2022 UGA Invite: Day 3 Prelims Live Recap

2022 UGA FALL INVITATIONAL

• November 17-19, 2022
• UGA Gabrielsen Natatorium, Athens, GA
• SCY (25 yards)
• Results on Meet Mobile: “UGA Fall Invitational 2022”
• 2023 NCAA Cut Times
• What Will It Take To Qualify for 2023 NCAAs?
• Live Results
• Live Stream
• Day 2 Finals Recap

We are now entering the third and final day of the UGA Fall Invite. This morning will be the prelims of the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, and 200 fly, as well as the slower heats of the 1650. This evening will feature the fastest heat of the the 1650, as well as timed finals of the 400 freestyle relay.

Going into today, the Auburn women narrowly lead Florida 666.5-649, with Georgia just another 7.5 points behind. That sets up for a championship-like finish, where each “A” final brings value.

The men’s standings are the opposite–Florida is solidly holding a lead over Auburn 806.5-737

The top 24 swimmers in each event advance to finals.

Team Standings – After Day 2

Women:

1. Auburn – 666.5
2. Florida – 649
3. Georgia – 641.5
4. Florida State – 427
5. Georgia Tech – 350

Men:

1. Florida – 806.5
2. Auburn – 737
3. Georgia – 580
4. Florida State – 331.5
5. Georgia Tech – 293

Women’s 200 Back – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 1:50.50
• 2022 NCAA Invite Time – 1:53.97

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Daisy Platts (AUB) – 1:54.57
2. Marie Schobel (UGA) – 1:54.70
3. Mabel Zavaros (FLOR) – 1:54.81
4. Ellie Waldrep (AUB) – 1:55.27
5. Kensley Merritt (AUB) – 1:56.24
6. Zoe Dixon (FLOR) – 1:57.22
7. Millie Sansome (UGA) – 1:57.40
8. Kyla Maloney (AUB) – 1:57.79

Auburn opened the session with a strong showing in the 200 back, putting up four of the top eight swims. Daisy Platts leads with a season-best time of 1:54.57, while UGA’s Marie Schobel is close behind at 1:54.70.

Mabel Zavaros is third out of the morning in a season best of 1:54.81, but owns the fastest best time of the top three at 1:53.10. It should be a close race tonight, with all three athletes within less than three tenths of each other this morning.

Men’s 200 Back – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 1:39.13
• 2022 NCAA Invite Time – 1:40.92

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Nathaniel Stoffle (AUB) – 1:41.26
2. Bradley Dunham (UGA) – 1:41.41
3. Mitchell Norton (UGA) – 1:41.61
4. Sam Powe (UGA) – 1:41.64
5. Ian Grum (UGA) – 1:41.87
6. Aidan Stoffle (AUB) -1:42.21
7. Berke Saka (GTCH) – 1:42.65
8. Arijus Pavlidi (FSU) – 1:42.85

It will be the Stoffle brothers versus UGA tonight in this final. Younger brother, Nathaniel Stoffle, took the top seed at 1:41.26, while older brother Aidan Stoffle, sits sixth out of the morning (1:42.21).

The UGA men ,led by Bradley Dunham (1:41.41), took 2-3-4-5 this morning. Mitchell Norton clocked a personal best this morning by almost two seconds to earn third seed going into tonight.

Women’s 100 Free – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 47.18
• 2022 NCAA Invite Time – 48.44

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Talia Bates (FLOR) – 48.60
2. Ekaterina Nikonova (FLOR) – 48.73
3. Katie Mack (FLOR) – 48.73
4. Lexie Mulvihill (AUB) – 49.26
5. Zsofia Kurdi (FSU) – 49.48
6. Micayla Cronk (FLOR) – 49.52
7. Sloane Reinstein (UGA) – 49.52
8. Gloria Muzito (FSU) – 49.62

Florida’s sprinters put on a dominant morning performance, taking the top three spots heading into tonight’s final. Talia Bates leads in 48.60, followed by Ekaterina Nikonova (48.73) and Katie  Mack (48.73).

Lexi Mulvihill from Auburn is sitting fourth, only 0.01 off her own personal best.

