Minneapolis – The Gustavus Adolphus men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams finished the weekend strong at the second day of the Jean Freeman Invitational held at the Aquatic Center on the campus of the University of Minnesota this weekend.
After breaking the school record in the 200 individual medley on day one of the Jean Freeman Invite, junior Alissa Tinklenberg (Willmar, Minn.) turned in another outstanding showing on Saturday. Tinklenberg swam to a pair of top three finishes in her two individual races and was a member of three Gustavus relay teams that took a place on the podium. The Willmar native touched the wall in 57.27 in the 100 backstroke to take the gold, and finished third in the 400 IM with a time of 4:32.23. Her time in the 100 back met the NCAA B cut standard, while her performance in the 400 IM shattered Gustavus’ school record and also met the NCAA B cut. Marnie Luke was the previous school record holder with a time of 4:37.25 set in 2011.
Jennifer Strom (Rochester, Minn.) had a busy day with four individual top ten finishes, two of which she placed in the top five. Strom’s top performance came in the 200 breaststroke where she took first with a time of 2:24.09, finishing under the NCAA B cut mark. The sophomore also placed fifth in the 400 IM (4:41.81), sixth in the 100 breaststroke (1:06.69), and eighth in the 200 butterfly (2:18.85).
Laura Drake (Mendota Heights, Minn.) posted three top-10 finishes on the day. She posted a fourth place mark in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:28.72, and recorded seventh place finishes in the 400 IM (4:52.07) and 200 butterfly (2:18.91).
Other top Gustavus finishers on the women’s side included Elizabeth Larson (Detroit Lakes, Minn.) and Annie Fittipaldi (Edina, Minn.). Larson finished fourth in the 1650 free (18:39.77), and Fittipaldi took fifth in the 1650 free (18:40.61) and ninth in the 200 butterfly (2:21.22).
Gustavus’ top divers included Haley Totzke (Pease, Minn.) and Shelbie Walsh (Litchfield, Minn.). Totzke placed sixth in the three-meter (180.50), and Walsh came in seventh in the one-meter (182.75).
The Gusties’ top relay performance of the day came from the 400-free relay team made up of Strom, Tarin Anding (Sartell, Minn.), Tinklenberg, and Katie Olson (North Oaks, Minn.). The group placed first with a time of 3:36.68.
The 800-free relay placed second with a time of 7:55.99, and the 200-medley relay finished third with a time of 1:47.16. Making up the 800-free relay team was Leah Anderson (Apple Valley, Minn.), McKenna Jones (Faribault, Minn.), Strom, and Tinklenberg, while Tinklenberg, Strom, Drake, and Olson teamed up in the 200-medley relay.
The Jean Freeman Invitational was Gustavus’ final competition of the 2012 calendar year. The Gusties will be back in action on Jan. 11 when they travel to Northfield, Minn. to take on Carleton in a dual at 5:00 p.m.