2022 MINNESOTA INVITE
- November 30 – December 3, 2022
- Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center, Minneapolis, Minn.
- SCY (25 yards)
- Meet Central
- Heat Sheets (when uploaded)
- Live Results
- Results on Meet Mobile: “Minnesota Invite 2022”
- Live Stream ($)
- Races to watch, all the links you need
- 2023 NCAA Qualifying Times
The Minnesota Invite wraps up today, but there should still be plenty of fast racing as some of the top swimmers in the nation square off in Minneapolis. Today’s prelims will include heats of the 200 breast, 100 free, 200 fly, and 200 back.
SCORES AFTER DAY THREE:
Women:
- Cal — 1289.50
- Texas — 1283
- Wisconsin — 865
- Minnesota — 763
- Arizona — 538.50
- Pitt — 440
- Harvard — 392
- UNLV — 105
Men:
- Cal — 1187
- Arizona — 1035
- Texas — 988
- Minnesota — 635
- Wisconsin — 492
- Harvard — 422
- Pitt — 363
- UNLV — 265
WOMEN’S 200 BACK – PRELIMS
- NCAA ‘A’ Standard – 1:50.50
- 2022 NCAA Invite Time – 1:53.97
Top 8:
- Isabelle Stadden (Cal) – 1:51.77
- Phoebe Bacon (Wisconsin) – 1:52.04
- Olivia Bray (Texas) – 1:52.54
- Annika McEnroe (Cal) – 1:54.95
- Paula Rodriguez Rivero (Minnesota) – 1:56.57
- Claire Jansen (Pitt) – 1:57.80
- Ava Yablonski (Minnesota) – 1:57.87
- Samantha Shelton (Harvard) / Ayla Spitz (Cal) – 1:57.97
Cal’s Isabelle Stadden, last night’s 100 back winner, qualified first this morning with a 1:51.77, a time which moves her to #5 in the nation so far this season. It should be a great race tonight between her and Wisconsin’s Phoebe Bacon, who qualified 2nd with a 1:52.04.
There was tie for 8th between Samantha Shelton (Harvard), and Ayla Spitz (Cal), who both touched in 1:57.97.
MEN’S 200 BACK – PRELIMS
- NCAA ‘A’ Standard – 1:39.13
- 2022 NCAA Invite Time – 1:40.92
Top 8:
- Chris O’Connor (Texas) – 1:41.68
- Ziyad Saleem (Cal) – 1:42.68
- Gunner Grant (Harvard) – 1:42.74
- Jake Newmark (Wisconsin) – 1:43.00
- Colby Mefford (Cal) – 1:43.22
- Anthony Rincon (Harvard) – 1:43.45
- Panos Bolanos (UNLV) – 1:43.56
- Ethan Harder (Texas) – 1:43.67
Longhorn Chris O’Connor posted the fastest time of the morning by exactly a second, touching in 1:41.68. He’ll be joined by his teammate Ethan Harder (1:43.67) in the A-final tonight, while Cal and Harvard also each put up two men into the top eight.
Notably, 2022 NCAA champion Destin Lasco failed to make make the A-final after going 1:43.86 in prelims, qualifying 9th.
WOMEN’S 100 FREE – PRELIMS
- NCAA ‘A’ Standard – 47.18
- 2022 NCAA Invite Time – 48.44
Top 8:
- Grace Cooper (Texas) – 48.65
- Kyla Leibel (Texas) / Eloise Riley (Cal)- 48.78
- (tie)
- Hannah Cornish (Minnesota) – 48.97
- Bridget Semenuk (Texas) – 49.11
- Emma Davidson (Cal) – 49.17
- Maddy Burt (Arizona) – 49.28
- Ella Mazurek (Cal) – 49.39
Texas and Cal are locked into a tight battle in the (unofficial) team scoring, and this event is a great reflection of the meet overall as the two schools each put three women into the top eight. Longhorn Grace Cooper led the way with a 48.65, while teammate Kyla Leibel and Cal’s Eloise Riley tied at 48.78. Cooper and Leibel went 1-2 in the 50 free two days ago, while Riley finished 6th. Minnesota’s Hannah Cornish (48.97) and Texas’ Bridget Semenuk (49.11) are also 50 free A-finalists who will swim in the A-final tonight.
MEN’S 100 FREE – PRELIMS
- NCAA ‘A’ Standard – 41.64
- 2022 NCAA Invite Time – 42.34
Top 8:
- Jack Alexy (Cal) – 42.62
- Peter Larson (Texas) – 42.64
- Daniel Krueger (Texas) – 42.68
- Bjorn Seeliger (Cal) – 42.72
- Andrew Benson (Wisconsin) – 42.91
- Hunter Ingram (Arizona) – 43.00
- Robin Hanson (Cal) – 43.05
- Matthew Jensen (Cal) – 43.17
Just as on the women’s side, this race should be a barnburner tonight. Cal’s Jack Alexy, who memorably broke Caeleb Dressel’s 17-18 long course age group record in this event at Olympic Trials, qualified first today with a 42.62. Alexy didn’t make the top 16 in this event last year at NCAAs, but his teammate Bjorn Seeliger was the runner-up, and today he qualified 4th, just a tenth of a second behind Alexy, at 42.72.
