The Gustavus men’s swimming team will send four swimmers to the NCAA Championships this weekend which will be hosted by Macalester College at the University of Minnesota Aquatics Center. The Gusties will be trying to improve on their 12th place finish of a year ago. The four swimmers who qualified include Matt Stewart (Sr., Burnsville, Minn./Apple Valley), Dave Pearson (Sr., Woodbury, Minn./Stillwater), Skylar Davis (Jr., Palatine, Ill.), and Whitaker Davis (So., Palatine, Ill.).
Senior Matt Stewart, who has participated in four consecutive NCAA Championships, enters this year’s meet ranked first in the 200 butterfly (1:49.28), second in the 500 free (4:26.78), and eighth in the 200 free (1:39.42). Stewart is also a part of the 800 free relay team with Dave Pearson, Skylar Davis and Whitaker Davis. That group is seeded eighth with a time of 6:44.73.
Junior Skylar Davis will swim the 1650 where he enters with the 10th seeded time of 15:49.04.
The meet begins on Wednesday and Matt Stewart, Skylar Davis, and Whitaker Davis will all swim the 500 freestyle. That group will also combine with Dave Pearson to compete in the 200 medley relay.
On Thursday, Matt Stewart will swim the 200 butterfly and the 200 free. The Gusties will also take part in the 200 free relay and the 400 medley relay.
On Friday, the team will take part in the 800 free relay where they will look to finish in the top eight for the second year in a row.
On Saturday, Skylar and Whitaker Davis will swim the 1650 freestyle, and then Skylar, Whitaker, Matt Stewart and Dave Pearson will swim the 400 free relay to wrap up the meet.