SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – South Dakota swimming and diving recorded seven wins and 14 top three finishes on the opening day of the three-day Augustana Invitational on Thursday at Midco Aquatic Center.
Stella Fairbanks,
Taylor Buhr and
Zachary Kopp secured individual wins while the Coyotes swept the two relays that were contested on the opening day.
Fairbanks, a senior, led a 1-2 finish on the one-meter diving board as she scored a total of 245.15 points while classmate
Kayla Middaugh was second with 242.65 points.
Buhr, a sophomore, backed up a strong race in the morning prelims to win the 'A' final in 2:04.56. Her prelims time of 2:03.65 was a personal best and moved her up one spot to second on the school's all-time charts.
Kopp, a fifth-year senior, touched the wall in a dead heat with South Dakota State's Eric Anderson as each were credited with a 20.48 clocking in the 'A' Final of the 50 free.
Emily Kahn, a junior, tallied a season best time of 22.87 in the 'A' Final of the 50 free to finish second while
Skyler Leverenz was third in a season best 23.52.
Gabbie Ahrendt, a freshman, finished second in the 500 free in a personal best 5:02.64 while sophomore
Tatum O'Shea was third in a personal best 5:02.72.
Mack Sathre, a fifth-year senior, led four Coyotes in the top nine of the 200 IM with a runner-up finish in 1:48.43.
Charlie Matthews, a freshman, had a point total of 230.70 to finish second on the one-meter diving board.
South Dakota men posted a 1-2 finish in the 200 free relay in the first of six finals events contested on the opening day.
The foursome of
Aidan Gantenbein,
Adam Fisher, Sathre and Kopp touched in 1:20.24 while the quartet of
Jacob Carlson,
Dean Wall,
Grant Wolner and
Caden Feit touched in 1:22.86.
Gantenbein,
Parker Sonnabend, Wolner and Carlson won the 400 medley relay in 3:16.68.
O'Shea, Buhr,
Sara Mayer and Kahn earned a win in the 400 medley relay in 3:44.68 while the team of
Christina Spomer,
Skyler Leverenz,
Carson White and Kahn claimed the 200 free relay in 1:31.80.
Samantha Mersnick, a junior, posted a personal best point total in the prelims of the three-meter diving event of 250.70 to move into 10
th on the all-time charts.
Friday's second day of action five individual events, two relays and the divers will switch boards as prelims begin at 10 a.m. and finals at 5:30 p.m.