Two Longhorns qualified in between the two Golden Bears this morning. Senior Peter Larson seems to be focusing more on sprint free this year as Texas is dealing with an uncharacteristic lack of depth in that discipline, and this morning he clocked a new lifetime best of 42.64 to qualify 2nd behind Alexy. Right behind him was sprint stalwart Daniel Krueger (42.68), who has made the A-final in this event at the last three NCAA Championships.
Cal got another two men into the A-final courtesy of Robin Hanson (43.05) and Matthew Jensen (43.17), while Wisconsin’s Andrew Benson (42.91) and Arizona’s Hunter Ingram (43.00) also made the top eight.
WOMEN’S 200 BREAST – PRELIMS
- NCAA ‘A’ Standard – 2:06.18
- 2022 NCAA Invite Time – 2:09.15
Top 8:
- Lydia Jacoby (Texas) – 2:09.77
- Elizabeth Moore (Wisconsin) – 2:10.50
- Hazal Ozkan (Wisconsin) – 2:11.44
- Channing Hanley (Texas) – 2:13.32
- Emma Lezer (Minnesota) – 2:13.47
- Alicia Henry (Cal) – 2:14.06
- Katie McClintock (Wisconsin) – 2:15.30
- Calysta Bartlett (UNLV) – 2:15.37
100 breast champion Anna Elendt has left the meet to prepare for Short Course Worlds, where she will represent Germany, but Texas still took the top seed this morning, courtesy of Lydia Jacoby, who went 2:09.77 as the only woman under 2:10 this morning. Teammate Channing Hanley (2:13.32) will join her in the A-final tonight.
Wisconsin, however, the led the way as a team with three of the top seven spots. Elizabeth Moore (2:10.50) and Hazal Ozkan (2:11.44) led the Badgers with the 2nd and 3rd fastest times of the morning, overall, and Katie McClintock (2:15.30) qualified 7th.
Minnesota’s Emma Lezer (2:13.47) and UNLV’s Calysta Bartlett (2:15.37) will also swim in tonight’s championship final.
MEN’S 200 BREAST – PRELIMS
- NCAA ‘A’ Standard – 1:51.54
- 2022 NCAA Invite Time – 1:53.23
Top 8:
- Reece Whitley (Cal) – 1:54.53
- Max McHugh (Minnesota) – 1:54.56
- Braden Vines (Texas) – 1:54.77
- Cooper Van Der Laan (Pitt) – 1:55.57
- Adnan Beji (UNLV) – 1:56.86
- Jerry Chen (Pitt) – 1:57.75
- Paul DeGrado (Texas) – 1:57.86
- Dylan Rhee (Harvard) – 1:58.31
Fans should be in store for yet another battle between two of the greatest college breaststrokers of their generation, as Cal’s Reece Whitley (1:54.33) and Minnesota’s Max McHugh (1:54.56) took the top two spots this morning. The duo, which tied for the win in the 100 breast last night, touched within 0.03s of each other this morning from different heats.
Texas and Pitt each qualified two men for the A-final. Braden Vines, who has scored at NCAAs in this event, touched 3rd in 1:54.77, and Paul DeGrado qualified 7th at 1:57.87. Pitt’s Cooper Van Der Laan (1:55.57) and Jerry Chen (1:57.75). Vines and Van Der Laan both have been sub 1:53 in the event, so those two should battle for 3rd and may even push Whitley and McHugh a bit.
UNLV’s Adnan Beji (1:56.86) and Harvard’s Dylan Rhee (1:58.31) round out the top 8.
WOMEN’S 200 FLY – PRELIMS
- NCAA ‘A’ Standard – 1:52.86
- 2022 NCAA Invite Time – 1:56.14
Top 8:
- Kelly Pash (Texas) – 1:53.29
- Dakota Luther (Texas) – 1:53.75
- Emma Sticklen (Texas) – 1:54.21
- Rachel Klinker (Cal) – 1:55.31
- Megan Van Berkom (Minnesota) – 1:55.64
- Leah Polonsky (Cal) – 1:56.28
- Julia Heimstead (Arizona) – 1:57.37
- Lizzy Cook (Cal) – 1:57.56
This was one of the fastest events we’ve so far this week, as a trio of Longhorns pushed into the top times in the nation. Kelly Pash led the field with a 1:53.29, which looks to be the 2nd-fastest time in the country this season. Dakota Luther improved her season best by 0.08s to 1:53.75, which puts her at #4 in the nation this season, while Emma Sticklen moves up to #5 with a 1:54.21
All three of those women, along with Longhorn Olivia Bray, made the A-final at NCAAs last season, although Luther was swimming for Georgia at that point. Cal’s Rachel Klinker, who took 6th at NCAAs in that same race, qualified 4th this morning with a 1:55.31. She’ll be joined in the A-final tonight by teammates Leah Polonsky (1:56.28) and Lizzy Cook (1:57.56).
