Northwestern Sweeps UChicago With Numerous Season-Best Times

UChicago vs. Northwestern

• Chicago, IL
• SCY (25 Yards)
• PDF Results
• M: NU 221- UChicago 73, W: NU: 221- UChicago 69

Northwestern traveled to Division III UChicago this weekend. The Wildcats suited up for competition under first-year head coach Rachel Stratton-Mills.

Women’s Highlights

Leading the way for the Northwestern women was fifth-year Ayla Spitz, who spent her undergraduate career at Cal. Spitz won the 100 freestyle in a 49.64, 1000 freestyle in a 9:58.17, and 100 butterfly in a 53.46. Primarily a backstroker and mid-distance freestyler, Spitz’s 100 butterfly was a personal best time.

Finishing behind Spitz in the 100 fly was sophomore Hana Shimizu-Bowers as she touched in a 54.84. Shimizu-Bowers also won two individual events as she won the 200 backstroke in a 2:00.05 and the 200 butterfly in a 1:58.67. Her 200 butterfly time was over two seconds faster than she was in the event at midseason two months ago.

Also picking up two individual wins was freshman Sydney Smith who won the 200 free in a 1:49.01 and the 200 IM in a 2:04.16. Smith also swam fly on the team’s 400 medley relay that started the meet off with a win. The team of Justine Murdock, Maggie Papanicholas, Smith, and Lindsay Ervin swam to a final time of 3:41.68. Notably, Murdock’s lead off split of a 53.67 was faster than she swam at midseason in the 100 backstroke. Murdock went on to win the 100 back Saturday in a 54.37. Ervin won the 50 free in a 22.98, and Papanicholas won the 100 breast in a 1:01.30.

The UChicago women were highlighted by Lauren Richards. Richards finished second in both distance freestyle events as she swam a 5:09.02 in the 500 and a 10:36.28 in the 1000.

Other event winners:

• 200 breast: Ines Sancho (Northwestern): 2:22.39
• 500 free: Mackenzie Lanning (Northwestern): 5:05.04
• 200 free relay: Northwestern: 1:32.34

Men’s Highlights

Highlighting the meet for the Northwestern men was freshman David Gerchik as he won two individual events as well as helped the men to two relay wins. Gerchik won the 50 free in a 20.75, the only sub-21 swim as well as the 200 back in a 1:44.83.

Gerchik led the meet off swimming backstroke on the 400 medley relay. Matthew Lucky, Stuart Seymour, and Caden Duncan touched in a final time of a 3:12.53. Notably, all four boys are underclassmen. Gerchik closed the meet leading off the 200 free relay that also consisted of Connor Schuster, Duncan, and Aaron Baltaytis. The all-freshman relay touched in a final time of a 1:21.71.

Duncan and Lucky also picked up individual wins. Duncan won the 100 backstroke in a 48.93 while Lucky won the 100 breast in a 54.17. Seymour also won the 100 free in a 44.43.

Freshman continued to shine for the Northwestern men as Diego Nosack won two individual events. Nosack won the 200 butterfly in a 1:46.41 and the 200 IM in a 1:48.81.

Northwestern fifth year Andrew Martin dominated the 1000 freestyle swimming a 8:59.04. He won the event by over 30 seconds. Fellow fifth year Ben Forbes won two events as he won the 200 free in a 1:38.25 and the 500 free in a 4:33.51.

The UChicago men were highlighted by Jesse Ssengonzi who won the 100 butterfly in a 46.50. Ssengonzi was the Division III 100 butterfly runner up last year in a 46.68. His time from this dual meet would have won the NCAA title last March.

Other event winners:

• 200 breast: Connor Morikawa (Northwestern): 1:58.65