Led by three individual runner-up finishes by sophomore Ben Hanson (Minnetonka, Minn.) and a trio of third-place finishes in relays, the Gustavus men’s swimming and diving team finished second on Saturday at the Get to the Point Invitational in Stevens Point, Wis. The Gusties accumulated 680.5 points, finishing well behind men’s champion Division II University of North Dakota, which picked up 968 points.
Hanson finished second in the 1650 freestyle (16:42.73), 500 freestyle (4:46.25) and 200 freestyle (1:45.92).
Scott Hagemeyer (Jr., Willmar, Minn.) recorded a 21.66 second clocking to tie for second in the 50 freestyle and also added a fifth place finish in the 100 freestyle (48.45 seconds) and a seventh place finish in the 100 backstroke (56.87 seconds).
Matt Stewart (Fr., Burnsville, Minn.), the reigning MIAC Men’s Swimmer of the Week, added three top-eight finishes for the Gusties, placing fourth in both the 200 butterfly (1:58.95) and the 500 freestyle (4:47.42) and sixth in the 100 butterfly (53.61 seconds). Stewart led a group of three Gusties in the 200 butterfly that finished 4-5-6. Conner Ziegler (So., Sauk Rapids, Minn.) finished fifth in a time of 1:59.97, followed by Billy Cuevas (Fr., Plymouth, Minn.) in sixth place with a time of 2:00.22.
Cuevas also finished fourth in the 400 individual medley (4:21.66) and eighth in the 200 freestyle (1:52.02), while Ziegler added a seventh-place finish in the 100 butterfly (54.11 seconds).
Senior Jeff Pearson (Woodbury, Minn.) claimed a pair of fifth-place finishes, representing the best Gustavus finishes in the 100 backstroke (55.46 seconds) and 200 backstroke (2:00.82).
The Gustavus men picked up third place finishes in the 200 freestyle relay (1:26.80), 400 freestyle relay (3:13.33) and 800 freestyle relay (7:10.93), as well a sixth place in the 200 medley relay (1:39.36).
Gustavus returns to the pool next weekend (Jan. 27-28) with a pair of MIAC duals. The Gusties will face Macalester in St. Paul on Friday night and will face Saint John’s at Lund Natatorium in St. Peter on Saturday afternoon.
Team Results
1. North Dakota 968
2. Gustavus Adolphus 680.5
3. UW-Stevens Point 667.5
4. St.Olaf 579
5. UW-LaCrosse 442.5
6. MSU Mankato 272
7. Hamline 169.5
8. UW-Eau Claire 42