Several Best Times Highlight Day 1 of 2023 Harold Anderson Invitational

2023 Harold Anderson Invitational

• November 17-19, 2023
• Kingston, Rhode Island 
• SCY (25 yards)
• Day 1 Results 

The Harold Anderson Invitational, hosted by the University of Rhode Island, kicked off Friday night in Kingston. Vermont took an early lead for the women, leading the field by just under 40 points. The Wagner College men are in a tight battle with Providence College, with just 13 points separating 1st and 2nd. 

Women’s Recap

The University of Vermont opened the night strong with a win in the 200 freestyle relay. The team of Havana Layton (24.20), Emma Wainwright (24.00), Jackie House (23.90), and Anastazja Szukala (23.76) stopped the clock in a time of 1:35.86. 

House later won the 500 freestyle in 4:55.54, while teammate Ella Church touched in 4:56.45. Both swimmers were a few seconds shy of their best times, but they recorded season bests en route to a 1-2 finish for Vermont. 

Wagner freshman Rebekka Luoto posted a time of 4:56.56 for 3rd, smashing her previous personal best of 5:10.14. With this drop, Luoto is nearing the 4:54.40 school record that has been on the books since 2015. 

Vermont continued their winning streak on the night one with another win in the 200 IM. Junior Hally Laney took the win in 2:04.31, lowering her previous best time of 2:06.27 from last year’s midseason invitational. Junior Bree Anderson of Wagner swam to a time of 2:05.70, just about a second shy of her all-time best. 

Sabrina Conrad of Holy Cross took 3rd in 2:05.95. The swim from Conrad is a new school record for Holy Cross, as Conrad lowered the previous 2:06.03 mark held by Emily Sullivan since 2019.

Freshman Havan Layton of Vermont recorded a winning time of 23.88 in the 50 freestyle. She touched out Kennady Kilger of Maine by just 0.06, as Kilger finished in 23.94. The 23.88 posted by Layton represents a season best, and beats out the 24.20 that she posted leading off the 200 freestyle relay earlier in the day. 

Wagner College led the field in the 400 medley relay, winning in a time of 3:47.37. Aura Vilarrasa led off in 56.73, Rebekka Luoto clocked 1:02.03 on the breaststroke leg, Shamiya Guirre touched in 57.63 for the butterfly leg, and Olivia Bishop anchored the team home in 50.98. Vermont finished the day strong with a 2nd place finish (3:49.07), while Holy Cross touched in 3:50.96 for 3rd. 

Women Team Scores (after Day 1)

1. Vermont – 280 points
2. Rhode Island – 242 points
3. Maine – 170.5 points
4. Holy Cross – 165 points
5. Wagner – 160.5 points
6. Providence – 99 points
7. Stonehill – 38 points
8. Assumption – 31 points 

Men’s Recap

The 200 freestyle relay for men was won by Providence College (1:23.15). The quartet of McGovern Brown (21.36), Alex Beauchene (20.81), Ryan Sharp (20.87), and Will Layden (20.11) touched the wall over a second clear of the rest of the field. 

Sophomore Ruben Van Gool of Wagner kicked off the night with a win of 4:33.35 in the 500 freestyle. He faced a tough battle from John Greiner of Holy Cross the whole way, who touched just 0.03 behind for 2nd place. The time by Van Gool checks in just short of the 4:32.94 best time he logged last February. 

The time by Greiner is a massive best time, taking down the 4:41.11 he posted last year by nearly 8 seconds. Junior Kaden Kilger of Maine clocked a best time of 4:36.11 to place 3rd.

Jasu Ovaskainen of Wagner clocked a 1:49.71 best time en route to winning the 200 IM. Ovaskainen took the race out strong, splitting 23.43 on the butterfly before splitting 28.36 on backstroke, 32.07 on breaststroke, and closing in a field leading freestyle split of 25.85. Nikko Carrillo, his Wagner teammate, finished in 1:52.39 to grab 2nd place. Senior Charlie Nascimben of Holy Cross touched in 1:52.61 to take 3rd. 

Will Layden of Providence put on a show in the final of the 50 freestyle, topping the field by more than half a second to grab the win in 20.36. Cameron Watelet had a great performance on the day, posting a 20.92 in prelims before touching the wall to place 2nd in finals (20.93). The prelim time by Watelet was a personal best, topping the 21.76 he put on the books back in 2020.

Alex Beauchene of Providence touched in 20.96 to finish 3rd. He was just off the 20.85 best time he recorded at the 2023 Big East Championships. 

Wagner College dominated the 400 medley relay to finish the day, posting a 3:18.15 to clear the field by nearly five seconds. Kaan Nalcaci led off in 48.13, while Joel Knappi (56.17), Jasu Ovaskainen (47.48), and Alex Magditch (46.37) rounded out the quartet. 

Men Team Scores (after Day 1)

1. Wagner – 260 points
2. Providence – 247 points
3. Holy Cross – 223 points
4. Maine – 193 points
5. Assumption – 57 points