AKRON, Ohio – Junior Luka Szynal (Lublin, Poland) set a MAC record and numerous Zips’ set program records to lead the Akron swimming and diving team to claim their second consecutive Zippy Invitational title at the Ocasek Natatorium Sunday evening.
The Zips totaled 638 points on the day for a combined 2,317 for the weekend. Oakland University took home second place with 1,663 points and Bowling Green State University was the third place finisher with 1,658 points.
Akron broke seven program records during the three day invitational and numerous swimmers cracked the All-Time top ten fastest times or improved on their existing time.
Szynal crushed the Mid-American Conference, program, meet and pool records in the 200 backstroke (1:55.04) clocking in at a blazing time of 1:53.86 for first place. Szynal time is currently the eighth-fastest in the NCAA for the 200 back. Senior Ashley Niznik (McDonald, Pa.) also improved her career-best time (1:58.37) in the event dropping .81 of a second with a time of 1:57.56. Her time is now the third-fastest time in program history.
In the 100 freestyle freshmen Ragen Engel (Springfield, Ohio) and Madison Myers (Akron, Ohio) glided through the water with ease en route to breaking records. Engel finished in first place touching in at 49.77, that is now the fastest time in program history, a meet record and pool record. Myers time of 50.04 was good for a third place and she also beat the previous record (50.06) putting her with the second-fastest time in the program.
In the third straight event of the afternoon, sophomore Paloma Marrero Munoz (Merida, Spain) broke a third straight program record. In the 200 breaststroke, she snuck past the previous record in the event (2:13.34) by .03 of a second, finishing in 2:13.31, good for first place.
Senior Erin Seiler (Phoenixville, Pa.) turned in a time of 1:59.11 in the 200 butterfly in the final individual race of the weekend. Her time broke the program record (1:59.26) that was previously held by her.
The 400 freestyle relay was the final heat of the Invitational and the Zips did not slow down. The Akron A relay team of Myers, freshman Sadie Fazekas (Windsor, Ontario), senior Hannah Raspopovich (Crown Point, Ind.), and Engel swam a 3:21.40 for first place resulting in a new meet record.
The Zips will go head-to-head with Bowling Green State University in a long course time trial dual at the Ocasek Natatorium at noon.
Women’s Scores
1. Akron, University of 2317
2. Oakland University 1663
3. Bowling Green State Univ. 1658
4. Bloomsburg University 913
5. Clarion University 673
6. Niagara University 491
7. Cleveland State University 256
8. West Virginia University-Tech 231
Men’s Scores
1. Oakland University 2240.5
2. Bloomsburg University 1698
3. St. Bonaventure University 1085
4. Niagara University 851
5. Clarion University 824
6. West Virginia University-Tech 774.5
7. Cleveland State University 417
Swimming news courtesy of Akron Swimming & Diving.