Tennessee Invitational Notebook: Day 1

November 18, 2021 | Swimming & Diving

Tennessee swimming & diving opened the Tennessee Invitational with a bang, as the Vols and Lady Vols combined to set 25 personal records during the prelims on Thursday morning. The day's slate included the 500 freestyle, 200 IM, 50 free, women's 1-meter diving and men's 3-meter diving.

Here's a breakdown of each event:

500 Freestyle

Tennessee opened the invitational with 11 Lady Vols and seven Vols qualifying for the finals of the 500 free. A total of 10 swimmers set new personal bests in the event during prelims.

Julia Mrozinski (4:42.30), Alyssa Breslin (4:43.00) and Kristen Stege (4:44.23) finished with times that would have qualified for NCAAs last season. Mrozinski's time ranked ninth in program history, while Breslin moved into a tie for 10th. Summer Smith, who recorded a mark of 4:45.12, joined the trio as the Lady Vols to make the cut for the A Final.

Advancing to the B Final, Claire Nguyen (4:47.90), Kate McCarville (4:49.38), Brooklyn Douthwright (4:50.77) and Lauren Wetherell (4:51.05) had solid performances. To move on to the C Final, Elle Caldow notched a time of 4:52.41, while Berit Quass and Summer Eaker posted marks of 4:53.99 and 4:55.24, respectively.

On the men's side, Rafael Ponce de Leon Castilla posted the top time in the 500 free, touching the wall with an NCAA B Cut mark of 4:19.15, which moved him into ninth in the program record books. Will Jackson (4:21.85) and Joey Tepper (4:22.75) recorded personal records during prelims, while Jake Narvid notched an NCAA B Cut time of 4:22.76 to round out the A Final qualifies for UT.

Hadley Griffin (4:26.25) and Seth Thompson-Bailey (4:27.00) qualified for the B Final, while Jack Stelter's mark of 4:28.94 earned him a spot in the C Final.

PRs
Women
Julia Mrozinski: 4:42.30 (9th in program history)
Alyssa Breslin: 4:43.00 (T10th in program history)
Summer Smith: 4:45.12
Brooklyn Douthwright: 4:50.77
Lauren Wetherell: 4:51.05
Summer Eaker: 4:55.24

Men
Rafael Ponce de Leon Castilla: 4:19.15 (9th in program history)
Will Jackson: 4:21.85
Joey Tepper: 4:22.75
Seth Thompson-Bailey: 4:27.00

200 IM

Tennessee kept its momentum going in the 200 IM, as 13 Lady Vols and all six Vols earned spots in the finals. Collectively, the group set seven personal records during the morning.

Ellen Walshe had the top performance of the morning, when she took the top spot in the 200 IM with a mark of 1:56.57. The time would have qualified for NCAAs last season, ranked fifth in the Lady Vol record books and would have been the second-fastest time in the country entering the day. Alexis Yager (1:57.15) and Sara Stotler (1:57.54) also qualified for the A Final. Stotler's time ranks tied for 10th in program history.

Advancing to the B Final with NCAA B Cut marks, Trude Rothrock recorded a time of 1:58.55, Josephine Fuller posted a mark of 1:58.82, Summer Smith touched the wall in 1:58.87 and Danika Katzer had a time of 1:59.79. Mona McSharry (2:00.76), Bayley Stewart (2:01.02) and Kate McCarville (2:01.17) earned spots in the C Final, while Asia Minnes (2:01.51), Mallory Beil (2:01.61) and Emily Sykes (2:02.01) qualified for the D Final.

For the men, Gus Rothrock advanced to the A Final with an NCAA B Cut time of 1:46.50. Kayky Mota (1:48.29), Harrison Lierz (1:48.70), Brett Champlin (1:48.76) and Lyubomir Epitropov (1:49.17) earned spots in the B Final. Joel Giraudeau posted a time of 1:50.15 to qualify for the C Final.

PRs
Women
Ellen Walshe: 1:56.57 (5th in program history)
Sara Stotler: 1:57.54 (T10th in program history)
Josephine Fuller: 1:58.82
Summer Smith: 1:58.87
Mona McSharry: 2:00.76
Julia Mrozinski: 2:02.68

Men
Gus Rothrock: 1:46.50

50 Freestyle

UT ended prelims with the 50 free. Eleven Lady Vols and six Vols advanced to the finals, while six individuals set personal bests.

On the women's side, Anna-Julia Kutsch had the fastest time for the Lady Vols, touching the wall in 22.25. The mark would have earned an invite to NCAAs last season. Mona McSharry (22.37) and Jasmine Rumley (22.40) both posted NCAA B Cut times to qualify for the A Final.

Emma Carlton (22.61), Megan Sichterman (22.67) and Natalie Ungaretti (22.69) finished with NCAA B Cut marks to move on to the B Final. Trude Rothrock (22.74) had an NCAA B Cut time as well, while Sara Stotler and Olivia Harper posted marks of 22.84 and 22.93, respectively, to advance to the C Final. Josephine Fuller (23.13) and Tjasa Pintar (23.19) qualified for the D Final.

On the men's side, Jordan Crooks (19.61), Micah Chambers (19.71), Scott Scanlon (19.75) and Nolan Briggs (19.80) secured spots in the A Final. Seth Thompson-Bailey qualified for the B Final with a time of 19.93, while Michael Houlie moved on to the D Final after touching the wall in 20.40.

PRs
Women
Trude Rothrock: 22.74
Sara Stotler: 22.84
Brooklyn Douthwright: 23.31
Bayley Stewart: 23.86

Men
Jordan Crooks: 19.61
Jarel Dillard: 20.65

1-Meter Diving (Women)

Kara Holt finished second in the prelims on the 1-meter with a score of 264.75. Grace Cable (246.90), Madison Reese (244.30) and Emily Ann Wolfson (229.90) all qualified for the finals as well.

3-Meter Diving (Men)

Men's diving advanced all three individuals to the finals, as Bryden Hattie (412.65) and Dillon Richardson (366.05) placed first and third, respectively. Both set personal bests in the morning. Jacob Reason posted a score of 297.40 to finish 10th in prelims

PRs
Bryden Hattie: 412.65
Dillon Richardson: 366.05