Cardinals Combine to Top the Standings at the Winter National Championships

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USA Winter Nationals

Cardinals Combine to Top the Standings at the Winter National Championships

December 02, 2017 | Swimming & Diving

Mallory Comerford won the Women's High Point.

By: Kylie Klotzbach

The University of Louisville men's and women's swimming teams combined to top the standings at the 2017 Winter National Championships, scoring a collective 755.5 points. On the final day of competition, the Cards posted 11 top-three finishes, and Mallory Comerford secured the Women's High Point award.

In the grueling 1650 free, Sophie Cattermole smashed her own school record by nearly 18 seconds to take fourth with a time of 16:02.36. Also swimming the mile were Maggie Jahns (16:34.38) and Emily Moser (16:49.05), who placed ninth and 12th respectively.

Marcelo Acosta posted a podium finish for the Cards in the mile, placing third with a 14:54.95. Also finishing in the top-eight in the mile were TC Smith in sixth (15:02.21) and Graham Barrett in seventh (15:06.16).

Both Alina Kendzior and Ashlyn Schoof competed in the 200 back championship finals. Kendzior took sixth with a 1:55.05, while Schoof was eighth in a time of 1:56.12.

In the men's 200 back, Grigory Tarasevich recorded another podium finish with a third place showing in a time of 1:40.62. Nikkos Sofianidis (1:43.50) finished sixth in the championship final, while Nicolas Albiero was seventh (1:43.57). TC Smith completed the challenging double for the Cards, taking a half second off of his prelim time with a 1:49.50 just minutes after swimming the 1650 free.

In her final individual swim of the meet, Comerford won the 100 free, breaking the meet record and earning another automatic NCAA qualifying time with a 46.70, the fastest time in the NCAA this season. Kelsi Worrell Dahlia finished second in a time of 47.48 to help the Cards to a 1-2 finish in the event, while Casey Fanz was sixth (48.49). The consolation final of the 100 free was won by Arina Openysheva (48.97), followed closely by Lainey Visscher (49.01). Rachel Grooms was 13th (49.47), Gracie Long placed 16th (50.05), Avery Braunecker was 18th (49.72), and Nastja Govejsek finished 20th (49.98).

On the men's side, Andrej Barna sprinted to a time of 43.54 to finish sixth in the 100 free. In the consolation final, Abel Aulbach finished 11th overall with a 44.28, and Mate Kovacs placed 15th in a 44.90.

Four Cardinals competed in the championship final of the women's 200 breast, led by Andrea Cottrell with a second place finish in a time of 2:07.98, just a half second behind the first place finisher. Mariia Astashkina (2:09.48), Morgan Friesen (2:11.00), and Lauren James (2:11.12) finished in the fifth, sixth, and seventh positions. Rachael Bradford-Feldman earned the win in the consolation final with a time of 2:11.57, and Silvia Guerra finished 24th in a 2:16.78.

Carlos Claverie earned a fifth place finish in the championship final of the 200 breast, touching the wall in a time of 1:53.10. Todd Owen earned another consolation final win for the Cards in the 200 breast with a time of 1:57.72, while Jonathan Zoucha posted a 2:00.11 for 14th. Keegan Foulke was 24th in a time of 2:05.26.

Worrell Dahlia completed her sweep of the butterfly events, winning the 200 fly with a time of 1:53.16. Grace Oglesby followed just behind in second with a 1:54.28, and Carley Lowe secured the eighth positon with a 1:59.44. In the bonus final, Hannah Magnuson took first with a 2:00.24 to finish 17th overall.

In the men's 200 fly, Zach Harting secured a podium finish, coming in third with a 1:44.51. Jarrett Jones also had an impressive swim, finishing fifth in a time of 1:44.99. The Cards once again powered to a win in the consolation final as Albiero took ninth overall in a 1:45.62. Etay Gurevich came in 10th right behind his teammate with a 1:45.78, and Spencer Carl placed 23rd (1:49.77).

The 400 free relay team of Visscher (49.10), Comerford (46.50), Openysheva (48.23), and Fanz (48.32) completed UofL's sweep of the women's relays with a win in the 400 free relay in an NCAA A cut time of 3:12.15. The Louisville 'B' team of Braunecker (50.04), Grooms (48.85), Cattermole (48.72), and Long (50.10) finished third with a 3:17.71.

The team of Barna (43.66), Harting (43.39), Sofianidis (43.75), and Albiero (43.12) allowed the Cardinals to a sweep the 400 free relays, winning with a time of 2:53.92. The 'B' relay team of Samuel Steele (44.68), Aulbach (43.97), Jones (44.34), and Kovacs (43.96) took third with a 2:56.95.