2019 Augustana Invitational
- November 21-23, 2019
- Sioux Falls, South Dakota
- Day 1 Results
Courtesy: USF Athletics
SIOUX FALLS – Performing at a high level has been the identifying characteristic of the University of Sioux Falls Swimming Team, which opened the Sioux Falls Invite, hosted by Augustana at the Midco Aquatic Center, with another memorable performance. Day two of the Invite begins with prelims Friday morning.
On the opening day of the Invite, the Cougars broke school records and had a number of NCAA B cuts. Along the way, they outpointed two DI programs in University South Dakota and South Dakota State University in swimming points. USF ranks third overall in total points but when counting swimming events only USF leads with 396 points with USF at 382 and SDSU at 373.5. When including diving, SDSU has a 450.5 point total for first place with USF at 439 and the Cougars in third at 396. Augustana is fourth with 265 points while U-Mary has 202.5, Iowa Central CC at 52, College of St. Mary, 45; and Iowa Lakes CC at 16.
“I am really proud of this team,” said USF Head Coach Chris Hamstra. “We are really competing at a high level and it is great to see us continue to perform at a high level,” he said.
Two-time NSIC Athlete of the Week Ella Johnson, a sophomore from Southport, England continued to turn out top times nationally. She won an individual event and was part of two winning relays. In the 100 fly, she registered an NCAA “B” cut with a school record mark of 54.29, which is also the top time in NCAA DII. She now has the top time in the 100 fly and the 200 fly. Also in the 100 fly, Childs was 5th in 56.94 while Ursula Demarquet was 10th in 58.49.
Johnson was part of the 200 medley relay which has an automatic NCAA cut by clocking a 1:43.02 in winning the event. On the relay with Johnson was Elizabeth Spaans, Chantal Kasch, and Jenna Krahn, who have qualified for DII nationals. USF was also fourth place in the relay with a team of Gigi Bario, Abigail Ford, Valerie Childs and Leah Eagleton, who clocked a 1:46.29.
Among the school records is the 800 free relay which won a title by clocking a 7:33.80. The team included Elizabeth Spaans, Leah Eagleton, Ella Johnson and Guila Marcon. USF was also fifth in the event with a relay of Jenna Krahn, Valerie Childs, Evelyn VanDeMark and Abigail Ford in 7:47.69.
Like Johnson, Spaans was part of three wins. In addition to competing on the two relays, she won the 200 IM with an NCAA “B” cut of 2:04.92, which was also a school record. In that race, Makenzie Kennedy was third in 2:07.40 and Kasch, seventh, 2:08.91.
Krahn was another with three wins as she had an NCAA B cut in finishing third in the 50 free at 23.33. USF had four B cuts in the race as Kyjana Webber was sixth in 23.59; Demarquet was eighth with an NCAA “B” cut of 23.67 and Eagleton had an NCAA “B” cut with a 23.65 clocking for 11th place.
USF also had a strong effort in the 500 free as Guilia Marcon was second in an NCAA “B” cut of 4:59.24. Nina Groene, who clocking a 5:05.06 in the finals but had a B cut of 5:01.41 in the prelims. She was eighth. VanDeMark also had an NCAA “B” cut with at 11th place finish and a clocking of 5:03.77.
Courtesy: South Dakota State Athletics
SIOUX FALLS – South Dakota State men’s and women’s swimming and diving wrapped up day one at the Augustana Invitational Thursday, breaking three school records along the way.
“What a good start to weekend,” said head coach Doug Humphrey. “We are picking up where we ended last season, but even better. We had several season bests, many lifetime best and ended the day with three school records broken. I am excited to see what we can achieve tomorrow.”
Elisabeth Timmer broke the 50 free school record with a swim of 23.28 during prelims, passing Abby Zenner who had previously set the record at 23.34 in 2016.
Kristen Davis swam a record 55.82 during prelims in the 100 Fly before immediately resetting her own record in the finals with a swim of 55.65, placing second in the event.
