Lucy Mehraban Collects Four Wins At 2023 Eric Namesnik Memorial Open

2023 CW Eric Namesnik Memorial Open

• June 30-July 2, 2023
• Ann Arbor, Michigan
• LCM (50 meters)
• Results

Club Wolverine hosted the annual Eric Namesnik Memorial Open earlier this month in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The meet is named in honor of Olympic medalist Eric Namesnik, who served as a coach for Wolverine Aquatics before passing away in a car accident in 2006.

Highlighting the action at this year’s meet was Club Wolverine’s own Lucy Mehraban. Mehraban won four of her five individual events, setting personal best times in all of them. Highlighting her schedule was the 50 freestyle, where she dropped over a second to post a time of 25.67. Mehraban’s swim marked a 2024 Olympic Trials cut, as well as a new Club Wolverine team record, erasing Allison Schmitt’s previous mark of 26.12. 

She also knocked over six seconds off her best in the 200 freestyle to record a 2:03.53, while in the 100 free she dropped over two seconds for a 56.28. Rounding out her victories was the 100 backstroke, where again set a massive best time of 1:03.28.

Mehraban, who will head to Louisville in the fall, took over two and a half years away from the pool before returning to racing this past short course season. Shortly after her return to swimming, she became the Michigan High School State champion in the 50 freestyle and was runner-up in the 100.  More recently, Mehraban participated in an unsanctioned short course time trial of the 50 and 100 freestyle, where she posted a best time of 22.49 in the 50 and a 49.55 in the 100. 

Among the other top performers was Michigan recruit Hannah Bellard, who only competed in the 1500. Bellard logged a personal best time of 16:40.20, good for her 4th Olympic Trials qualifying time. Bellard was recently named to the 2023 World Junior Championships roster for the 200 fly.

Cameron Luarde, a rising junior at Michigan, swept the breaststroke races on the men’s side. He dropped over a second in the 100 breast to post a best time of 1:03.15 in prelims, then was slightly slower in finals to win the event (1:03.33). In the 200 breaststroke, Luarde clocked his first best time in the event since 2019 with a 2:17.73 to win by nearly two seconds.

Rising Purdue senior Masy Folcik took the breaststroke races for the women. She swam a season best time of 1:11.60 to win the 100, then later took the 200 in 2:37.49. While her 200 breast marked a new personal best by a few tenths, she lowered it a few weeks later to 2:35.43 at the Indiana Senior Championships. 

Coming out on top of the sprint freestyle races for the men was Nikola Acin. Acin, who represents Serbia internationally, hit season best times of 23.14 and 50.72 in the 50 and 100 free, respectively. He also notched a best time of 26.44 in a time trial of the 50 backstroke.

Wisconsin commit Stella Chapman collected two victories of her own as well. She dropped over half a second in the 100 fly to hit a 1:03.11 in finals, while in the 200 IM she stopped the clock at 2:19.53, good for a season best time.