Minnesota Invite Day 2: Prelims Recap

2017 MINNESOTA INVITATIONAL

• Live Results
• University of Minnesota, Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center
• 25 Yards
• Invite Format
• NCAA Qualifying

Senior Brooke Zeiger leads the way for the women going into the finals of the 400 IM tonight. Zeiger put up a time of 4:17.68, over three seconds ahead of teammate Patricia Van Law, who will take lane five in the finals tonight after posting a 4:20.91 this morning. The field will be entirely Gopher except for one University of Iowa swimmer, Devin Jacobs, who will race out of lane seven for the Hawkeyes.

Chris Dawson and Michael Tenney take the top two seeds for the Hawkeyes in the men’s 400 IM this evening, followed by teammate Garrett Hoce. Dawson and Tenney were the only swimmers to break the 4-minute barrier this morning, registering times of 3:56.92 and 3:57.52, respectively. The remainder of the field will be Minnesota.

Danielle Nack enters the finals of the women’s 100 fly with a commanding lead over second-seed Kelsey Drake of Iowa. Nack nearly cracked 53-seconds this morning, posting a 53.05 to lock down lane four, while Drake posted a quick 53.79 to grab lane five. Tuomas Pokkinen leads the Gopher men into the finals of the 100 fly, posting a 48.22 to just barely get the better of teammate Matt Thomas, who posted a 48.25.

After her stellar 500 last night, Mackenzie Padington attacked the 200 free this morning, posting a 1:45.15. Her closest competition going into tonights finals will likely come from second-seed Hannah Burvill of Iowa, who posted a 1:46.42, the only other woman to crack 1:48. Minnesota’s Nicholas Saulnier leads the men’s field going into tonight’s finals with a 1:37.04. After racing the 400 IM earlier in the session Iowa’s Michael Tenney returned to post a 1:38.51 in the 200 free, locking down the fifth-seed.

Lindsay Kozelsky leads the women in the 100 breaststroke, but is quickly pursued by Canadian Olympian Kierra Smith. Minnesota’s Rachel Munson will take the third-seed tonight after posting a 1:01.11. Last night Munson placed third in the women’s 200 IM, but out-split every other swimmer in the field on the breaststroke leg of the race by 2-3 seconds.

Conner McHugh posted a 53.93 in the men’s 100 breaststroke to take lane four this evening. McHugh is followed by Iowa’s Daniel Swanepoel with a 54.31. Last night McHugh split a 52.93 to Swanepoel’s 53.95 on the 400 medley relay.

Minnesota’s Tevyn Waddell and Zoe Avestruz will take lanes four and five this evening in the women’s 100 backstroke. Waddell leads the field by over a second with a 53.24 to Avestruz’s 54.28. Iowa’s Kenneth Mende was the only swimmer to break 49-seconds in the men’s heats this morning, posting a 48.42. Minnesota’s Tom Donker nabbed second in prelims with a 49.28, while Wisconsin high school state champion Shane Blinkman took the third seed with a 49.80.