Women
Emily Pincus tied for fourth in the 500 Free with a time of 5:02.50 after swimming a season-best 5:01.45 in Prelims.
In the 200 IM, Tiffany Nguyen swam a 2:08.70 to place fifth and Ashley Theobald finished eighth with a time of 2:08.99.
Timmer finished fifth in the 50 free with a time of 23.52 with Katie Drezen following in seventh (23.66).
Men
The Jacks finished four of the top-five in the 500 free with Damon Venner pacing the team in second-place (4:38.25). Venner also swam his career-best in the event during prelims with a time of 4:35.07.
Jared Miller placed third (4:41.12), Reece Stikeleather fourth (4:41.60) and Parker R. Brown fifth (4:41.88).
In the 200 IM, Austin Pham finished fifth with a time of 1:55.43 with Quenton Steffen placing sixth (1:55.51).
Henry Skinner swam a career-best 20.63 in the 50 free in a fourth-place finish and in the 100 fly, Cody Watkins placed third with a season-best time of 49.83.
Relays
In the 200 medley relay, the women’s ‘A’ team (Nguyen, Kady Harris, Davis, Timmer) placed third in a season-best 1:46.16. The men’s ‘A’ squad (Pham, Steffen, Watkins, Skinner) placed fourth in a season-best 1:32.96.
The 800 free relay wrapped up day one, seeing both the men and women take second in the event. The women’s ‘A’ team (Timmer, Pincus, Daniela Santillan, Maria Currie) swam a 7:37.73 while the men (Watkins, Stikeleather, Alex Kraft, Miller) posted a 6:52.66.
Diving
Zach Boyd won the men’s 1-meter, scoring a career-best 324.30. Spencer Fritze placed fifth with a career-high score of 263.10.
Quincee Simonson paced the Jacks with a second-place finish in the 1-meter, scoring a career-best 256.75. Abbi Rouse and Aleni Stoakes also scored career-bests as Rouse placed third (249.70) and Stoakes finished fourth (245.65).
Up Next
The Jacks return to the pool Friday for day two of the event. Prelims start at 10 a.m. with finals beginning at 5 p.m.
Courtesy: College of Saint Mary Athletics
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The College of Saint Mary swim team will be pushed this week.
The Flames are competing in the three-day Augustana Invitational in Sioux Falls, S.D. The meet has six sessions with morning prelims and evening finals all three days.
Results were not available yet Thursday evening, but CSM Interim Head Coach Terri Hermes said the Flames had a good day.
“The Flames were a little rough after an early start from Omaha and a three-hour drive, but they pulled it together,” Hermes said. “Kailee Sunada (SO/Colorado Springs, Colo.), while not completely healed, controlled her 500 free and was slightly off her times for this event and her 100 fly. Freshman Abbey Craig (FR/Omaha, Neb.) now knows what to expect when traveling and getting right into a long race – the 500 free. We have a bright future ahead with these tough ladies.
“Season-best swims were swum by Bekah Honner (SR/Sioux Falls, S.D.), Shelby Niewohner (SR/Beemer, Neb.), Morgan Niewohner (SR/Beemer, Neb.) and Kirsten Aken (JR/Kansas City, Mo.) in the 50 free. Emily Jacobson (SO/La Vista, Neb.) went a personal best in the 100 fly with a 58.17 – making her our lone final swimmer tonight and also setting a new school record.”
Hermes said the Flames were ready to go by the time the finals were underway.
“Our 200 medley relay started finals tonight,” Hermes said. “The Flames were seeded well, but not quite up to the speed of some of the teams at this invite. Emily went slightly slower in her 100 fly with a 58.26 and finished second in the consolation heat.
“Our 800 free relay was the last event of finals tonight. It was the first time this season for the Flames to swim this event. Abbey Craig, Kirsten Aken, Kailee Sunada and Emily Jacobson did a very nice job after a long day truly attacking their swims in the relay.
Competition continues Friday with prelims starting at 10 a.m. and finals at 5 p.m.