Keefer Barnum Rattles Own School Record at Cavalier Invite Day 2 Finals

CAVALIER INVITE

• February 5-7, 2021
• Charlottesville, VA
• Championships Format
• SCY
• Live Results

It’s been a good day for the UVA breaststroke group. This morning, Kate Douglass went 2:03.93 in a 200 breast time trial, making her the 5th-fastest woman ever in the event. Tonight was the men’s turn, and while they didn’t do anything quite as historic, a trio of Cavalier swimmers either clipped, or just missed, lifetime bests in the 100 breast.

Senior Keefer Barnum holds the Cavaliers’ records in both the 100 breast (52.38) and the 200 breast (1:52.91), and tonight he came within a whisker of the former mark, punching a 52.40 that moves him up to #11 in the nation, pending other results from this weekend. Barnum may have been gunning for the pool record, a 52.12 that former UVA swimmer and US Olympic Ed Moses swam in 2002 after he forwent his final two years of NCAA eligibility in order to turn professional.

Barnum was flanked during his swim by a pair of teammates who both set lifetime bests. Freshman Noah Nichols went under 53 for the first time, touching in a 52.90 that would’ve been fast enough to make the A-final at last year’s ACC Championships.  Senior Matthew Otto, who took 18th at ACCs last year, knocked 0.41s off his lifetime best tonight, touching just a stroke behind Nichols at 53.26. The 100 breast is shaping up to be a bit of a bloodbath in two and a half weeks: only three then-seniors scored last year, and none in the A-final.

UVA’s Caroline Gmelich won the 100 fly with a 52.29, setting a new lifetime best, as did freshman Reilly Tiltmann (53.50). Virginia opted not to swim any relays tonight, although the men did put up a 1:17.90 in the 200 free relay last night.

The University of Pittsburgh has a handful of swimmers at the meet, and they accounted for several wins tonight. Lauren Kelly won the 200 free in 1:51.90, Adam Mahler took the 100 fly in 48.57, and Adam Milling won the 400 IM in 3:53.57.

GWU is also present at this invite, and Karol Mlynarczyk won the men’s 100 back in 47.29 after going 46.97 this morning.