Carleton Press Release
The Carleton College men’s swimming and diving team participated in day one of the Minnesota Challenge at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center. The Knights swam against some tough competition including some of the top teams in the MIAC as well as a handful of NCAA Division I programs including South Dakota State, North Dakota and South Dakota.
This meet serves as the final taper meet for team members who will not compete at the MIAC Championships later this month, while for those members who will swim at the conference meet, the Minnesota Challenge provides a final tune-up opportunity.
In a very competitive field for the Knights, many swimmers turned in season bests. That pattern began with the evening’s first race—the 200-yard freestyle relay—where the all-rookie quartet of Nick Reeves (Kirkland, Wash./Lake Washington), Ryan Wetzel (Salem, Ore./West Salem), Ari Conati (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnetonka), and Sam Darwish (Akron, Ohio./University School) placed 15th. Their time of 1:29.35 established a new season-best for Carleton.
The Knights also had a strong showing in the 500-yard freestyle. Alex Mathson (Sr./Verona, Wis./Verona) placed 12th in the event and turned in a new season best (4:53.17). Darwish touched the wall 17th at 5:00.59 to set a new personal record.
Colin Lau (Jr./Minnetonka, Minn./Hopkins) was Carleton’s top finisher in the 200-yard IM, finishing 25th at a season-best time of 2:02.42. Reeves was the fastest Knight in the 50-yard freestyle, posting a time of 22.53.
The evening concluded with Conati, Lau, Darwish, and Reeves placing 11th in the 400-yard medley relay as they turned in a new team season best of 3:42.23.
The Knights will now turn their attention to the MIAC Championships which will take place at the University of Minnesota Aquatics Center from February 16-18.
The Carleton College women’s swimming and diving team traveled to the University of Minnesota to participate in the Minnesota Challenge, a two-day competition that features some very competitive swim squads. This meet serves as the taper meet for team members who will not be swimming or diving at the MIAC Championships later this month whilst serving as a final tune-up for those team members who still have the conference meet to look forward to.
The Knights swam against some tough competition including talented MIAC programs, UW-Stevens Point and, as a handful of NCAA Division I programs including South Dakota State, North Dakota and South Dakota.
Despite the challenging competition, the Knights were able to turn in some of the top times in the meet. The Knights were headlined by Caroline Mather (So./Highlands Ranch, Colo./Mountain Vista) who took first place in the 50-yard freestyle, earning a new career best with her time of 23.49. That mark moved her into third place in team history.
The evening began with Mather joining Maria Wetzel (Sr./Salem, Ore./West Salem), Anisa Lester (Jr./Corte Madera, Calif./The Branson School), and Alex Braiedy (Sr./Chanhassen, Minn./Minnetonka) on Carleton’s 200 yard freestyle relay team, that placed second overall and posted a new season-best (1:37.42) for Carleton.
Wetzel was right back in the water for the next event and beat her previous PR by more than three seconds. She placed third overall in the 500-yard freestyle with her time of 5:10.63.
Emma Lederer (Fy./Madison, Wis./West) was Carleton’s top finisher in the 200-yard IM as she posted a time of 2:19.34.
While Mather was besting the field of 135 swimmers in the 50 freestyle, Braiedy and Lester were also turning in quality performances. Braiedy finished 16th overall (24.92) but was the fifth Division III swimmer. Lester established a new season best on 25.04.
Day one of completion concluded with the 400-yard medley relay. Wetzel, Ada Meyer (Fy./Seattle, Wash./Ingraham), Braiedy, and Mather claimed fourth place as they trimmed nearly three seconds off their season best to finish at 3:59.87. That put the Knights on the heels of two entries from the University of South Dakota (D-I).
