The Gustavus women’s swimming and diving is off to a fast start after the first day of competition at the 2011 MIAC Swimming and Diving Championships being held in the Aquatics Center on the campus of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. The Gusties are currently in the lead with 238 points following tonight’s finals in the 500 freestyle, 200 IM, 50 freestyle, 200-free relay, and the 400-free relay. St. Olaf sits in second place with 163 points, while St. Thomas rounds out the top-three in third with 141 points.
The Gustavus 200-free relay team consisting of Kelsey Lucia, Serena Elthon, Dajana Vidovic, and Sarah Hund kicked off the night by winning the event in record breaking fashion. The team set a new standard for the MIAC and the meet with its record-setting time of 1:33.66. It was also fast enough to make an the NCAA automatic qualifying time.
Four Gusties finished second, third, fourth, and fifth in the 500 free. Alissa Tinklenberg placed runner-up with a time of 5:07.08, while Carley Mosher finished behind her in third with a time of 5:08.81. Brogan Barr (5:11.39) and Melissa Aune (5:13.84) rounded out the top-five in fourth and fifth place, respectively.
Laura Drake added a fifth place finish in the 200 IM (2:11.16), as Marnie Luke finished eighth (2:12.24) in the same event.
Kelsey Lucia took top honors in the final individual swimming event of the day by winning the 50 free with an NCAA A cut time of 23.30. Dajana Vidovic placed third with a mark of 23.90, hitting the NCAA B cut. Other Gustavus finishers in the top-eight of the 50 free were Sarah Hund (5th, 24.12) and Serena Elthon (8th, 24.62).
Mosher, Drake, Steph Korba, and Lucia capped off the night with a second place finish in the 400-medley relay with an NCAA B cut time of 3:45.75.
The Gustavus women’s swimming and diving team will hit the water again tomorrow with preliminaries beginning at 10:30 am. and finals set to start at 6:30 p.m. later that evening.
Thursday Final Results