Men’s 100 Free – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 41.64
• 2022 NCAA Invite Time – 42.34

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Josh Liendo (FLOR) – 42.40
2. Macguire McDuff (FLOR) – 42.64
3. Peter Varjasi (FSU) – 42.67
4. Baturalp Unlu (GTCH) – 42.90
5. Julian Smith (FLOR) – 42.91
6. Kalle Makinen (AUB) – 42.97
7. Eric Friese (FLOR) – 43.13
8. Logan Tirheimer (AUB) – 43.24

After putting on incredible performances all weekend, Josh Liendo cruised to the top spot of the morning with a 42.40. It is safe to expect that he will be much faster in tonight’s final.

Florida also picked up the second, fifth, and seventh spots for tonight’s final, with Macguire McDuff swimming the second-best time in the heats in 42.64.

Women’s 200 Breast – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 2:06.18
• 2022 NCAA Invite Time – 2:09.15

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Zoie Hartman (UGA) – 2:08.45
2. Brynn Curtis (AUB) – 2:10.33
3. Ainsley Jones (AUB) – 2:12.27
4. Maddy Huggins (FSU) – 2:12.71
5. Hannah Ownbey (AUB) – 2:12.87
6. Ashley McCauley (UGA) – 2:13.38
7. Tylor Mathieu (FLOR) – 2:13.56
8. Stasya Makarova (AUB) – 2:14.17

Georgia’s Zoie Hartman cruised to the fastest time of the morning with a season best of 2:08.45. Hartman took the race out in 1:02.00 and returned in 1:06.45.

Behind her, Auburn took four of the top eight spots. Brynn Curtis led the group taking second with 2:10.33, which marked a season best time.

Men’s 200 Breast – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 1:51.54
• 2022 NCAA Invite Time – 1:53.23

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Aleksas Savickas (FLOR) – 1:53.10
2. Kevin Vargas (FLOR) – 1:55.54
3. Arie Voloschin (UGA) – 1:56.36
4. Reid Mikuta (AUB) – 1:56.48
5. Jacques Rathle (AUB) – 1:57.01
6. Alejandro Flored (AUB) – 1:57.14
7. Tommaso Baravelli (FSU) – 1:57.60
8. Henry Bethel (AUB) – 1:57.71

In a dominating morning swim, Aleksas Savickas claimed the top seed going into tonight by over two seconds in a 1:53.10. The swim was also a personal best for Savickas by two and half seconds.

Auburn has four of the top eight spots in tonight’s final, led by Reid Mikuta with a 1:56.36. Mikuta’s best time in the event is a 1:52.09, meaning he could definitely be quicker tonight.

Women’s 200 Fly – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 1:52.86
• 2022 NCAA Invite Time – 1:56.14

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Amanda Ray (FLOR) – 1:57.08
2. Edith Jernstedt (FSU) – 1:57.12
3. Callie Dickinson (UGA) – 1:57.16
4. Casey Cullen (AUB) – 1:58.78
5. McKenzie Campbell (GTCH) – 1:58.82
6. Mabel Zavaros (FLOR) – 1:59.17
7. Allison Piccirillo (FLOR) – 1:59.28
8. Lindsey Merk (GTCH) – 1:59.67

This final should be a close one tonight, with the top three times this morning being 0.08 hundredths apart. Amanda Ray from Florida took the top spot in 1:57.08, followed by Edith Jernstedt and Callie Dickinson.

Ray owns a best time of 1:54.83, while Jernstedt’s best is 1:55.80. Dickinson’s best is the fastest of the three, at 1:54.22

Men’s 200 Fly – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 1:40.20
• 2022 NCAA Invite Time – 1:42.42

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Andrew Bruzzo (UGA) – 1:43.25
2. Joaquin Gonzalez Pinero (FLOR) – 1:43.65
3. Mason Laur (FLOR) – 1:44.64
4. Evan McInerny (AUB) – 1:44.75
5. Jace Crawford (FLOR) – 1:45.08
6. Danny Schmidt (AUB) – 1:45.83
7. Brenna Hammond (FLST) – 1:46.47
8. Antonio Romero (GTCH) – 1:47.16

Georgia Bulldog Andrew Abruzzo qualified first in the men’s 200 fly amid the absence of his teammate Luca Urlando, who would have been favored in this race before a shoulder injury ended his collegiate season,

Florida’ Joaquin Gonzalez qualified 2nd in 1:43.65, just half-a-second away from his personal best. Florida had three of the top five swimmersin prelims, including Mason Laur (1:44.64) and Jace Crawford (1:45.08).

Auburn’s Evan McInerny was 4th in prelims with a 1:44.75 – just .04 seconds shy of his lifetime best.