The Gustavus men’s swimming and diving team participated in its last warm-up meet before the 2012 MIAC Championships this weekend at the Minnesota Challenge held Feb. 3-4 in the Aquatic Center on the campus of the University of Minnesota. The two-day meet featured NCAA Division I, II, and III teams from across the country. There were no teams scores kept at the meet.
Billy Schultze had a good meet with a pair of finishes inside the top-16, placing 10th in the 100 breaststroke (1:00.56) and 12th in the 200 breaststroke (2:13.52). Schultze also finished 27th in the 200 IM (2:03.33). Peter Crady came in 12th in the 100 breaststroke in 100.89 and 17th in the 200 breaststroke in 2:19.13, while Aaron Erickson finished 14th in the 200 breaststroke in 2:17.22.
Other Gustie swimmers recording finishes inside the top-20 included Steven Manley, Gunnar Teigen, Chris Bram, Tommy Panetti, Zac Solis, and Ben Stewart.
Manley took 17th in the 400 IM (4:26.16) and 18th in the 200 backstroke (2:01.38). Gunnar Teigen swam a 17:44.67 to finish 17th in the 1650 free. Bram and Panetti both recorded 18th place finishes, Bram in the 100 butterfly (53.86) and Panetti in the 1650 free (17:52.31). Zac Solis (400 IM; 4:30.44) and Ben Stewart (1650 Free; 18:02.13) rounded out the group by finishing 20th in their respective races.
The Gusties tallied marks inside the top-12 in all five relay races. Kurt Youngdahl, Sam Olson-Anstett, Zach Nachtsheim, and Schultze placed ninth in the 200-free relay (1:28.70). Schultze, Youngdahl, Stewart, and Kento Gurung finished 10th in the 400-free relay (3:16.86). In the other freestyle relay race, Schultze, Stewart, Youngdahl, and Ross Larson took 10th in the 800-relay in 7:21.28.
In the two medley relay races, Nachtsheim, Crady, Matt Van Fossen, and Schultze placed 11th in the 200-medley relay (1:38.92), while Larson, Schultze, Van Fossen, and Youngdahl took 12th in the 400-medley relay (3:40.48).
The Gustavus swimming and diving teams will in the pool next when they take part in the 2012 MIAC Championships on Feb. 16-18 back in the Aquatic Center on the campus of the University of Minnesota.