Minnesota’s Megan Van Berkom (1:55.64) and Arizona’s Julia Heimstead (1:57.37) round out the top eight.
MEN’S 200 FLY – PRELIMS
- NCAA ‘A’ Standard – 1:40.20
- 2022 NCAA Invite Time – 1:42.42
Top 8:
- Dare Rose (Cal) – 1:43.19
- Brooks Taner (Arizona) – 1:43.20
- Cole Crane (Texas) – 1:43.28
- Sam Artmann (Texas) – 1:43.31
- Gabriel Jett (Cal) – 1:43.91
- Kaiser Neverman (Minnesota) – 1:44.39
- Haakon Naughton (Arizona) – 1:44.66
- Adam Mahler (Pitt) – 1:45.00
This is shaping up to be another great race tonight. The top four qualifiers all touched within 0.12s of each, and the fastest man in the field wasn’t even part of that group.
Cal’s Dare Rose led the field with a 1:43.19. Arizona’s Brooks Taner was right behind him at 1:43.20, followed by a pair of Texas Longhorns in Cole Crane (1:43.28) and Sam Artmann (1:43.31).
Rose’s teammate Gabriel Jett qualified 5th with a 1:43.91. Jett has the fastest lifetime best in the field, with a 1:40.22 from his 6th place finish at the 2022 NCAA Championships.
Minnesota’s Kaiser Neverman has been having a great meet at his home pool, and he put up a lifetime best of 1:44.39 to qualify 6th. Arizona’s Haakon Naughton (1:44.66) and Pitt’s Adam Mahler (1:45.00) round out the top eight.
Nice Prelim 200 Fly for Augur and Liesl’s kid 1:43.20.
for all the hype given to the wisconsin men (including me), they are really flat this week.
Swimswam photo curse hits Lasco
I was debating whose photo to use, and I’m pretty sure that I had a train of thought along the lines of “Who’s the safest best to win tonight? It has to be Lasco, right? Surely he’s impervious to any alleged photo curses.”
My bad.
Lasco finishing out of the top 8 in his primary event is a head scratcher given his earlier performances in winning the 200 IM and 100 back. Braden, any thoughts here?
“I just cruised it too hard. Dave and i had a strategy and it didn’t really work out this morning. But hey, you live and you learn and I’m just ready to go all out tonight and try to put up a best time tonight”
Robert,
Thanks for the pinpoint response. I guess they won’t be using this strategy in March. I think there is a more than decent chance that Destin posts the fastest time in the 200 Back later this evening.
You’re welcome. Ben has been getting interviews at the meet, and there should be a video up of his interview with Destin later today.
I feel like the plan with a prelim swim should always be the way they’ll need to at NCs. It would take at least 1:39 to make an A final there
Destin Lascouhhhh…what happeneduhhh???
SwimSwam photo curse.
Side quest: swim a nation-leading time from the consol final.
Will Carson foster be too soft again to swim tonight? Only time will tell…
Foster is not entered in day 4 of the meet. He is going to Short Course Worlds.
lol. My man literally traveled out of his way to support his team at this invite. I’m sure he could have stayed in Austin if he asked, yet he came. That is leadership.
A lot of people have been harping on me for commenting about Tony Grimm “retiring” during the season. Allow me to explain. We’ve seen more and more high level athletes take this road. What needs to change? The type of practices? The coaching? The resources outside of the pool? I think we need to talk more about these questions instead of simply saying, “Good luck on your next journey!”
I heard tony Grimm wants to stay in state because the weather is warm in Dallas. Grimm to SMU confirmed?
Grimm told us that he plans to stay at Texas. He’s done swimming.
I mean, sometimes people are just done after grinding along at something for 15+ years. I think that’s ok too.
There’s no crisis. It’s always been like this, at least since I started following the sport in the 80s. It’s a demanding sport and everyone finds a different time to step away and pursue other priorities in their lives. The only difference now is you have swimmers’ social media and swimming news sites to keep you in the loop 50 ms after anything happens. I don’t think these swimmers’ decisions require a post-mortem.
A couple of years ago after attending the NCAAs, on my flight home I was sitting next to a former top 5 national swimming recruit who left swimming after his freshman year, but had attended the meet to cheer on his former team. He had stayed at the same school and graduated, but also continued to stay close to his former teammates. He had a good job in the area and seemed happy and pretty well adjusted, or as much as I could gather in a three hour flight. He had nothing but positive things to say about the current staff that he had also trained under.
Like Bearly noted, some gifted athletes just burn out and want to experience… Read more »