-freestyle (54.32). Caplis was the runner-up in the 100-breaststroke after swimming the race in 1:08.40 while Bordes also checked in second for the 50-breaststroke (31.02).


Northeastern

Delaney Lanker turned in a gold performance of 59.39 in the 100 individual medley during the Connecticut Husky Open on Saturday, setting a new school record for the Northeastern swimming and diving team. The last record was set in 2010 by Jill Kearns (1:01.62). The junior captain's time ranks No. 2 among Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) opponents.

The Huskies won nine events in their regular-season finale.
 
Sara Touchette-McGowan blazed through the lanes, setting a new pool record in the 100 fly at the Wolff-Zackin Natatorium with 54.69. The sophomore went on to win the 50 free (23.77) and 100 free (51.35, new season best).
 
In their last outing of 2015-16, Anila Mehta, Amit Palkovic and Madeline Wolf went all out, each tabbing a top-three performance.
 
"It was a terrific meet today," said head coach Roy Coates. "Anila, Amit and Maddie finished their season very strong. I am very proud of their performances."
 
Mehta swam to second in the 500 free with a new season and career best of 5:07.72. She later earned silver in the 1650 free, tagging the wall in 17:53.83 – another season and career top performance.
 
Palkovic finished with top-10 performances in the breaststroke events. The Herzliya, Israel native placed second in the 200 breast with 2:29.21 and seventh in the 100 breast with 1:10.31.
 
Wolf's swims earned her new season and career bests – first, in the 500 free with a gold finish of 5:04.95 and later in the 200 free with a bronze performance of 1:55.99. She also placed third in the 100 free with 54.41.
 
Taylor Ellis won the 50 breast with a new season record of 29.32 and the 100 breast with 1:04.09.

Christine Leong won the 50 back with 26.28 and earned silver in the 100 IM with a new personal record of 59.95.

Carly Schnabel won the 100 back with a new season and personal best of 58.20. She also placed second  in the 50 back with a season and personal best of 27.06.

Shelby Andrade tied for third in the 100 IM with a season best 1:00.33.

Kierstin Chu swam to fifth place in the 50 fly with a new season and personal best of 27.32.

Lanker later placed third in the 50 back with 27.24.
 
Northeastern will turn its attention to the CAA Championships. The Huskies first compete in the CAA Diving Championships, Feb. 20-21, in Newark, Delaware. Three days later, NU heads to the CAA Swimming Championships in Richmond, Virginia on Feb. 24-27.

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