The Gustavus men’s swimming team won its first competition of the season with 1,282 points over Luther (1,028) and St. John’s (539) at the Lund Natatoruim in St. Peter on Saturday. The Golden Gustie women’s swim team turned in its second consecutive victory with 1,289 points over St. Benedict (891) and Luther (764).
Gustavus Men’s Swimming Highlights
Junior Matt Stewart (Burnsville, Minn.) turned in a stellar performance by winning two individual events, tied for first in an individual event, and was a member of two first-place relays. Stewart won the 100 butterfly (52.55) and the 200 butterfly (1:56.17) and tied for first in the 500 freestyle with Whitaker Davis (Fy., Palatine, Ill.) in 4:48.16.
Other individual event winners included Skylar Davis (So., Palatine, Ill.) in 200 IM (2:02.40), while Ben Hanson (Sr., Minnetonka, Minn.) won a 1000 freestyle race for the second time this season in a time of 10:01.35.
Three Gustavus relay teams took first place at the meet. The 200 medley relay team of Stewart, Paul Kirihara (Fy., Bloomington, Minn.), Connor Ziegler (Sr., Sauk Rapids, Minn.), and Jonah Winter (Sr., Park Rapids, Minn.) to win the 200 medley relay in 1:38.50. The 200 freestyle relay team of Stewart, Hanson, Clem Auyeung (Jr., North Mankato, Minn.), and Tyler Wakefield (Jr., Hutchinson, Minn.) won with a time of 1:27.60. Wakefield, Hanson, Billy Cuevas (Jr., Woodbury, Minn.), and Dave Pearson (Jr., Woodbury, Minn.) brought in first-place for the Gusties in the 400 freestyle relay in 3:17.34.
The Golden Gusties also recorded eight second-place finishes from Skylar Davis in the 200 freestyle, Wakefield in the 100 freestyle, Kirihara in the 100 and 200 backstroke, Auyeung in the 50 freestyle, Winter in the 100 breaststroke, and Ziegler in the 100 and 200 butterfly.
Michael Pettengil of Luther broke a pool record in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 59.29. The old pool record was 1:00.12 held by Marc Maynard of Gustavus set in 2004.
Gustavus Women’s Swimming Highlights
Gustavus claimed eight individual titles as three swimmers take home first in multiple events. Carrie Gundersen (So., Minnetonka, Minn.) won the 500 freestyle (5:22.51) and the 1000 freestyle (10:58.43). Gundersen, the reigning MIAC Women’s Swimmer of the Week, has yet to lose a 1000 freestyle race this season. Christi O’Connor (So., Great Falls, Mont.) was a double winner in the 100 backstroke (1:01.92) and the 200 backstroke (2:13.20). Anika Erickson (Fy., Milaca, Minn.) was the last female Gustavus swimmer to win two individual events as she won the 100 breaststroke in 1:10.87 and the 200 breaststroke in 2:31.54.
Other individual event winners included Erica Hickey (Jr., Great Falls, Mont.) in the 100 butterfly (1:03.71) and Marnie Luke (Fy., Stillwater, Minn.) in the 200 IM (2:20.38).
The Gustavus women’s swim team turned in a first-place 200 medley relay finish with the team of O’Connor, Maggie Hansvick (So., Litchfield, Minn.), Alecia Gooch (Sr., Minot, N.D.), and Madi Eid (Fy., Montevideo, Minn.) with a time of 1:56.46.
The Golden Gusties also compiled eight second-place finishes from Hansvick in the 100 and 200 breaststroke, Gundersen in the 200 freestyle, Larkin Davis (Sr., Palatine, Ill.) in the 1000 freestyle, Britta Nelson (Jr., Morrison, Colo.) in the 200 butterfly, Emma Espel (Jr., Fargo, N.D.) in the 100 butterfly, Alyssa Henkel (Fy., Stillwater, Minn.) in three-meter diving, and Maria Freund (So., Buffalo, Minn.) in one-meter diving.
Both squads will compete at the Carthage Invitational in Kenosha, Wisconsin on November 30-December 1.