COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Junior Caley Oquist set the program record with a time of 1:57.32 in the 200 IM and Cassie Weil tallied a score of 352 to win three-meter on the first day of the Art Adamson Invitational.
The LSU women’s team sits in third place behind Texas A&M and Stanford with 212.5 points. The men’s team is in second place behind Stanford with 177 points.
“It was exciting because we had two highly competitive teammates push each other to great performances,” LSU Swimming coach Dave Geyer said of the 200 IM. “Caley had just enough to hold on for the win and the school record but those were both incredible performances.”
Oquist set the record and sophomore Kara Kopcso touched the wall second in the ‘B’ final of the 200 IM. Kopcso’s time of 1:57.40 is the second-fastest time in program history.
“We took another step forward in the process,” LSU Diving coach Doug Shaffer said. “We had some very good individual performances today. As a team, everybody reaching the finals in the competition is a really good sign and indication that the work we are doing is paying off.”
“Overall, it was a long first day,” Geyer added. “A majority of our performances were faster than they were a year ago. We have to improve and get better during the morning session because that’s what it takes to excel at SEC Championships and NCAA Championships.”
The Lady Tiger team of Amber Carter, Leah Troskot, Danielle Stirrat and Oquist got things started in the 200 freestyle relay with a third-place finish (1:30.44). The men’s team of Joao Mescolote Marco Gonzalez, Devin McCaffrey showed a strong second-place finish with a time of 1:19.91.
Megan Cox (5:51.93) and Stacey Stanfield (4:57.06) finished fourth and eight respectively in the ‘B’ final of the 500 free. In the prelims, Stanfield posted the sixth-fastest time in program history (4:49.97). Danielle Stirrat also finished fourth in the ‘C’ final of the 500 freestyle (4:55.81).
For the men, senior Matthew Schaefer touched the wall sixth in the ‘C’ final of the 500 freestyle with a time of 4:37.26.
In the men’s 200 IM, Frank Greeff finished sixth in the championship final with a time of 1:47.61. Logan Rysemus (1:49.44) touched the walls second in the ‘B’ final for the tenth-fastest time in program history. Brandon Goldman finished third in the ‘B’ final (1:50.05). Jake Markham (1:51.83) finished fifth in the ‘C’ final and Garrett House (1:52.23) also finished second in the ‘D’ final.
Carter finished eighth in the championship final of the 50 free. In prelims, Carter swam to a career-best time of 22.49 for the third-fastest time in program history. Troskot also tied for fourth in the ‘B’ final of the 50 free with a time of 22.97.
Gonzalez then wrapped up the individual events with a sixth-place finish in the 50 free (20.36).
Weil took first on three-meter and Alex Bettridge followed in second with a final score 317.25. In addition to taking the top two spots, Allie Alter finished sixth (294.50), Madison Sthamann finished 10th (265.40) and Katie Lagarde finished 12th (251.15).
Daniel Helm and Andrew Suchla led off the finals session with a fifth and seventh place finish on one-meter. Helm finished with a final score of 324.40, while Suchla finished with a score of 304.60.
In the women’s 400-medley relay, the team of Oquist, Colleen O’Neil, Carter and Troskot finished third with a time of 3:37.83. Troskot had a huge showing in the final 100 yards to beat out Boise State and finish third.
The men’s team of Rysemus, Silas Dejean, Greeff and Gonzalez wrapped up the first day with a third-place finish in the 400-medley relay (3:14.13).
Day two of the Art Adamson Invitational continues tomorrow with the 200 medley and 800 freestyle relays. The individual events include the 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breast, and 100 back. The women will take to the one-meter springboard while the men will perform on three-meter.
A full recap will be available on lsusports.net at the conclusion of each day. For more information and updates on LSU Swimming and Diving please visit LSUsports.net, ‘like’ us on Facebook at LSU Swimming and Diving or follow us on Twitter @LSUswimdive.
ORDER OF EVENTS
Women events are odd numbers and men events are even numbers
Friday:
13/14: 200 Medley Relay
15/16: 400 I. M.
17/18: 100 Butterfly
19/20: 200 Freestyle
21/22: 100 Breaststroke
23/24: 100 Backstroke
25/26: Diving
27/28: 800 Freestyle Relay
Saturday:
29/30: Platform Diving
31/32: 1650 Freestyle
33/34: 200 Backstroke
35/36: 100 Freestyle
37/38: 200 Breaststroke
39/40: 200 Butterfly
41/42: 400 Freestyle Relay