MINNEAPOLIS – The Gustavus men’s and women’s swimming & diving teams turned in multiple impressive performances Saturday at the Minnesota Challenge, hosted by the University of Minnesota. After 10 events last night, the meet concluded today with 30 more events.
“We had a bunch of great swims today and those that tapered for this meet really swam inspired,” Head Coach Jon Carlson said. “This was a great event to prepare for the MIAC meet in a couple weeks and we are excited about that opportunity.”
The men’s team was highlighted by a fifth place finish from the 800 freestyle relay team of Frankie Zobitz (Fy., White Bear Lake, Minn.), Jacob Stern (Sr., Rosemount, Minn.), Jeffrey Nelson (Sr., Maple Grove, Minn.) and Nathan DeFoe (Jr., Chanhassen, Minn.), who finished in 7:32.55. Three other men’s events turned in top 10 performances. Tanner Sonnek (Fy., North Mankato, Minn.) took sixth in the 200 breaststroke in 2:11.40, Scott Nimke (Fy., Rochester, Minn.) placed seventh in the 1650 freestyle in 17:26.19, and Ben DeSutter (Fy., Maple Plain, Minn.) took 10th in the 200 butterfly in 2:05.73.
Other notable performances include Sonnek taking 13th in the 100 breaststroke in 1:00.08, the 200 medley relay team of Nelson, Stern, Benjamin Miller (Sr., Des Moines, Iowa) and Seth Berry (So., Bloomington, Minn.) taking 13th in 1:39.55; Andrew Olson (Sr., Elk River, Minn.) placing 14th in the 400 IM in 4:27.86; Caleb Torvik (Fy., Savage, Minn.) finishing in 19th in the 200 backstroke with a time of 2:04.30; and Tim Anderson (Sr., Mendota Heights, Minn.) taking 20th in the 100 butterfly at 55.04.
Carson Scholberg (Fy., Apple Valley, Minn.) and Jonathan Bovee (Fy., Farmington, Minn.) represented the Gusties in the one- and three-meter diving. Scholberg took 15th in the one-meter with a score of 212.00, while Bovee took 17th with a 199.90. On the three-meter board, Scholberg took 15th with a 218.65 and Bovee placed 18th at 179.85.
The women’s side had multiple top 10 performances, led by a third place finishes in two relays – the 800 freestyle relay team of Megan Boonstra (So., Oakdale, Minn.), Kate Reilly (So., Hastings, Minn.), Hayley Booher (Jr., Warren, Vt.) and Leah Anderson (Sr., Apple Valley, Minn.), touching the wall in 8:02.55, finishing only behind two Division I teams, and the 400 freestyle relay of Nicole Lohman (Jr., North Mankato, Minn.), Anderson, Tarin Anding (Sr., Sartell, Minn.) and Reilly, finishing in 3:38.05. Boonstra placed fourth in the 1650 freestyle in 18:25.98; Booher took fifth in the 400 IM at 4:44.43, finishing only behind Division I competition; Reilly took fifth in two events – the 100 breaststroke in 1:08.79, and the 100 freestyle in 53.67 – and placed eighth in the 100 butterfly in 59.91; the 200 medley relay team of Booher, Reilly, Michelle Simms (Fy., Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) and Anding took seventh in 1:51.47; Morgan Field (Sr., Albert Lea, Minn.) finished in seventh in the 200 breaststroke at 2:31.43; and Simms also took home a seventh place finish in the 200 butterfly in 2:20.19.
The swimming & diving teams have next week off as they prepare the for the MIAC Championships, which are held Feb. 18-20.