The NC State swim & dive team knocked off the Kentucky Wildcats at Willis R. Casey Aquatic Center on Oct. 21, 2022.
Headed by incredible sprint performances from graduate Kylee Alons and junior Abby Arens, the No. 4 women’s squad beat No. 12 Kentucky 172-126. The No. 4 men’s team trounced the unranked Wildcats 188-105.
Heading into Friday night’s duel in the pool, NC State’s roster was notably short of two key swimmers: seniors Katharine Berkoff and Ross Dant. Although Kentucky’s swimming squads aren’t exactly formidable opponents to the top-5 programs Wolfpack head coach Braden Holloway puts out year after year, the Pack still looked a little sore in the backstroke and distance free events.
“When you have some people that are out due to sickness, yes, it’s a bad thing for those guys,” Holloway said. “But, it does create opportunities for others, and that was the challenge — […] let’s capitalize on that opportunity that some of y’all are getting, some great looks, and let’s make the most of it.”
Dant’s absence left a gaping hole in the men’s 1,000-yard freestyle. NC State’s distance presence is strong, but even juniors and NCAA qualifiers James Plage and Will Gallant couldn’t hold off Kentucky freshman Levi Sandidge. Although not a surprise — Sandidge entered Kentucky’s roster with a 1000-yard freestyle PR two seconds under the school record — the results were jarring, nonetheless.
That being said, the meet went swimmingly for the Wolfpack from there on out. Arens absolutely crushed the competition in the 200-yard butterfly, posting a 1:55.65 to almost three seconds ahead of her teammate, sophomore Grace Sheble. Minutes later, Alons cruised her way to first place in the 50-yard freestyle. Her time of 22.46 was the only one under 23 seconds in the field.
In fact, both men and women’s sprint freestyle squads looked great. NC State swept the men’s 50-yard freestyle and both 100-yard freestyle events, largely thanks to the likes of Alons, Arens and sophomore David Curtiss, who blasted a 19.38 in the 50-yard freestyle to take first place.
Strangely enough, senior Kacper Stokowski suited up for the 500-yard freestyle. Sure, the regular season is the time to test the waters, so to speak, but the 500 freestyle seems like a stretch for Stokowski, the reigning national champion in the 100-yard backstroke. Regardless, he powered through to post a first-place finish in 4:20.40. The exhibition swim couldn’t count for any points, but it was pretty remarkable to watch Stokowski finish so far ahead in any non-backstroke event.
“[Stokowski had] been talking trash to our other [distance] guys, and they were talking trash, and it became a challenge,” Holloway said. “I made a deal with him: ‘I’ll let you suit up.’ Let’s see if he can break 4:20. And he was really close — he wanted the challenge, and it became something pretty fun.”
NC State’s men’s diving squad saw its first win of the season with senior Patrick O’Brien’s 331.95-point finish in the 3-meter diving event, a mere 0.75 points ahead of Kentucky junior Sam Duncan. In the shallow end, sophomore Aiden Hayes, senior Noah Bowers and graduate Giovanni Izzo swept the men’s 100-yard butterfly. Hayes and Bowers were the only two in the field to break 48 seconds.
The Wolfpack wrapped things up with two decisive wins in both 400-yard freestyle relay events. Although neither counted for points — at this point, the meet already had a winner — the women’s squad beat Kentucky’s A relay by almost four seconds. The men’s A relay, highlighted by senior Bartosz Pisczorowicz’s sub-43 split, won by a little over six seconds.
The NC State swim & dive team will return to the pool in Greensboro Nov. 17-19 for the NC State/GAC Invitational.
