Gophers Set Pool Records, Win in Denver

The Golden Gophers set several pool records as they secured dual meet victories against Denver and Wyoming at El Pomar Natatorium. The Gopher men beat host Denver 193-122, and beat Wyoming 219.5-95.5. Minnesota’s women captured a 179-136 win against the Pioneers and a 225-90 win against the Cowgirls.

MEN
Both Minnesota relays set pool records. Bowe Becker, Paul Fair, Noah Busch and Daryl Turner started Day 2 of the meet with a winning time of 1:20.42 in the 200-yard freestyle relay. The same quartet closed competition with a 2:57.69 in the 400 free relay.

Turner set an individual pool record by winning the 100 butterfly in 47.51. (He also had a pool record in the 100 back on Friday.) Tuomas Pokkinen (49.64) placed third in the 100 fly.

Becker won his second sprint free race of the meet, with a 44.46 for victory in the 100. Fair (45.34) finished third and Busch (46.19) fifth.

Conner McHugh placed second in the 200 breaststroke in 2:01.91. John Bushman (2:03.09) and Brian Poon (2:03.33) also scored in fourth and fifth.

Poon (4:02.48) and Bushman (4:02.96) placed second and third in the 400 IM. Nick Plachinski (4:34.54) and Logan Redondo (4:38.22) did the same in the 500 free.

Jeremy Moser finished second in 3-meter diving with a score of 300.20. Alan LeBlang (264.70) and Lucas Cooperman (228.35) placed fifth and seventh.

Jonathon Thielen placed fifth in the 200 back (1:52.31).

WOMEN
The Gophers swept the relays during the two-day meet. On Saturday, Zoe Avestruz, Danielle Nack, Chantal Nack and Tevyn Waddell set a pool record with a 3:23.85 in the 400 free relay. (Friday’s 200 medley relay and 800 free relay also set pool records.) The Gophers also won the 200 free relay, with Avestruz, Chantal Nack, Abigail Raatz and Tevyn Waddell posting a time of 1:33.26.

Kierra Smith set an El Pomar record by winning the 200 breaststroke in 2:13.22, by a 2.62-second margin and under the NCAA "B" standard. She swept the breaststroke events in Denver. Lindsey Horejsi took third in both, with a 2:18.64 in the 200.

Danielle Nack, who set a pool record in the 200 butterfly Friday, completed the butterfly sweep with a 54.88 to win the 100 on Saturday. Kaia Grobe (58.06) was fourth.

Lexi Tenenbaum won the 1-meter diving competition with a score of 292.25. Mariam Khamis (250.15) and Beth Etterman (236.55) placed third and fourth.

Waddell (2:00.25) and Chantal Nack (2:01.10) turned in a 2-3 finish in the 200 backstroke. Avestruz (51.87) was the runner-up in the 100 freestyle. Raatz (53.26) finished fifth.

Erin Emery took second in the 500 free in 5:05.86, and Isabel Whited was fourth in 5:09.21. Emery (4:34.61) and Rina Krupsky (4:35.44) finished third and fourth in the 400 IM.