Freriks Leads Wildcat Women’s Sweep on Night 1 of Bucceto Open at IU

2017 IU BUCCETO OPEN

• June 1-4, 2017
• Bloomington, IN (IU campus)
• Results on Meet Mobile under ‘IU Bucceto Open’

Rising University of Kentucky junior Geena Freriks led a dominant group of Wildcat women on the first night of the IU Bucceto Open. Freriks, a rangy freestyler who excels at the 200-500 level, went for both ends of the distance spectrum last night. She took home titles in the 800 free and the 50 free, hitting a personal best in the former.

According to the USA Swimming database, Freriks has only swum the 800 free four times ever. The first two were when she was 12 and 13, then her most recent one was three weeks ago at the Atlanta Classic, where she posted an 8:53.46. Last night, Freriks continued to shave off time, touching the wall at 8:46.48 to finish almost three seconds ahead of Indiana Swim Team’s Cassy Jernberg (8:49.13). Freriks wrapped up the session with a 26.90 to win the 50 free, .35 off of her lifetime best there.

The Wildcat women, swimming under club Kentucky Aquatics, were relentless last night, which was made up of distance events and 50’s of stroke. Bridgette Alexander and Ali Galyer, two members of an incredibly deep backstroke group in Lexington, went 1-2 in the 50 back. Alexander just dipped under 30 (29.87) with Galyer (30.07) close behind. Carmel’s Sammie Burchill touched third at 30.51. Alexander would finish third in the 50 fly (28.79), behind Carmel’s Kelly Pash (28.70) and Kentucky Aquatics’ Haley McInerny (28.36).

Finally, to complete the Kentucky sweep, Kentucky’s Madison Winstead took the 50 breast. Her time of 33.39 was quick enough to top Carmel’s Grace Estabrook (33.71) by just over three tenths, and it marked a best time for Winstead by over three seconds, though her old PR came from 2010.

The IU men, representing Indiana Swim Team, had more success on the men’s side. 2016 U.S. Olympian Blake Pieroni swam all four 50’s, starting off with a 33rd place finish in the 50 back (33.03), which looks like a clock error as his best time is a 27.67. He was more visible after that, however, touching 2nd in the 50 breast (29.77) and 50 fly (25.09). Sam Apa (29.76) won the 50 breast, while Josh Romany (24.79) took the 50 fly, and Pieroni hit the wall first in the 50 free (23.68) for three Indiana wins in a row.

Kentucky Aquatics did get a win on the men’s side, with Glen Brown touching at 27.20 to lead a Wildcat sweep in the 50 back. Josh Swart (27.33) and Connor Blandford (27.48) went 2-3 for Kentucky Aquatics.

The other event from last night went to Indiana, too– Trey Hubbuch posted a 16:01.83 to win the 1500 free.