Swimming

Queens (NC) Shatters CSCAA Record in Men’s 200 FR Relay with 1:17.26: NIC Day 1 Recap

March 10, 2023

2023 CSCAA NATIONAL INVITATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Thursday-Saturday, March 9-11, 2023
Beacon Health Aquatic Center, Elkhart, IN
SCY (25 yards)
Meet Central
Live Results can be found on MeetMobile
- “2023 CSCAA National Invitational Championship”
Psych Sheet

The 2023 CSCAA National Invitational Championship (NIC) kicked off today in Elkhart, IN. An alternative national-level collegiate championships to NCAAs, NIC features the normal college meet slate of events, plus the 50s of the strokes (fly, back, breast) and the 100 IM.

NIC has always held a strong pull with mid-major (non-Power Five) programs, but in the last few years, more Power Five programs have been in attendance as well. Also in attendance this year are some programs which just moved up to NCAA Division I this year. Most notably, Queens (NC) is competing as a DI program for the first time this season. Queens wasn’t allowed to participate in NCAAs this season due to the move, so they’re at NIC in full force right now.

Speaking of which, Queens is leading in the men’s standings through the first day of the meet. Coming in at 236 points, Queens is the only men’s team to crack 200 points on the first day of the meet. In the women’s standings, Tennessee is leading the way with 216 points, 32.5 points ahead of Indiana.

The NIC has been steadily growing in popularity over the last few years. That is continuing into this year as well, as evidenced by the eight NIC meet records that fell on day one of the meet.

Queens made a statement right away, winning the first event of tonight’s finals session: the men’s 200 free relay. Not only did Queens win the race in 1:17.26, they obliterated the NIC meet record of 1:18.75 by 1.49 seconds with the performance. Matej Dusa (19.24), Alex Kunnert (19.19), Daniel Meszaros (19.39), and Alex Bauch (19.44) combined to earn the win.

Queens continued to roll, winning and cracking the NIC record in the women’s 200 free relay as well. Danielle Melilli (22.59), Monica Gumina (22.36), Ryley Heck (22.53), and Caroline Lawrence (22.79) teamed up to clock a 1:30.27, dipping under Akron’s record of 1:30.64 from 2020.

Queens would go on to win the men’s 400 medley relay at the end of the session as well. Alex Bauch (46.95), Jan Delkeskamp (53.14), Alex Kunnert (47.03), and Daniel Meszaros (42.71) combined to swim a 3:09.83. Oakland was out ahead of Queens, thanks to Marko Khotynetskyi splitting 46.73 on backstroke and Christian Bart 51.94 on breaststroke.

The women’s 400 medley relay went to Tennessee, where Olivia Harper (54.66), Kailee Morgan (1:01.42), Abby Samansky (53.56), and Julia Burroughs (49.39) posted a 3:39.03.

In the men’s 50 backstroke, Queens’ Alex Bauch won handily with a 21.34, touching first by over half a second. Tennessee’s Olivia Harper won the women’s 50 back in 24.70, tying the NIC meet record with the swim.

Tennessee’s Joaquin Vargas won the men’s 500 free in 4:18.47, finishing as the only swimmer in the field under 4:20. Additionally, he clipped the meet record of 4:18.63 with the performance.

Another meet record went down in the women’s 500 free, where Indiana’s Elyse Heiser clocked a 4:42.40. The previous record sat at 4:44.01 from 2018.

In yet another record performance, Florida Atlantic’s Rateb Youseff Hussein won the men’s 50 fly in 20.97. Miami (OH) swimmer Henju Duvenhage came in second with a 21.13, which was also under the previous NIC record of 21.14.

TCU picked up a win in the women’s 50 fly, where Jeanne Dahmen swam a 24.02.

Queens found themselves back on top in the men’s 200 IM, where Alex Kunnert beat out Ohio State’s William Bansberg 1:45.77 to 1:45.91. Kunnert jumped out to the early lead thanks to a sizzling 22.54 on the fly leg, which gave him a lead he would hold through the rest of the race.

Florida International’s Nicole Frank won the women’s 200 IM in 1:58.99, touching out Ohio State’s Paige Hall (1:59.02). Hall was notably faster in prelims, where she swam a 1:58.26.

Oakland’s Christian Bart broke the meet record in the men’s 50 breast, swimming a 23.98. It was a photo-finish, as Bart touched out Lindenwood’s Johan Cue Carrillo by 0.01 seconds. Notably, Lindenwood is another program which has moved from NCAA Division II to Division I this season.

Cincinnati’s Joleigh Crye won the women’s 50 breast in 27.62.

Queens’ Matej Dusa won the men’s 50 free in 19.29, shattering the NIC record of 19.62. Howard’s Miles Simon came in second with a 19.59, also under the previous meet record.

Queens went 1-2 in the women’s 50 free. Danielle Melilli touched first in 22.43, followed closely by Monica Gumina (22.64).

TEAM SCORES THROUGH THURSDAY (TOP TEN)

WOMEN