The NC State swimming and diving teams started the 2014-15 season in record-setting fashion on Saturday.
The men’s team defeated the highly ranked Bulldogs with an exhilarating 155-143 victory, while the Lady Pack fell short, 183.5-114.5.
The Wolfpack’s Willis R. Casey Aquatic Center hosted several pool records on both the men’s and women’s sides.
The men’s 200-yard medley relay was the first event to witness a record setting performance. Sophomores Andreas Schiellerup, Derek Hren, and Soren Dahl anchored by senior David Williams set the pool record with a time of 1:28.05.
Freshman Anton Ipsen was the next NC State swimmer to get in on the record breaking action. Ipsen dominated in the men’s 1000 freestyle with a blistering time of 9:01.83. The young freshman’s performance also gave him the distinction of swimming the nation’s fastest time in the 1000 freestyle event this season.
Junior Christian McCurdy placed first in his 200-yard butterfly with a time of 1:44.77, which was also good enough to set a Casey Aquatic Center record.
“I was a little nervous coming into this meet because it’s been a while since we got up and raced people with the caliber of the Georgia team,” McCurdy said. “Once we got started and I got up behind the block, I was just ready to race.”
Nearing the conclusion of the meet, the men’s and women’s finishes in the 400 freestyle relay also set pool records. The men’s relay posted a time of 2:56.12 and the women’s relay comprised of sophomore Lotto Nevalainen, junior Riki Bonnema, freshman Krista Duffield and senior Hannah Freyman placed first and finished with a time of 3:22.60.
Junior Simonas Bilis swept his three freestyle sprints with first place honors in the 50 (19.96), the 100 (43.74), and the 200 (1.37.02).
“For Simonas to win three events pretty close together like that, there’s not a lot of people in the country who can do that,” head coach Braden Holloway said. “I just believe he’s that good.”
In the 200 backstroke, freshman Hennessey Stuart won the event for NC State with a 1:46.26 finish, while sophomore Andreas Schiellerup snagged second place in the 100 back.
The NC State women’s team felt the loss of several key swimmers as nine of Lady Pack swimmers traveled to Dallas over the weekend to compete in the Dallas Classic hosted by Southern Methodist University.
However, despite the shortage of athletes, the women held their own against a Georgia women’s side that will be defending back-to-back national championships in 2013 and 2014.
“I am very proud of our women,” Holloway said. “To be nine girls down and to come out and not be intimidated is great. They came to race and they competed hard.”
NC State’s diving team only had two divers competing at home Saturday. The women’s solo women’s diver, sophomore Gabi McDermott placed fourth in the women’s 1-meter and 3-meter with a total of 417.45 points. Freshman Harrison Mitchell finished second in the men’s 1-meter and 3-meter, contributing a total of 669.3 points to the men’s score.
“We’re further ahead than last year, which is always a plus,” Holloway said. “We do have some areas we need to clean up and get better, and that’s going to take time.”
The Wolfpack swimming and diving teams will compete next against Georgia Tech and Florida State on Oct. 25 in Atlanta.
