Cross-country from Santa Clara, Donahue, Schneider & more impress in local competitions

While most of the eyes of swimming fandom were locked on Santa Clara this weekend for the finale of the Arena Pro Swim Series, a number of high-profile athletes chose to stay closer to home for various local meets.

We’ve sifted through results to bring you a rapid-fire roundup of the most notable swims and swimmers from outside of Santa Clara this past weekend:

Swim GSA Eastern Invite

• Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, NC
• Notable teams/swimmers: NC State, UNC, Duke, SwimMAC
• Live results

SwimMAC’s pros were the biggest movers and shakers in Greensboro, but a couple of ACC college programs also contributed fast swims.

Dion Dreesens had one of the best individual weekends. The Dutch Olympian represented SwimMAC with multiple wins on the weekend. Probably most impressive was his 1:49.83 to win the 200 free, a time that would have made the A final in Santa Clara.

His teammate Katie Meili was also on fire. Meili went 1:08.02 in the 100 breast and 55.83 in the 100 free.

Another impressive SwimMAC-er was Katherine Mills, who nearly broke a minute in the 100 fly (1:00.02) and crushed a 2:10.55 to win the 200 fly. That 200 time would have earned her second in Santa Clara.

Tim Phillips won the 100 fly in 53.50, a nice sign for him as he prepares to represent the U.S. at Worlds in Kazan, Russia.

NC State’s Christian McCurdy won the 200 fly in 2:04.44, and Simonas Bilis swept the sprints with times of 22.75 and 50.95.

Texas Senior Circuit #2

• San Antonio, TX
• Notable teams/swimmers: Jimmy Feigen, Breeja Larson, Texas, Texas A&M
• Results available on Meet Mobile

U.S. Olympian Jimmy Feigen had a nice weekend in his home state, swimming only one race, but making it count. That was the 100 free, where Feigen went 49.61 to easily pick up the win.

Fellow Olympian Breeja Larson did the same type of schedule, arriving only to swim the 200 breast, but crushing a 2:27.28, within a half-second of her season-best.

Texas A&M grad Sarah Henry took on a much more full event lineup, winning the 400 free, 400 IM, and 200 free. Her 400s were most impressive, as the Aggie went 4:14.69 in the free and 4:44.30 in the IM.

Division III national record-holder Andrew Wilson paced both breaststrokes for the men, going 2:17.14 in the 200 and 1:01.87 in the 100.

Texas A&M’s French import Beryl Gastaldello was all over the place, winning three races. That included a sweep of the 50 and 100 flys (26.99 and 1:00.54) and the 50 back (29.72).

16-year-old Emma Seiberlich of the Phoenixville YMCA was perhaps the top age grouper. The rising high school junior won both Olympic-distance backstroke races, going 1:04.06 in the 100 and 2:13.04 in the 200.

Texas’s Jonathan Roberts won a pair of events, going 1:51.77 in the 200 free and 4:22.28 in the 400 IM. He was second in the 200 fly to teammate John Martens, who went 1:59.44, and the two also went 1-2 in the 200 IM, with Martens leading in 2:04.57.

Tennessee Aquatics June Invite

• Allan Jones Aquatic Center, Knoxville, TN
• Notable teams/swimmers: Claire Donahue, Alex Meyer, Kate Zieger, Amanda Weir, Townley Haas, Tennessee, Georgia
• Full recap
• Live results

Olympian Claire Donahue blasted one of the best 100 fly times in the nation so far this year to highlight a fast Tennessee meet. Donahue, of course, is coming out of a tumultuous spring in which her longtime coach Bruce Marchionda was let go as the Western Kentucky program was suspended after hazing violations. Donahue and Marchionda just ended a long period of uncertainly by selecting South Florida Aquatic Club as both of their landing spots, though they haven’t yet started training there.

But Donahue responded to the adversity with a huge 58.99 win in the 100 fly, a season-best and a time that ranks just outside the world’s top 25 for the year.

Outside of Donahue, it was swimmers from Georgia and Tennessee who highlighted the show. Rising Bulldog freshman Kylie Stewart was fast, sweeping the 100 and 200 back with times of 1:02.80 and 2:15.87. Her teammate Ty Stewart (no relation) won the same events for the men, going 56.24 and 2:03.53.

Tennessee’s Molly Hannis was the meet’s dominant breaststroker. The Volunteer went 2:30.76 to win the 200 and, probably more impressive, 1:07.74 to take the 100.

The Vols made it a breaststroke sweep, as pro Brad Craig won both men’s races. His 1:02.37 won the 100 and the 200 went to him in 2:18.06.

Also swimming with Tennessee Aquatics is former world record-holder Kate Ziegler, in comeback mode after a lengthy break. Ziegler won the 400 free in 4:16.11, her best swim in the event since 2013.

Also in the distance races, Tennessee’s Maddy Tegner had a great 800, going 8:40.45 for the win. That’s her lifetime-best. And Olympic open water swimmer Alex Meyer went 15:27.38 to win the 1500 over Dynamo’s Kevin Litherland.

OHCM TYR Sport Summer Classic

• Keating Natatorium, Cincinnati, Ohio
• Notable teams/swimmers: Josh Schneider, Cincinnati
• Results available on Meet Mobile

Josh Schneider was the big name here, competing in the city where he starred as a college swimmer. Schneider was 22.68 to pace the 50 free and 50.05 in just missing a 49-second 100.

Cincinnati’s Jackie Keire won the women’s 100 free in 59.56, just ahead of teammate Iuliia Fedoreeva.

Poseidon Swimming Last Chance Meet

• Collegiate School Aquatics Center, Richmond, VA
• Notable teams/swimmers: Leah Smith, Virginia, Virginia Tech
• Full results available on Meet Mobile
• Recap

Virginia’s NCAA champ Leah Smith was the standout here. She hit three lifetime-bests, including an 8:24.74 in the 800 free that ranks her 6th in the World Rankings for this season. Smith also went 1:16.18 in the 100 breast and 1:03.45 in the 100 fly.

Kaitlyn Jones had a solid weekend, winning the 400 IM (4:49.33) and 100 fly (1:00.59) with strong times. That fly time was just three tenths off a lifetime-best, and the IM was only about a second and a half away.

Fellow Cavalier Hanne Borgeson won a trio of events herself, going 57.00 in the 100 free, 2:02.82 in the 200 free and 4:19.58 in the 400 free.

Short course backstroking sensation Courtney Bartholomew won the 100 back here in a modest 1:02.26, and rising sophomore Jenn Marrkand was also solid, going 1:02.98. Marrkand won the 200 in a touchout of Bartholomew, 2:12.69 to 2:12.78. Marrkand also added a 2:14.64 win in the 200 fly.

Sizzlin’ Summer Invite

• Georgia Tech Aquatic Center, Atlanta, GA
• Notable teams/swimmers: Elizabeth Beisel, Sebastien Rousseau, Theresa Michalak, Florida
• Full recap
• Live results

Eduardo Solaeche‘s 2:15.56 in the 200 breast was probably the highlight swim here. Elizabeth Beisel was also in attendance, but looked very tired, as did much of the Florida roster.

Beisel battled German Gator Theresa Michalak in a number of races. The two flip-flopped wins in the 200 and 400 IMs, with Michalak winning the 200 in 2:13.61 and Beisel taking the 400 in 4:44..13.

Sebastien Rousseau swam a full event lineup and won multiple times. His 2:01.65 won the 200 fly and he was also 4:26.92 in the 400 IM.