The Gustavus men’s swimming and diving team was able extend its 15-year winning-streak to 16 with a 186-112 dual victory over Carleton College on Senior Day Saturday afternoon in the Lund Natatorium. The Gusties recorded 30 finishes inside the top-three and nine event wins at the meet.
“I was pleasantly surprised with how fast the team swam today and how well they competed despite the hard training that we are currently putting them through,” commented Head Coach Jon Carlson. “We knew it was going to be a close meet. We were up by seven with about half the meet over with and then the guys took it to another level. They put together some great swims in the back half of the meet to pull away.”
Billy Schultze and Zac Solis both recorded a pair of victories and a second place finish on the afternoon. Schultze swam a 1:47.68 to win the 200 freestyle and a 2:16.66 to take the 200 breaststroke. His second place mark came in the 100 breaststroke (1:02.74). Solis won the 200 backstroke with a time of 2:01.23 and the 200 IM with a time of 2:03.27. He added a second place mark in the 100 backstroke (56.76).
Also earning individual race wins was Gunnar Teigen was Matt Van Fossen. Teigen touched the wall in 10:35.89 to win the 1,000 free while also placing second in the 500 free with a time of 5:06.92. Van Fossen took the 100 butterfly in 53.90 and finished third in the 200 individual medley.
Second place finishers included Zach Nachtsheim, Kurt Youngdahl, Sam Olson-Anstett, Ross Larson, Elliot Hoekstra, and Steve Manley. Zachtsheim placed second in the 50 free (22.64) and third in the 100 free. Kurt Youngdahl came in second in the 100 free (49.54) and third in the 50 free. Olson-Anstett (100 butterlfy, 54.53), Larson (200 backstroke, 2:06.03), Hoekstra (200 breaststroke, 2:22.12), and Manley (200 IM, 2:06.82) all turned in second place finishes in their respective races.
Ben Stewart finished third in both the 200 and 500 freestyle, as did Kyle Herold in the 100 and 200 back. Ross Larson rounded out the group with a third place mark in the 1,000 free.
Sam Hanson was the top diver of the meet, winning both the one and three-meter competitions with scores of 201.10 and 208.70, respectively. Michael Patterson finished behind Hanson in both events, scoring a 155.10 on the one-meter and a 138.20 on the three-meter.
Youngdahl, Zachtsheim, Olson-Anstett, and Schultze capped the meet with a victory in the 200-free relay after touching the wall in 1:28.02.
As is tradition at Gustavus, the final home meet of the regular season is dedicated to those seniors who have dedicated themselves to the Gustavus swimming and diving program for the past four years. The season, the Gustavus Athletics Department would like to extend a sincere thank you to Christopher Almen-Sjogren, Jacob Kemna, Steven Manley, Zach Nachtsheim, Billy Schultze, Ben Stewart, Evan Taylor, Gunnar Teigen, and Matt Van Fossen.
The Gustavus swimming and diving teams will be back in the pool next Saturday, Jan. 14 in a dual against Concordia set to take place at 1:00 p.m. in Moorhead, Minn.
Note…Carleton’s Erik Klontz matched Gustie Brian Amundson’s 2007 pool record of 20.80 in the 50 freestyle.