The NC State swimming and diving teams began their 2014-15 regular seasons Friday and Saturday by finishing first at the All North Carolina Invitational in Greensboro for the third straight year.
After a top-16 finish in the NCAA championship last season—the first time in program history—the pressure is on the team in 2014-15.
“I think it definitely puts some high expectations on the team,” Head Coach Braden Holloway said. “It gives us, the coaches, a lot of ammunition to motivate them.”
A total of 12 teams competed in the invitational, including Davidson, East Carolina, Gardner-Webb, Campbell, North Carolina A&T, Mars Hill, UNC-Ashville, St. Andrew’s, Lenoir-Rhyne and Queens University of Charlotte.
Both the men and women’s swim teams placed first overall in the meet after maintaining the lead throughout the two-day spread. The women scored a two-day total of 1,580 points followed by East Carolina (1,413), Davidson (1,126), Gardner-Webb (883) and Campbell (815). The men’s team won with a two-day total of 1,681 points followed by ECU (1,251), Davidson (1,061), Gardner-Webb (892) and Queens University of Charlotte (811).
“We were better this year than we were last year,” Holloway said. “I think it’s a good start.”
The NC State diving team also contributed to the overall win this weekend.
The two men’s divers at the meet added a total of 616.65 points in the men’s one-meter. Sophomore Grant Saale placed first in his second diving event with a score of 314.33. Freshman Charles Mitchell followed with second place earning a score of 301.95. Both Saale and Mitchell met the NCAA zone diving standard, qualifying them for this year’s NCAA Championship.
In the women’s three-meter competition, the Wolfpack’s lone diver, redshirt junior Rachael Mumma, placed first with the score 286.95. She also met the NCAA zone diving standard alongside her teammates.
“For the women’s side, the key is Rachel Mumma. She redshirted all last year and she’s a really good diver,” Holloway said. “That is the biggest key for the women, having her on the boards.”
The Wolfpack swimmers made a statement with the men and women’s relay performances. NC State’s men and women swept first place in every relay event.
The women placed first and second in the 200-yard freestyle relay, and the 200 and 400 medley relays. In the 400-yard freestyle relay, the women easily took the top three places in the event.
The men’s team also finished first in all four relay events. In the 200 and 400 yard freestyle relay and the 200 yard medley relay the men took first, second and fourth.
Among the top swims for this Invitational include the women’s 100 Back, where senior Hannah Freyman took first with a time of 56.39, while her teammates Lotta Nevalainen (56.85) and Addisynn Bursch (57.82) took second and third place in the event.
The Wolfpack Ladies also dominated the freestyle sprint events, earning the first four finishes in the 50-yard freestyle. Riki Bonnema clocked in at 22.92, closely followed by Lauren Poli at 23.05, Alexia Zevnik with a 24.00 and wrapping up fourth Krista Duffield finished with a 24.12.
The men’s team also controlled the 50-yard freestyle event with Andreas Schiellerup placing first with a time of 20.46, Scott Johnson at second with 20.71 and Jason Deana taking third with a 20.81.
NC State also proved they not only have the speed for the sprints, but they also have the endurance to dominate the distance events.
The men’s team easily controlled the competition in the 500-yard freestyle. Adam Linker placed first with a time of 4:31.57, Matthew O’Donnell taking second with a 4:39.09 and Alexander Hamilton finishing third at 4:41.17.
In the women’s 1650 Freestyle, Rachel Muller placed first finishing with a time of 16:58.56, while in the men’s 1650, Adam Linker came through for another Wolfpack first place victory with a time of 15:46.74.
Coach Holloway was cautiously optimistic about his team’s performance.
“We turn right around and go up against the national team, Georgia,” Holloway said. “We’ll find out real quick where we truly are.”
The Wolfpack takes on Georgia at home Oct. 18, while part of the women’s team travels to the Dallas Morning Classic on Oct. 17 and 18.
